Overpriced car insurance can empty your bank account, especially in this economy. Doing a price comparison is free and is an excellent way to tighten up your finances.
With so many companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to choose the best car insurance company.
Locating the cheapest car insurance coverage in Brunswick is simple if you know the tricks. Basically, every driver who is required by state law to have car insurance will be able to save money. Nevertheless, Maryland vehicle owners do need to know how big insurance companies determine prices.
Compare Car Insurance Today
Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be challenging if you don’t understand the best way to get rate quotes. You could waste a few hours driving to agents in Brunswick, or you could use the internet to maximize your effort.
Most of the best insurance companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit their information once, and at least one company can give them a price based on that information. This eliminates the need for form submissions to each company.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now click to open in new window.
The only drawback to using this type of system is you cannot specify the providers to get pricing from. So if you prefer to pick specific insurance companies to compare prices, we have assembled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in Maryland. Click here for list of insurance companies in Maryland.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but ensure you are comparing identical coverage information on every quote you get. If each company quotes different deductibles it’s impossible to decipher which rate is best in Brunswick. Quoting even small variations in coverages may result in large price differences. Keep in mind that having more price comparisons helps you find a better price.
Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss
Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically at quote time, but a few must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Auto/Home Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
- Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
- Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accident claims.
- Own a Home – Owning a home in Brunswick can help you save on car insurance because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
- Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
To see a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in Maryland, click here.
Neighborhood agents for car insurance
Some people just want to buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The best thing about price shopping on the web is that you can obtain better rates and still have an agent to talk to. And supporting local insurance agencies is especially important in Brunswick.
After filling out this short form, your insurance data is sent to insurance agents in Brunswick who will return price quotes for your business. There is no reason to leave your house as quotes are delivered directly to your email. You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent.
The type of car insurance agent you choose is important
If you’re trying to find a local agent, there are two different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Brunswick are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency.
When searching for an agent, we recommend you include several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.
Captive Agents
Captive agents work for only one company and examples are Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents.
Choosing a car insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. These are valid questions to ask:
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that will provide car insurance coverage. Just keep in mind consumers can cancel a policy any time you want so never feel you’re contractually obligated to your new company for the full term.
Do I need special coverages?
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Additional information can be read on the website for the Maryland Insurance Administration found here. Maryland consumers can get help finding coverage, read consumer alerts, learn about insurance regulations, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
These articles may also be worth reading.
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- Learn How to Shop For Brunswick, ME Car Insurance Like a Pro
Specifics of your car insurance policy
Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the normal coverages offered by car insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as hitting a deer, hail damage and theft. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Auto liability
This coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as medical expenses, structural damage, bail bonds, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford. Maryland requires drivers to carry at least 30,000/60,000/15,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
Coverage for collisions
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers things such as colliding with another moving vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for expenses such as doctor visits, pain medications, surgery, nursing services and rehabilitation expenses. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (Maryland limits are 30/60/15), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Buy online or local, you save
Cheaper car insurance is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Brunswick agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.