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Finding cheap car insurance in Mississippi is far more challenging than it should be. Each car insurance company takes a different approach when determining insurance premiums, so the quotes you receive from one carrier can be wildly different from the next. To make the process of finding affordable car insurance as easy as possible, our researchers compared quotes from some of the top carriers to find the best rates for drivers in The Magnolia State.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Mississippi
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements
Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance
Mississippi Car Insurance FAQs
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Mississippi
If you want to secure the lowest car insurance rates in Mississippi, you’ll have to get quotes from more than one company. Below is our list of suggested insurance carriers for different driver categories:
| Cheapest Insurer | Driver Category |
|---|---|
| Liberty Mutual | Safe Drivers |
| USAA | Drivers in the Military |
| State Farm | Low Annual Mileage |
| Esurance | Drivers Who Pay Their Premiums Upfront |
| Progressive | High-Risk Drivers |
Allstate | Teen |
Best Car Insurance Companies in Mississippi
Our Geeks considered policyholder complaints and reviews to identify the best auto insurance companies in Mississippi. The table below summarizes our findings:
| Rank | Company | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Farm | A |
| 2 | Allstate | B+ |
| 3 | USAA | B+ |
| 4 | Esurance | B- |
| 5 | Liberty Mutual | B- |
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Mississippi
In Mississippi, all drivers must carry auto insurance that would cover $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for total bodily injury in one collision, and $25,000 for property damage.
If you feel this isn’t enough, however, there are other options to consider. Collision coverage would ensure your vehicle repairs are taken care of in the event of a crash no matter who was at fault, and comprehensive coverage would be beneficial if something besides an accident happens to your vehicle such as flooding or theft. Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage protects you from drivers who don’t have the means to pay for damages incurred in a crash.
Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance in Mississippi
If you are caught driving without auto insurance in Mississippi, you will face a $500 fine and a driver’s license suspension for one year or until you show Proof of Insurance. An insurance card is the best Proof of Insurance. Unlike other states, the penalties for driving uninsured in Mississippi do not get worse with subsequent offenses.
If you were cited for driving without insurance, you can get the fine reduced to $100 by submitting proof of future financial responsibility (Form SR22) before your hearing. If you submit proof that you have a current insurance policy before your hearing, the license suspension, fine, and court costs may be waived.
Mississippi Car Insurance FAQs
How Can I Get My Car Insurance Rates Reduced In Mississippi?
Everybody likes to save money, and one of the easiest ways to do so is to get your car insurance rates reduced. What you might not know is that lowering your car insurance rates could be as easy as contacting your current provider and asking about the discounts available to you—and that’s just the start.
Here are the factors that have the biggest impact on your car insurance premiums:
- Whether you’ve been found liable for any recent collisions;
- Whether you’ve been cited for traffic infractions and their degree of severity;
- Any history of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
- How long you’ve been licensed to drive;
- Your location;
- Whether the vehicle you’re getting insured has a high rate of claims;
- Your yearly mileage; and
- How you will use the car being insured.
Now that you know the factors that influence your premiums, it’s time to create a plan to prove to your insurance provider that your monthly rates should be lower. Consider these five strategies:
1. Make a concerted effort to avoid accidents for consecutive years.
This means following all the rules of the road: use your blinker; stop at intersections, red lights, and stop signs; don’t speed or do anything to otherwise impair your driving ability; and most importantly, pay attention to your surroundings. You may be a good driver, but those around you may not. Being a proactive and defensive driver is imperative to maintaining low insurance rates.
2. Never violate traffic laws.
The key to this is making sure you know the traffic laws in Mississippi. A good way to stay up to date is taking a defensive driving class. As an added bonus to the knowledge these courses provide, they can also help you dismiss a ticket or earn an insurance discount.
3. Don’t drive after drinking alcohol.
Drinking and driving is incredibly dangerous. According to the CDC, 2,560 people were killed in drunk driving accidents in Mississippi between 2003 and 2012. As an indicator of how serious this is, a DUI is more than just a traffic violation; the first two offenses are misdemeanors, and any subsequent ones are felonies. Penalties include jail, fines, and the loss of driving privileges. Further, it is a big red flag to insurance providers and could end up costing you thousands in premium increases.
If you are convicted of DUI, not all is lost, however. It is possible to get the penalties reduced by participating in the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (MASEP). The class is mandatory for all first-timers and aims to reduce the number of reoffenders and teach safe driving practices.
4. Find a car that is cheap to insure (low rate of claims, low horsepower).
This is an important, and sometimes overlooked, thing to consider. Cooler vehicles like sports cars may be more expensive to insure, so you need to be careful—aesthetics aren’t everything. Cars that are cheaper to insure include ones with a low rate of claims and low horsepower. Other factors include the ease and frequency with which your car gets stolen or broken into, the safety rating of your car, and the cost of the vehicle.
5. Drive less often to lower your yearly mileage.
To do this, consider alternate methods for getting where you need to go. Carpool to events or the office, take public transportation, or walk or bike wherever you can.
If your insurance company doesn’t have a discount available for you, try getting quotes from other companies to find out if you would save money by switching providers.
What Are Some Tips to Increase My Auto Insurance Claim’s Chance of Being Approved?
The aftermath of a serious collision is often rife with anxiety and nervous tension. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but your statements and actions immediately after a crash could impact your ability to file a successful car insurance claim.
If you were involved in an accident, it is critical that you report the incident to your auto insurance provider as soon as possible. You should also take the following steps to improve your claim’s chance of being approved:
- Never lie your insurance provider;
- Take pictures of the accident scene;
- Get a copy of the accident report; and
- Record the contact information of any witnesses.
Your top priority after any wreck is to seek medical attention for yourself and anyone else who was injured. If you were not seriously hurt, be sure to take photos of the crash scene including any property damage, injuries, skid marks, the positions of vehicles, and traffic signs.
Even if nobody appears to be severely injured, you should still contact the police. An officer will compile an accident report that contains details about the time, date, location, and cause of your crash. That accident report may help you prove liability.
Then, exchange insurance and contact information with all drivers involved. You should also write down the full names, phone numbers, and email addresses of any eyewitnesses.
Can a Car Insurance Company in Mississippi Charge Me More Even If I Was Not At-Fault for a Collision?
Yes. Even if another driver caused the accident, your insurance rates may still increase. This is because multiple drivers often share fault for collisions, so your insurance company will see you as a greater liability.
What Are Some of Mississippi’s Driving Laws?
Whenever you set foot behind the wheel of a vehicle, you are agreeing to follow the rules of the state you are in. Here are some tips for staying on the good side of the law:
Seat Belt Laws in Mississippi
Wearing a seat belt can help save the lives of you and your passengers. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study showed that, of the 677 fatalities in Mississippi in 2015, only 313 were belted. That means that more than half or the recorded fatalities were unbelted individuals.
To help reduce the number of deaths on the roadways, Mississippi has mandated that all drivers and front-seat passengers wear seat belts. Children between the ages of 4 and 7 must wear a seat belt regardless of where they sit in the vehicle. If that child is under 65 pounds or less than 4 feet and 9 inches tall, however, they are required to be in a booster seat. Violations can lead to fines.
Marijuana Laws in Mississippi
Smoking or otherwise consuming marijuana poses the same risks alcohol does. It makes you a danger to everyone else on the road and is thus illegal. Even having one gram to one ounce of marijuana on your person, in your vehicle, or on one of your passengers while you are driving is a misdemeanor. This violation is punishable by a maximum 90-day jail sentence and a $1,000 fine. Your driving privilege may also be revoked.
Refusing to take a chemical test means you must surrender your license to the police officer immediately and will be subject to an automatic 90-day suspension, regardless of whether you’re guilty or not.
Distracted Driving Laws in Mississippi
Operating a motor vehicle is a serious undertaking; your life and the lives of those around you depend on how much attention you devote to the task at hand. Even a split-second distraction could have severe consequences; driving is not the time to brush your hair, apply make-up, eat, read, or do any other task. Do not drive if you’re emotionally distressed, tired, or sick either. You must keep two hands on the wheel and be on high alert the whole time.
An increasingly common and deadly distraction nowadays is the cell phone. In the time it takes to read a text, you could have gone the length of a full football field without looking at the road. For this reason, it is illegal to text and drive in Mississippi. Remember, no text is worth someone’s life.
Driver’s License Suspension Laws
There are several reasons Mississippi could suspend your license. Repeat traffic violations, reckless or aggressive driving, allowing the fraudulent use of your license, being physically or mentally incapable of driving, or even failing to pay child support could lead to a suspension. Any offenses committed outside of the state will also be considered and potentially penalized.
Having a suspended license means your right to drive has been temporarily withdrawn.
Driver’s License Revocation Laws
More serious offenses can lead to a revocation instead of a suspension. In some instances, law dictates that a one-year revocation must occur. These situations include manslaughter or negligent homicide caused by a driving accident, any felony committed using a vehicle, perjury relating to your ownership or operation of a vehicle, or three reckless driving charges within a year.
Having a revoked license means your right to drive has been terminated.
How Can I Get My License Reinstated?
Once you wait the required period after a suspension or revocation, you can begin the process of reinstatement. If the reason for your sentence was related to DUI or drug charges, a $175 reinstatement fee is required. Failure to pay child support will lead to a $25 reinstatement fee. All other reasons must pay a $100 reinstatement fee.
The Breakdown: Mississippi Car Accident Statistics
The NHTSA has determined that 690 people were killed in traffic incidents in Mississippi in 2017. An additional 40 were motorcycle fatalities and 71 were pedestrian. The percentage of deaths connected to alcohol jumped from 19 percent in 2016 to 21 percent in 2017.
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