Buying affordable Easton auto insurance over the internet can be intimidating for consumers not familiar with price shopping online. With so many choices, how can anyone effectively compare every one to find the lowest rates?
If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you will benefit by learning to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. Shopping for the lowest cost auto insurance coverage in Easton is easy if you know what you’re doing. Maryland drivers just need to understand the tricks to compare price quotes online.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Car insurance companies don’t always advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we researched both the well known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are throwing money away.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Safe drivers may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Life Insurance Discount – Larger companies have lower rates if you buy life insurance from them.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
- 55 and Retired – Mature drivers may receive reduced rates.
- Good Student – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
- Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Easton, follow this link.
Finding Auto Insurance Deals in Easton, Maryland
Comparing auto insurance rates can take hours if you aren’t aware of the easiest way. You can waste a lot of time driving to local insurance agents in Easton, or you can stay home and use the internet to maximize your effort.
Most major companies participate in a marketplace that enables customers to submit their information once, and each company returns a rated price determined by their information. This saves time by eliminating quotation requests to every company.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here to open in new window.
The one downside to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify which insurance companies you want pricing from. So if you want to select specific insurance companies to compare prices, we have a listing of auto insurance companies in Maryland. View list of Maryland insurance companies.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just double check that you are using exactly the same information for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have different limits and deductibles on each one it will be next to impossible to find the best deal in Easton.
It’s not one size fits all
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
These are some specific questions may help highlight whether you would benefit from professional advice.
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Maryland?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.
Specific coverages
Knowing the specifics of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as damage from flooding, theft and hitting a deer. The most your auto insurance company will pay 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 insurance
Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 25/50/25 that means you have a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability coverage pays for things such as attorney fees, legal defense fees, emergency aid, pain and suffering and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. Maryland requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/15,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.
Coverage for collisions
Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as crashing into a ditch, colliding with a tree and scraping a guard rail. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (30/60/15), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses like doctor visits, surgery and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
More quotes mean more savings
As you prepare to switch companies, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
We just covered a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest rates come from a small mutual company.
Low-cost auto insurance can be found both online as well as from independent agents in Easton, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.