How to Know You're Wasting Money for Auto Insurance in Old Town

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Trust us when we tell you you're not the only one. Big-name insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

If you are insured now or need a new policy, you can use these techniques to find better prices and possibly find even better coverage. Buying car insurance in Old Town is easy if you know what you're doing. Maine vehicle owners just need to know the most effective way to get comparison rates online.

Comprehensive Old Town Auto Insurance Comparison

Getting better auto insurance pricing can be quick and easy. You just have to take the time comparing price quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The first (and easiest) way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This form saves time by eliminating a different quote to each individual auto insurance company. Filling out one form will return price quotes .

A more difficult way to get quotes online consists of visiting each individual company website to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, we'll assume you want to compare rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company's site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Old Town, click here.

The hardest method of comparing rate quotes is driving to local Old Town insurance agencies. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you want the personal advice only provided by licensed Old Town agents. Drivers can compare the best prices online and still use a local agent. We'll cover that shortly.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you are comparing exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If you enter different values for each quote then you won't be able to decipher which rate is best in Old Town.

Old Town Rates are Influenced by These Factors

It's important that you understand the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in big savings.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Liability coverage is peace of mind - The liability section of your policy provides coverage if a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
More claims means more premium - Auto insurance companies in Maine give cheaper rates to people who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, insures against damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be colliding with a building, vandalism, and burglary. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
Older drivers save more - Older insureds are more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Teen drivers tend to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
One company can mean more discounts - The majority of auto insurance companies will award you with lower prices to customers who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even though this discount sounds good, it's still a good idea to shop around to ensure the best deal. Consumers may find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
Safe vehicles cost less to insure - Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Save big with these discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about in order for you to get them. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you're just leaving money on the table.

Club Memberships - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
Drivers Ed for Students - Require your teen driver to enroll in driver's education in high school.
More Vehicles More Savings - Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Student in College - Any of your kids who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Service Members Pay Less - Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
Sign Early and Save - Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
Federal Government Employee - Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

For a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Old Town, click this link.

Much more information about auto insurance in Maine can be found on the website for the Maine Bureau of Insurance found here. Maine consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, report car insurance fraud, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Best coverage at the best price

Discount auto insurance is possible online and also from your neighborhood Old Town agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.