Expert Techniques to Lower Cambridge Maryland Car Insurance

No one in their right mind likes having to buy car insurance, especially when they are paying too much.

Companies like Allstate, Progressive and GEICO continually bombard you with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to separate fact from fiction and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It’s a great practice to do rate comparisons quite often because insurance rates change frequently. If you had the best rates last year there may be better deals available now. Don’t believe everything you read about car insurance on the internet, so I’m going to show you a lot of great tips on how to slash your car insurance rates.

How to Buy Cambridge Car Insurance Online

To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to compare quotes from different in Cambridgeinsurance companies. The recommended way to compare insurance prices is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

The easiest and least time consuming way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This easy form prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for every car insurance company. One quote request gets you coverage quotes from multiple companies.
Another way to find lower rates is to take the time to go to the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, let’s assume you want to compare Nationwide, Esurance and Farmers. You would have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a list of links to insurance companies in Cambridge, click here.
The least recommended way to get comparison rates is to spend time driving to insurance agents’ offices. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you have a need for the professional advice only provided by licensed agents. It is possible to comparison shop your insurance online but still have the advice of a local agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare the exact same coverage limits on every quote. If you have different liability limits it’s not possible to determine the best price in Cambridge. Quoting even small variations in limits may result in large price differences. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing more company’s prices helps locate a better price.

Do car insurance companies bend the truth?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads in print and on television. They all seem to make an identical promise of big savings if you move to them. How does each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t measure up to the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can truthfully claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts to help bring down the price. Some trigger automatically at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be manually applied prior to getting the savings. compare rates in Cambridge Maryland

Service Members Pay Less – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Paperwork-free – A few companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.
Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
Drivers Education – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
Discount for Good Grades – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.

Buying car insurance locally

Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for local insurance agencies is especially important in Cambridge.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your information is transmitted to agents in your area who will compete to get your business. You don’t have to leave your computer as quotes are delivered to your email. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.

How to choose the best auto insurance agent in Cambridge

When looking for a good Cambridge insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are either independent or captive.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from at least one independent agent to get the best comparison.

Shown below are independent insurance agents in Cambridge that are able to give price quote information.

Mullaney Insurance – 405 Academy St – Cambridge, MD 21613 – (410) 228-1050
Swann Insurance Inc – 2 Willis St – Cambridge, MD 21613 – (410) 228-5011

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents work for only one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below is a list of captive insurance agents in Cambridge that are able to give price quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 7 Cedar St – Cambridge, MD 21613 – (410) 228-6262
State Farm Insurance – 722 Cambridge Plz – Cambridge, MD 21613 – (410) 228-2665

To view a complete directory of captive insurance agents in Cambridge, visit this site.

Choosing a car insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:

Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
How long has their agency been open in Cambridge?
Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
How are they compensated?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?

Once you have positive feedback for all questions you ask in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that will service your policy.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Maryland Insurance Administration. Click here for link. Maryland consumers can view agent and company licensing information, read industry bulletins, discover disciplinary actions, and report car insurance fraud.

The following articles may also be useful.

In Summary

Discount car insurance can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Cambridge agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers may not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of information how to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier. These companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.