Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Center Lovell Auto Insurance

Expensive auto insurance can empty your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Shopping your coverage around is a smart way to lower your monthly bill.

Insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with ads and it can be hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

You have some control over your rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and term life insurance are examples of these. These coverages may sound good initially, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Rural vs Urban Areas - Residing in a small town is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents. City drivers regularly have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times means higher likelihood of an accident.
Where do you drive? - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on their usage. Vehicles that are left in the garage qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
Special features that cut premiums - Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as lawyers, architects and dentists tend to have the highest average rates due to high stress and long work hours. Other occupations like pilots, historians and performers receive lower rates.

Compare Auto Insurance Today

There are several ways to compare auto insurance quotes, but some are easier and takes less work. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance agencies in Center Lovell, or you could use online quotes to get rates in a matter of minutes.

Most of the larger companies belong to an insurance system that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and each company provides a quote determined by their information. This eliminates the need for form submissions for each company you want a rate for.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The only drawback to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which providers to get pricing from. If you wish to select individual companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of companies who write auto insurance in Maine. Click to view list.

Whichever way you use, make sure you use exactly the same information on every quote you get. If your comparisons have higher or lower deductibles then you won't be able to determine which rate is truly the best in Center Lovell. Just a small difference in limits may result in a large different in cost. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding the best price.

How much can you save with discounts?

Car insurance companies don't list all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we break down both well-publicized and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

Driver Safety - Taking a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Discount for Life Insurance - Some companies give better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
Discount for New Cars - Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver's education if it's offered in school.
No Accidents - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially when compared with accident-prone drivers.

It's important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, you're out of luck.

To choose insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Center Lovell, follow this link.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing that you can save after switching to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't meet the requirements must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

How much car insurance do I need?

When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Additional detailed information can be found at the Maine Bureau of Insurance website. Maine consumers can discover disciplinary actions, view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

Shop smart and save

Lower-priced auto insurance can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Center Lovell agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.