If price shopping car insurance online is new to you, it’s easy to get overwhelmed due to the large number of online companies offering insurance in Augusta.
If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to save some money using this information. Buying the lowest cost protection in Augusta is quite easy. But Maine consumers must understand how the larger insurance companies price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.
How to Buy Augusta Car Insurance Online
All the larger car insurance companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive quote coverage prices on the web. Obtaining pricing is fairly straightforward as you simply enter the coverages you want into the quote form. After you submit the form the system collects reports for credit and driving violations and returns pricing information.
Online price quotes streamlines rate comparisons, but the time it takes to visit several different sites and type in the same information can be a bit repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to get many rate quotes if you are searching for a lower rate.
The easy way to compare rates
The quickest way to find cheaper rates uses one form that analyzes rates from several different companies. It’s a real time-saver, eliminates form submissions, and makes online price comparison much easier. After sending the form, it gets priced with multiple companies and you can pick any one of the quotes returned. If a lower price is quoted, you simply finish the application and buy the new coverage. This process takes less than 15 minutes and can result in significant savings.
To save time and compare pricing, click here and input your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter as close as possible to your current policy. This ensures you’re receiving rate quotes using the same coverage and limits.
The car insurance bait and switch
Car insurance companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive regularly use television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim that you’ll save big if you move to their company. How can each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer they prefer to insure. A good example of a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, owns a home, and has a short commute. A customer who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential customers who don’t measure up to the requirements will be charged a higher premium which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. That is why you need to get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which company will fit your personal profile best.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the best known as well as the least known car insurance savings.
- Driver Safety – Taking a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
- Senior Discount – Older drivers may receive a discount up to 10%.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
- Sign Online – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
- College Student – Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
- No Accidents – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially as compared to bad drivers.
Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
Don’t I need to talk to an agent?
Some people prefer to sit down with an agent. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is that you can obtain the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is sent to insurance agents in Augusta who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. You’ll get the best rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
Choosing a company needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Are they full-time agents?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
What type of Augusta auto insurance agent is right for you?
When searching for a reliable agent, there are a couple of different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Augusta are classified as either captive or independent.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies can only place business with one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents partially due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.
Listed below are Augusta captive agents who may provide you with price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance – 116 Western Ave – Augusta, ME 04330 – (207) 626-0001
- State Farm Insurance – 30 Bangor St – Augusta, ME 04330 – (207) 623-3344
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency.
When shopping rates, you should always get quotes from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.Many can place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.
Listed below is a list of independent insurance agents in Augusta that can give you comparison quotes.
- Belgrade Insurance – 347 Water St – Augusta, ME 04330 – (207) 622-3188
- Insurance Source Of Maine – 2543 N Belfast Ave – Augusta, ME 04330 – (207) 622-2443
To view a full list of licensed insurance agents in Augusta, view this link.
After getting positive responses to all your questions and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found a car insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles. But remember, you can always terminate coverage for any reason so don’t think you’re contractually obligated to a policy with no way to switch.
More detailed Maine car insurance information can be found at the Maine Bureau of Insurance website. Maine drivers can read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read state legal mandates and laws.
Car insurance coverages and their meanings
Learning about specific coverages of car insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.
Medical costs insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for bills for ambulance fees, nursing services, hospital visits, X-ray expenses and chiropractic care. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, hail damage and a broken windshield. The most your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
UM/UIM Coverage – This coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (Maine limits are 50/100/25), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Collision coverages – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things such as crashing into a building, driving through your garage door, sustaining damage from a pot hole and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also raise the deductible to bring the cost down.
Liability – This coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see values of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability can pay for claims like pain and suffering, loss of income, structural damage and medical expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible. Maine state minimum liability requirements are 50,000/100,000/25,000 but drivers should carry higher limits.
What is YOUR best insurance company?
Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, high rates after DUI convictions, delays in responding to claim requests and even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new car insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
You just read some good ideas how to save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies.
Budget-conscious car insurance can be sourced online in addition to many Augusta insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.