Top 6 Ways You Can Buy Auto Insurance for Less in Havre De Grace

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can empty your bank account and force you to make sacrifices. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to cut your insurance bill.

Because there are so many options when it comes to auto insurance, it’s difficult to locate the most affordable company.

The purpose of this article is to instruct you on how to effectively get price quotes and some tips to save money. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Nevertheless, Maryland consumers can benefit by having an understanding of how big insurance companies sell insurance online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Save money by taking advantage of these six discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be asked for before they will apply.

• Safety Course Discount – Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
• Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
• Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
• Drivers Education – Have your child successfully complete driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.

As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.

To choose companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Havre De Grace, click here to view.

When should I use an insurance agent?

When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions might help in determining if you might need an agent’s assistance.

• Are rental cars covered under my policy?
• Should I buy more coverage than the required Maryland minimum liability coverage?
• Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
• How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Maryland?
• What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
• Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
• Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Coverages available on your policy

Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from auto insurance companies.

Coverage for medical expenses – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as X-ray expenses, hospital visits, doctor visits, EMT expenses and pain medications. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (30/60/15), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Collision – This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers claims like damaging your car on a curb, colliding with another moving vehicle, sideswiping another vehicle and driving through your garage door. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Liability insurance – Liability insurance protects you from damage that occurs to other’s property or people in an accident. It protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for things like attorney fees, pain and suffering and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Maryland state law requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/15,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.

Comprehensive auto insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like theft, fire damage, rock chips in glass, damage from a tornado or hurricane and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Maryland Insurance Administration located here. Visitors are able to read state legal mandates and laws, read consumer alerts, and learn about insurance regulations.

Other useful links include this site for rates in Maryland and this page where you can research Havre De Grace insurance agents.

Summing up your auto insurance search

In this article, we presented many ideas to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the best prices are with a small local company. They may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.

When buying insurance coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an insured dropped liability coverage limits and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.