How to Know You're Wasting Money for Car Insurance in Mars Hill

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced car insurance? Believe me when I say you're not the only one. Drivers have multiple to pick from, and even though it's nice to have a choice, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices at least once a year because rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest price a few years ago you may be paying too much now. Don't believe everything you read about car insurance on the web, but I'm going to show you some great ways to slash your car insurance rates.

Comprehensive Mars Hill Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

Most major insurance companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive provide coverage prices on their websites. The process is quite simple as you just type in the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their rating system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price quote determined by many factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but the process of having to visit multiple sites and type in the same information is repetitive and time-consuming. But it's very important to do this if you want to find better car insurance pricing.

A less time-consuming method to find better car insurance pricing utilizes a single form that obtains quotes from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes quoting online much more enjoyable. As soon as you send your information, it gets priced and you are able to buy any one of the returned quotes. If you find a better price you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The whole process can be completed in a matter of minutes and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

If you want to find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you input the limits and deductibles as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will receive a rate comparison based on similar coverages.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

It's important that you understand some of the elements that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces car insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Where do you drive? - The more you drive in a year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your car insurance policy shows the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
Keep rates low by being claim-free - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies in Maine provide lower rates to insureds who are claim-free. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
Where you live can impact rates - Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. City drivers have to deal with much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
How's your driving record? - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Careful drivers get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Just one moving violation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have severe citations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Your spouse saves you money - Having a wife or husband actually saves money when buying car insurance. It means you're more responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
Performance makes a difference - The performance level of the vehicle you own makes a big difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for low performance passenger vehicles, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies that sell car insurance don't list all their discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known car insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit possible, you're just leaving money on the table.

Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
Service Members Pay Less - Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Federal Government Employee - Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
Bundle and Save - When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
Discount for Good Grades - Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies allow you one accident without raising rates as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of companies with the best car insurance discounts in Maine, follow this link.

Even more information is located at the Maine Bureau of Insurance website. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find disaster information, download brochures, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other useful links include Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Mars Hill insurance agents.

And the best car insurance company is...

When shopping online for car insurance, make sure you don't reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price.

Cheaper car insurance is definitely available from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Mars Hill agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies may not provide online quoting and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.