We'll help you find coverage that’s right for you.
Looking to explore your options in personal insurance? You may have come to just the right place, your local independent agent! As an independent agent, we represent multiple insurance companies, with the goal of finding the best fit for you.
The best part of working with an independent agent is the knowledge that we're working for you, not the insurance company. We'll help you shop for the best coverage, the best price, and be your advocate and trusted advisor when you need us.
The carriers we represent have been chosen for a reason. They represent the best in class at what they do. While each company may consider their own product to be the "gold standard" for personal insurance, we know each one takes a slightly different approach to coverage design and price, and we can help you make informed decisions about what's best for you.
Get a Quote Now Automobile Insurance
It's virtually impossible to get through a day without offers from insurance companies promising to save you hundreds on car insurance. The reality is, sometimes we do and sometimes we don't, but we realize the need to make it easy for you to find out.
Insurance companies today use a multitude of rating variables and some complex formulas to determine your premium. Each company is simply trying to match their best rate to a desirable "risk profile" or a set of individual characteristics they think will lead to fewer losses over time. While often similar, individual carriers have their own ideas about who is the perfect risk. That's why you need to shop around occasionally. Your personal "risk profile" changes over time and you may be pleasantly surprised when you find a company that thinks you're the perfect risk.
Some of the more common characteristics that lead to lower premiums with our companies include:
- You have good credit history
- You have a history of continuous coverage with no lapse
- You carry higher liability limits
- You have a safe driving record
- You drive a safe car
- You own your home
Don't shop for car insurance based on price alone. Sometimes the promise of a lower premium actually just means less coverage. Consider all the coverage options listed below.
What Coverage Do I Need?
Collision Coverage, to pay for damage to your car if you hit another car or object.
Comprehensive Coverage, if your car is stolen or damaged by causes other than collision, such as fire, theft or vandalism.
Liability Insurance, to protect you from costs related to bodily injury or property damage, if you're responsible for an accident.
Medical Payments, covering payments for medical services for you, your family or your passengers, if you're hurt in a car accident.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist, to pay for injuries caused by a driver with inadequate or no insurance.
What Extra's should I Consider?
Towing or Roadside Assistance, for tow bills and minor repairs at the scene.
Rental Car Coverage, to pay for a rental if your car is damaged in an accident.
New Car Replacement, can replace a new car if it's totaled in the first 12 months.
GAP Coverage, for new cars, will pay off your loan if you owe more than your car is worth after a total loss.
Get a Quote Now Homeowners Insurance
Unlike the relentless barrage of car insurance ads, the companies offering coverage for your home are not as quick to taunt you with offers of savings in the hundreds of dollars. It's simply a more difficult product to compare. Still, homeowner's insurance tends to produce a greater difference in premium from company to company for similar coverage than car insurance. You can use our quote tool to quickly see how the rates with our carriers compare to your current plan, but you'll want to be careful to consider coverage as well.
Homeowners insurance is a sophisticated product with lots of opportunity for individual customization, but it starts with one basic important question, "How much coverage do I need on my house?" Our goal is to help you make sure your home is insured to its full replacement value.
According to the current Insurance-to-Value Quality Index™, an estimated 64 percent of U.S. homes are undervalued for the purpose of insurance by an average of 19 percent. Many consumers tend to underinsure their homes because they don't have access to the best information. We have tools to help you select the proper amount of coverage for your home, and we will calculate a current replacement cost estimate before we issue a policy for you.
Once the proper amount of insurance is determined from the replacement cost estimate, the level of protection you purchase is up to you. In an effort to have a product suitable for all segments of the homeowner's insurance marketplace, many companies have taken a good-better-best approach to their product design.
At the risk of over simplification, think of it like this:
Good: Recognizes the need for standard protection at the most economical price point. This level of protection is going to provide solid basic coverage without a lot of extras, but should provide the essentials like:
- Replacement Cost coverage for your home and other buildings on your property
- Replacement Cost coverage for contents of your home including furniture, clothing, appliances and other personal belongings, but with limitations on certain types of property like jewelry, silverware, or guns
- Additional Living expenses if you must move out during certain repairs
- Basic liability coverage for you and household family members
Better: Takes the standard protection to the next level with coverage enhancements that may include things like:
- Additional replacement cost protection beyond the standard policy
- A broader spectrum of the risks you are insured against
- Higher policy limits for many types of personal property like jewelry, silverware, or guns.
- Coverage for things not found in the standard offering. You may find items like Identity Theft Protection, Sewer Back Up, Lock Replacement, and loss of Refrigerated Products to name a few.
- Broader liability coverage to include Personal Injury protection.
Best: The carrier's best product offering. Usually the product designed for the needs of the higher value home owner. There may be a minimum home value to qualify, and in addition to very broad coverage and high limits, you may also see extras like:
- Cash out options with no requirement to rebuild after a loss
- Kidnap or Ransom coverage
Just as with car insurance, each company has their own idea about the characteristics that make the ideal homeowner "risk profile", and match their best rates to it. You may see a considerable difference in premium between carriers based on some of these common characteristics:
- Your credit history
- Your loss history
- Age of your home
- Construction type and features of your home
- Having safety/security devices
- Fire protection rating of your responding fire department
Get a Quote Now Renters
You may not own the place where you live, but you still need insurance protection. You probably have thousands of dollars in personal belongings to replace after a covered loss, as well as a need for additional living expenses. You also need personal liability protection if you're held legally responsible for fire damage to your building or apartment, or if someone is accidentally injured while in your home. Renters insurance is relatively inexpensive. In fact, if you have another policy with the same company, like auto insurance, a multiple policy discount may be large enough to almost pay the annual premium for your renters policy.
Contact an Agent Boat/RVs/Motorcycles, etc.
Some kids never outgrow their toys, or when they do, they just buy bigger ones. We offer coverage for the fun part of your life including your boat, motor home, travel trailer, camper, motorcycle, ATV's, even golf carts.
Our companies offer a broad range of specialized coverage options, premium incentives for using safety equipment or participation in safety courses, plus discounts if you have other policies like auto or home with the same carrier.
Contact an Agent Rental Dwellings
Rental property can be a great long term investment. You will need coverage that properly recognizes your risk as a landlord, and provides coverage accordingly. Certain exposures that are unique to a landlord, like the loss of rental income after a covered loss, or liability issues like wrongful eviction may be addressed by this type of coverage. We offer coverage for tenant occupied, one to four unit residences that are well maintained and managed under the personal insurance program.
Contact an Agent Personal Umbrella Policy
Could you be sued? How much liability coverage might you need to protect you from the worst case scenario? That's a tough question to answer, but you need to remember that anyone, regardless of income level, can be held liable in certain situations.
It's not unusual to hear of a verdict in a personal injury lawsuit reaching six and seven figures. Typical auto, home, and other property insurance policies have liability limits that may not be adequate to cover a large court judgment against you. That's where the Umbrella Liability policy comes in.
The Personal Umbrella Liability policy provides an essential level of liability coverage beyond what your other personal liability policies cover. It puts a ring of protection around your assets. In addition, the Umbrella may fill some coverage gaps in your other insurance policies. Personal Umbrella limits of one to ten million are generally available to those who meet underwriting standards, with premiums as low as a dollar a day.
Contact an Agent Flood
Damage from a flood is not covered by your homeowner's insurance policy. Period.
Flood Insurance is offered through the National Flood Insurance Program. Although the government actually provides the coverage, our agency can issue your policy with one of our servicing carriers, and assist you with policy service and filing a claim.
Stay up-to-date with useful insurance tips and information.
Bill White Insurance Agency
4650 S. National Ave., Suite A-2
Springfield, MO 65810
417.881.0124 Phone
417.881.8590 Fax