How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Emmitsburg

Are you sick and tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in Maryland. Companies like GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It's important to price shop coverage before your policy renews due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best deal a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. So just forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the only way to lower your annual insurance bill.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies offering auto insurance don't always list every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list both the well known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you aren't receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.

Multi-policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with one company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to drivers who are more careless.
Military Discounts - Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a discount up to 10%.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn't work that way.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the factors that factor into your rates.

Discounts for multiple policies - Some insurance companies give discounts to insureds who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even with this discount, you may still want to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Drivers may still find better rates by splitting coverages up.
Your stress level may be raising your rates - Occupations like doctors, social workers and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates attributed to high stress and long work days. Other occupations like farmers, historians and retirees pay the least.
Drive a safer car and pay less - Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Men are more aggressive - The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn't mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes have accidents at about the same rate, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
Better credit scores mean better rates - Your credit score is a large factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with poor credit. If your credit score is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score.
Keep rates low by being claim-free - If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Maryland generally give cheaper rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Bump up deductibles to save - Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, or theft. The deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
The more you drive the more you pay - The higher the mileage driven every year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Cars used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your car insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers in Maryland get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. All the ads have a common claim that you can save if you change your policy.

How can each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. Any driver that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will be charged a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads state "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. That is why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Learn more today

Additional detailed information is available at the Maryland Insurance Administration website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, read industry bulletins, find disaster information, and learn about insurance regulations.

In the end, you save

As you shop your coverage around, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Affordable car insurance is attainable both online in addition to many Emmitsburg insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.