Expensive auto insurance can overdraw your personal savings, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to cut your insurance bill.
Online insurance companies like Allstate, Progressive and Geico all promote huge savings with fancy advertisements and it can be hard to see past the geckos and flying pigs and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Don’t pay full price with these discounts
Companies do not list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the best known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Annapolis can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
- Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky.
How do I know if I need professional advice?
When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Each situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions may help you determine whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
What if I want to buy from a local Annapolis agent?
Certain consumers just want to visit with an insurance agent. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain lower rates and still choose a local agent.
By using this quick form, the quote information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will compete for your insurance coverage. You never need to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to your email. Now that’s easy! You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.
Selecting a company requires more thought than just the price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Maryland?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- How long has their agency been in business in Annapolis?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
Two types of auto insurance agents
When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple different types of agents from which to choose. Agents can either be captive or independent (non-captive).
Captive Agents
This type of agents work for only one company such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Captives cannot shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captives receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
The following is a list of captive agencies in Annapolis willing to provide price quotes.
Maryland Farm Bureau Inc – 68 State Cir – Annapolis, MD 21401 – (410) 269-0656
Allstate Insurance – 914 Forest Dr # 201 – Annapolis, MD 21403 – (410) 267-8850
State Farm Insurance – 133 Defense Hwy # 110 – Annapolis, MD 21401 – (410) 266-5000
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent.
When shopping rates, we recommend you include price quotes from multiple independent agents for the best price selection.
Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Annapolis who can help you get comparison quotes.
Jack Hutchison Agency – 914 Bay Ridge Rd – Annapolis, MD 21403 – (410) 267-6000
Rick Jacob Insurance – 15 Old Solomons Island Rd #101 – Annapolis, MD 21401 – (410) 266-6505
Henry M Murray Agency Inc – 2498 Riva Rd – Annapolis, MD 21401 – (410) 224-2664
CNR Insurance Inc – 888 Bestgate Rd # 303 – Annapolis, MD 21401 – (410) 268-3808
For a full directory of Annapolis insurance agents, view this link.
Once you have satisfactory answers to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that will provide auto insurance coverage.
Additional detailed information is located at the Maryland Insurance Administration website. Maryland drivers can read industry bulletins, view agent and company licensing information, download brochures, and find disaster information.
In conclusion
Discount auto insurance can be purchased on the web and with local Annapolis insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can shop for auto insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier. They may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Progressive or Geico.
When you buy insurance online, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.