I can’t think of anyone who enjoys paying for car insurance, especially knowing their premiums are through the roof. Online insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, Geico and Progressive continually bombard you with TV and radio ads and it is difficult to avoid their marketing magic and take the time to shop coverage around.
Compare Car Insurance Today
Most companies quote coverage prices directly from their websites. Getting online rates is fairly straightforward as you simply type in the coverages you want as requested by the quote form. Upon sending the form, their rating system obtains information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price quote based on many factors. Online price quotes makes comparing rates easy, but the time required to go to each company’s website and repetitively complete many quote forms can get tiresome after awhile. But it’s very important to compare as many rates as possible if you want to find the lowest possible prices on car insurance.
Rate comparisons made easy
A quicker way to find better car insurance pricing uses one simple form that gets prices from more than one company. It saves time, eliminates repetitive work, and makes price shopping online much easier. As soon as the form is sent, it is rated and you are able to buy any or none of the resulting price quotes.
If a lower price is quoted, it’s easy to complete the application and purchase the new policy. This process takes less than 15 minutes and can result in significant savings.
To save time and find out how much you can save on car insurance, click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you duplicate just like they are on your policy. This helps ensure you will get a price comparison based on similar coverages.
Do drivers who switch really save $393 a year?
Maryland drivers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper car insurance by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you move to their company.
How do they all say the same thing?
Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.
Consumers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be charged a higher premium and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings.
That is why you should quote coverage with many companies. It’s impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.
Get Cheaper Rates by Understanding Pricing
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.
- Where you reside plays a part – Residing in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when buying car insurance. Lower population means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers tend to have much more traffic to deal with and longer commutes to work. Longer commute distances can result in more accidents.
- Liability coverage is cheap – The liability section of your policy provides coverage if a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It provides legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Occupations like real estate brokers, executives and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average due to stressful work requirements and long work hours. On the flip side, jobs such as scientists, athletes and retirees pay the least.
- Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are many additional coverages you can purchase on your policy. Coverages for personal injury protection, better glass coverage and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
- A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Not having insurance is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.Then you may be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Maryland DMV.
Discounts can save BIG
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but companies offer discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
- Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts as compared to bad drivers.
- Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Organization Discounts – Participating in a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when buying car insurance.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags can get savings of 20% or more.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give a break if you buy life insurance from them.
- Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.
For a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in La Plata, click here.
Will just any policy work for me?
When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
- Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.
One last thing
We just showed you some good ideas how to get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a small mutual company. They may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
The cheapest car insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood La Plata agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some car insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
Learn more about Maryland car insurance
Much more information about car insurance in Maryland is located on the website for the Maryland Insurance Administration. Click here for link. Maryland consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, discover disciplinary actions, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Also read more on QuoteClickInsure.com and this link where you can get more info about La Plata coverage.