Finding lower premiums on Westbrook car insurance can be difficult for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. Consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become more work than you anticipated to find the best price in Westbrook.
It’s a good habit to check car insurance prices every six months because prices are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price last year you can probably find a better price now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to learn the proper way to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.
The purpose of this article is to teach you the best way to quote coverages. If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to save some money using this information. Although Maine drivers need to have an understanding of how big insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.
Free Quotes for Car Insurance in Westbrook
When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways to get quotes from local in Westbrookcar insurance companies. The easiest way to find the cheapest insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
- Probably the best way to get quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for every car insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form gets rate comparisons instantly. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
- A slightly less efficient method to analyze rates is to manually visit the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Auto-Owners, Safeco and Farmers. You would have to visit each site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Westbrook, click here.
Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare the exact same coverage limits with each company. If the quotes have different deductibles it will be next to impossible to decipher which rate is best in Westbrook. Just a small difference in limits could mean much higher rates. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will enable you to find the best rates.
Don’t be fooled by advertising claims
Car insurance companies such as State Farm and Allstate constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. They all seem to make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you switch your coverage to them. How can each company say the same thing?
All companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. For example, a driver they prefer could be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who don’t qualify for these standards will have to pay higher premiums which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can confidently claim big savings.
Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.
Discounts are available to cut your rates
Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but less common discounts must be specially asked for prior to receiving the credit.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
- Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.
- Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Multiple Cars – Having all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.
Everyone needs different coverages
When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if you could use an agent’s help.
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Car insurance policy specifics
Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses for nursing services, prosthetic devices, hospital visits, doctor visits and EMT expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Liability car insurance – Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to people or other property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers claims like legal defense fees, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and attorney fees. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford. Maine requires minimum liability limits of 50,000/100,000/25,000 but you should consider buying more coverage.
Collision – This coverage covers damage to your vehicle from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for things such as hitting a mailbox, sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building, scraping a guard rail and backing into a parked car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (Maine limits are 50/100/25), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Comprehensive coverage – This coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from getting keyed, vandalism and a broken windshield. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
More quotes mean more savings
The cheapest car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and with local Westbrook insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
People switch companies for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, delays in paying claims, high rates after DUI convictions and unfair underwriting practices. Whatever your reason, finding a new car insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
Some additional reading
Much more information about car insurance in Maine can be read on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website found here. Maine consumers can get help finding coverage, read industry bulletins, read state legal mandates and laws, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Additional helpful sites include FindNewCarInsurance.com and this page of insurance agents in Westbrook.