Cutting costs on Gray auto insurance is hard for people who are new to shopping for insurance online. There are so many options available that it can turn into a real hassle to find lower rates in Gray.
Smart consumers take time to do rate comparisons on a regular basis since insurance rates fluctuate regularly. If you had the best deal two years ago there may be better deals available now. You can find a lot of wrong information about auto insurance on the web, but with this article, you’re going to get some solid techniques on how to stop overpaying for insurance.
If you have a policy now or are shopping for new coverage, you can learn to find better prices while maximizing coverage. The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with how to effectively get price quotes. Maine consumers just need to understand how to compare company rates online.
Save Money with These Tips
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.
The following are some of the items used by your company to calculate rates.
- Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Jobs such as real estate brokers, social workers and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates in part from job stress and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, professions such as actors, students and retirees pay the least.
- Drive less and save money – The more you drive in a year’s time the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Cars used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your auto insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage.
- Theft deterrents lower rates – Owning a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent auto theft.
- High deductibles save money – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, insures against damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, or theft. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
- Little extras can really add up – There are many add-on coverages you can purchase on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Companies offer discounts so take them!
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there could be available discounts that you may not know about. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but a few need to be asked for before they will apply. If you don’t get every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.
- 55 and Retired – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
- Paperless Signup – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will cut your overall premium however.
To see a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in Gray, click here to view.
What if I want to buy from a local Gray agent?
Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent. Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is that you can obtain better rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local agencies is definitely important in Gray.
After filling out this short form, the coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents in Gray who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier!
The difference between Gray insurance agencies
When finding a reliable agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Gray are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them since it may influence buying decisions.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies. When shopping rates, you should always include several independent insurance agents for the best price selection. They often place coverage with smaller companies which can save you money.
The following are Gray independent agencies willing to provide price quote information.
- Affordable Insurance Solutions – 80 Birchwood Rd – Gray, ME 04039 – (207) 428-3828
- Cross Insurance – Route 100 – Gray, ME 04039 – (207) 657-5221
- Whitney and Sanborn Agency – 15 Shaker Rd – Gray, ME 04039 – (207) 657-2827
Captive Agents
Captive agencies can only write with one company such as State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. These agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes buy from captive agents mainly due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Listed below are Gray captive agents willing to provide price quote information.
- State Farm Insurance – 13 Main St # 15 – Gray, ME 04039 – (207) 657-6788
For a complete listing of Gray captive insurance agents, go to this page.
Picking an insurance agent should depend on more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
After getting acceptable answers to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy.
Learn more about auto insurance in Maine
Additional auto insurance information can be found on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website located here. Maine drivers can find a variety of consumer forms, read state legal mandates and laws, and learn about insurance regulations.
In the end, you save
We just presented a lot of tips how to get a better price on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with an unexpected company.
Budget-conscious auto insurance can be found online and with local Gray insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who do not offer online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price.