Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you there are many people just like you. Companies like Progressive, State Farm and Geico all claim big savings, bombarding you with ads and it is challenging if not impossible to separate fact from fiction and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
It’s smart to take a look at other company’s rates before your policy renews since rates tend to go up over time. Just because you had the lowest price six months ago you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online, so with this article, you’re going to get the best ways to save money.
Low Cost Thurmont Auto Insurance
All the larger auto insurance companies like Progressive, Allstate and Geico give insurance quotes online. Getting online quotes is pretty painless as you just type in your coverage preferences into a form. Upon sending the form, the system will order your credit score and driving record and quotes a price based on many factors. Quoting online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the work required to visit several different sites and complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s absolutely necessary to perform this step in order to get a better rate.
Isn’t there an easier way to compare rates?
The easiest way to get multiple rate quotes requires only one form to return rates from a lot of companies. This type of form saves time, requires less work, and makes rate comparisons much more efficient. Once the form is submitted, it gets priced and you can choose any of the price quotes you receive.
If a lower price is quoted, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The entire process takes just a few minutes to complete and can result in significant savings.
To save time and use this form to compare rates, click here to open in a new tab and submit your coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you complete the form with deductibles and limits just like they are on your policy. This way, you’re receiving an apples-to-apples comparison for exact coverage.
Don’t be fooled by advertising claims
Maryland consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance from the likes of Progressive, Allstate and Geico. They all seem to make the same claim of big savings if you move your coverage to them.
How do they all make almost identical claims?
All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer might be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” receives the best rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.
Potential insureds who don’t qualify for these standards will be quoted a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can make those claims.
This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Do you qualify for these eight discounts?
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you may find discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags can get savings up to 30%.
- One Accident Forgiven – A few companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance from them.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
- Distant Student – Any of your kids who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
- Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Defensive Driver – Taking a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will cut your premiums.
For a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in Thurmont, follow this link.
But I want to work with a local agent
Certain consumers would rather sit down with an agent. Good agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The best thing about comparing rates online is you may find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local businesses is especially important in Thurmont.
After completing this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Thurmont who will battle to get your business. You won’t need to even leave your home as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide.
If you prefer to view a list of agents in Thurmont to contact, visit this link.
Choosing a company requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
After receiving good answers to your questions and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance company that is a good match to properly service your auto insurance policy. But remember, policyholders can terminate your policy for any reason so never feel that you’re stuck with a policy with no way out.
Which insurance is the “right” coverage?
When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions might help in determining if your situation could use an agent’s help.
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Maryland?
- I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Maryland minimum liability coverage?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
If it’s difficult to answer 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, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
Much more information about auto insurance in Maryland can be found on the website for the Maryland Insurance Administration through this link. Maryland drivers can read industry bulletins, learn about insurance regulations, get help finding coverage, and discover disciplinary actions.
Coverages available on your policy
Having a good grasp of auto insurance aids in choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are typical coverage types found on the average auto insurance policy.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 30/60/15), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Auto collision coverage
This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things such as scraping a guard rail, damaging your car on a curb, backing into a parked car and driving through your garage door. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Coverage for medical expenses
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses such as chiropractic care, surgery, funeral costs, ambulance fees and EMT expenses. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Liability coverages
This coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see values of 25/50/25 that means you have a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Another option is a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and medical services. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Maryland requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/15,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.
Comprehensive auto insurance
This pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like rock chips in glass, fire damage, hitting a deer, theft and damage from flooding. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Do the work, save more money
We covered many tips how you can compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.
Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available on the web and also from your neighborhood Thurmont agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.