Searching for affordable Hampden car insurance online is impossible for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. With dozens of online companies available, how can anyone have a chance to compare every company to locate the lowest rates?
You need to get comparison quotes periodically because prices are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you had the lowest price six months ago a different company probably has better rates today. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the quickest way to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Hampden is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. But Maine consumers do need to know how big insurance companies determine prices because it can help you find the best coverage.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Companies offering auto insurance do not list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
- Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
- Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
- Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
- Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.
Finding Car Insurance in Hampden
There are multiple methods to shop for car insurance, but some are easier and takes less work. You can waste a few hours (or days) driving to insurance companies in Hampden, or you could save time and use the internet to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Many of the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers submit one quote, and each company can give them a price based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do form submissions for every car insurance company.
To access this free quoting program, click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to using this type of system is that consumers can’t choose which providers to get pricing from. So if you want to choose specific providers to compare, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in Maine. View list of Maine insurance companies.
It’s up to you which method you use, but make sure you use apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits for each price quote. If each company quotes different values for each quote it’s impossible to determine the best price in Hampden. Just a small difference in limits may cause a big price difference. It’s important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes will improve the odds of getting the best price.
Decisions you make can impact your rates
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” used by your company to calculate premiums.
- Performance influences rates – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft.
- Rates may be lower depending on your job – Careers like judges, business owners and stock brokers tend to have the highest rates in part from stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. On the other hand, occupations like pilots, students and the unemployed receive lower rates.
- How your age affects price – Youthful drivers in Maine are statistically proven to get distracted easily in a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. Mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
- Where you live can impact rates – Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when buying car insurance. Drivers in populated areas tend to have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer people means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
- Increase deductibles and save – Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend before a claim is paid by your company. The higher the amount you have to pay, the lower your rates will be.
Tailor your coverage to you
When choosing the best car insurance coverage, there is no best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether or not you might need professional guidance.
- What is the minimum liability in Maine?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Does my vehicle need full coverage?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Are car insurance companies telling the truth?
Companies like State Farm, Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save if you switch your policy. How do they all make almost identical claims?
All companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that makes them money. For instance, a profitable customer might be a mature driver, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and most likely will save when switching.
Potential insureds who fall outside the “perfect” profile must pay a more expensive rate and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. This illustrates why it is so important to compare as many rates as you can. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.
Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal
We just showed you many ways to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the most savings is with an unexpected company.
Budget-conscious car insurance is definitely available online in addition to many Hampden insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies do not provide online quoting and these smaller companies work with independent agents.
Consumers leave their current company for any number of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, policy non-renewal, delays in paying claims and not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company is easier than you think.
More Maine car insurance resources
More detailed Maine car insurance information can be found at the Maine Bureau of Insurance website. Maine consumers can read consumer alerts, discover disciplinary actions, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
Other informative sites include III.org’s auto insurance page and this list of agents in Hampden, ME.