Proven Ways for Finding Cheap Bel Air, MD Car Insurance

I can’t think of anyone who enjoys paying for car insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high. Consumers have many auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, it can be more challenging to find the lowest rates.

Consumers should take time to do rate comparisons on a regular basis because prices change regularly. If you had the best price a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance online, so we’re going to give you some excellent ideas to reduce your car insurance bill.

Finding the best rates in Bel Air is not that difficult. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Maryland vehicle owners only need to know the most efficient way to shop their coverage around over the internet.

Lower the Price of Insurance with These Tips

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are a few of the “ingredients” used by your company to calculate premiums.

• Don’t let your coverage lapse – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance expire. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.You may need to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Maryland motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
• Are you male or female? – The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Men and women are in accidents at a similar rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Young males are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
• Safer occupants lowers premiums – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
• High deductibles save money – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and burglary. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
• Little extras can really add up – There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can buy on your policy. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea at first, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.

Don’t miss these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the best known as well as the least known car insurance savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Paperless Signup – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing digitally online.
• Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Theft Prevention Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
• Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
• Senior Citizens – Older drivers may be able to get reduced rates.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

To see a list of insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Maryland, click this link.

Your insurance agent down the street

Some people would rather talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help submit paperwork. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.

After filling out this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is sent to participating agents in Bel Air who will battle to get your business. You won’t need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!

Selecting an insurance company requires more thought than just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:

• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Maryland?
• If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
• Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?

Captive and independent Bel Air insurance agents

When researching local Bel Air agents, you must know there are a couple different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are classified as either independent or captive. While both can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference between them because it can impact the type of agent you choose

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents can only write with one company and some examples include Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.

Below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Bel Air who can help you get price quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 533 Baltimore Pike – Bel Air, MD 21014 – (410) 838-3424
Allstate Insurance – 404 N Hickory Ave – Bel Air, MD 21014 – (410) 879-8894
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 4b North Ave # 304 – Bel Air, MD 21014 – (410) 638-1390

Independent Agents

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, we recommend you contact at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Bel Air that can give you rate quotes.

W G Oliver Agency Inc – 900 S Main St # 104 – Bel Air, MD 21014 – (410) 838-7799
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 4b North Ave # 304 – Bel Air, MD 21014 – (410) 638-1390
Nationwide Insurance – 2014 S Tollgate Rd – Bel Air, MD 21015 – (443) 512-8179

To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Bel Air, view this link.

Upon receiving acceptable answers to these questions and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly service your car insurance policy.

Save $415 a year? Really?

Consumers in Maryland can’t ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance by State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies have a common claim that you’ll save big if you switch to their company.

How does each company claim to save you money?

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured might be between 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has great credit. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” receives the best rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who do not match this ideal profile must pay a more expensive rate which leads to business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s the way companies can make those claims. This illustrates why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s impossible to know which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions can help discover whether or not you could use an agent’s help.

• What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
• Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
• Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
• Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
• Does my vehicle qualify for pleasure use?
• Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Bel Air?
• Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

More detailed Maryland car insurance information can be found at the Maryland Insurance Administration website. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, read industry bulletins, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

Smart consumers save more

We’ve covered many ideas to get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small local company. They may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

As you shop your coverage around, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.