Best car insurance in Missouri for 2024

Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories. 

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto and home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.

Missouri state law requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage. You cannot purchase less than the minimum required amount, but most financial experts agree you should purchase higher limits if you can afford them to provide greater financial protection in case of a covered event. If you are unsure about the requirements in Missouri, you can speak with a licensed insurance agent to ensure you have adequate coverage.

If you lease or finance your vehicle, your financial institution may require full coverage car insurance. This typically includes comprehensive and collision coverage to help cover your vehicle repair or replacement costs and medical expenses, regardless of fault. You may also want to purchase gap insurance, which covers the “gap” between what you owe on a vehicle and the amount the insurance carrier will pay out should your vehicle be totaled in a covered accident.

Your driving habits and unique needs should be taken into consideration when it comes to choosing car insurance. If you only have one car, for example, you may want to add rental reimbursement in the event that it needs to be repaired after a covered accident. If you have a teen driver in the household, you may benefit from asking about discount opportunities and teen driving courses that may help with lowering premiums.

If you have a more complex situation, or just prefer working with an insurance professional in person, you’ll likely want a company with local agents. Once you know what’s important to you, you may be able to more easily narrow down which insurance companies are most likely to offer what you need.

Finding the best car insurance in MO will involve identifying your needs and circumstances. If you're looking for specialized coverage for a sports car, you may not land on the same company as if you were looking to insure the family minivan for the cheapest possible price. Once you have a clear idea of the types and amounts of coverage you want, it becomes easier to narrow down the options. At that point, it can be a good idea to contact several potential insurers for free quotes to discover which is most likely to offer you the coverage you want at the most affordable price.

Yes, in order to legally operate a vehicle in Missouri, you must purchase at least the state minimum car insurance coverage, which is $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 in bodily injury per accident and $25,000 in property damage liability per accident. Uninsured motorist bodily injury is also required at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. The only way to avoid carrying an insurance policy in Missouri is by filing a proof of financial responsibility form as evidence that you can pay for damage that you may cause out of pocket if needed.

Exact rates can vary noticeably between individual drivers, even with similar policies from the same company. Because of that, finding the cheapest car insurance in Missouri for you will require shopping around with several insurers to compare quotes for the same coverage types and policy limits. Remember, your personal rates will reflect your driving record, vehicle model, age, gender and more. When looking for the cheapest car insurance, it may help to focus on minimum coverage (so long as your vehicle is paid off) and pursue any available discounts for which you qualify.

There are a few ways to get quotes for the best car insurance in Missouri. Many companies offer free quote services through their websites. You can also use free quote tools from third-parties that pull rates from several companies simultaneously, making it easier to compare these quotes to see which may be best for you. While the digital route has become the most common, requesting quotes over the phone or in person from companies that maintain local agents may still be possible. When requesting quotes, it’s vital to specify the same coverage types and details on each so that you can compare them accurately. At this point, you can look to see if any of the companies offer you noticeably better rates than the others. It should be noted that these quotes are estimates and not a price guarantee. Full details on policy pricing may not be available until it has gone through underwriting.