Are you intimidated by the number of car insurance company choices in Chestertown? Many other drivers are as well. There are so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a challenge to find better rates.
Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to big savings.
- Your location is important – Living in a small town has it’s advantages when talking about car insurance. City drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
- Tickets mean higher rates – A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Careful drivers get better rates than bad drivers. If you have serious violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
- Better crash test results mean better rates – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
- Multi-policy discounts can save money – The majority of car insurance companies give discounts to insureds who carry more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Consumers may find better rates by buying car insurance from a different company.
- Your age impacts your rates – More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and get fewer tickets. Teen drivers are known to be more careless when driving therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
- Pay less if you’re married – Getting married can get you a discount on your car insurance policy. Having a spouse translates into being more mature and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Adjust deductibles and save – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.
Fast and Easy Chestertown Car Insurance Quotes
Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be a daunting task if you don’t utilize the fastest way to get free quotes. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with agents in Chestertown, or you could save time and use the web to get pricing more quickly.
Many companies belong to an insurance system that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and each company can provide price quotes. This saves time by eliminating quote forms for each company.
To compare pricing click here to open in new window.
One minor caviat to comparing rates this way is that you can’t choose which companies to receive prices from. So if you want to select specific providers for rate comparison, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in Maryland. Click here for list of insurance companies in Maryland.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make darn sure you compare identical deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If each company quotes unequal deductibles or liability limits you will not be able to determine the lowest rate in Chestertown.
Drivers who switch save $464 a year? Really?
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies make an identical promise that you can save if you switch to them.
But how can every company make the same claim?
Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to this ideal profile will be quoted more money and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s why companies can truthfully claim big savings.
This emphasizes why drivers must quote coverage with many companies. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don’t even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application digitally online.
- Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than less cautious drivers.
- Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to a professional or civic organization may earn a discount when shopping for car insurance.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free car insurance policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.
For a list of providers with discount car insurance rates in Chestertown, click here.
Buying car insurance from a local agent
Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! Licensed agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the best rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local businesses is definitely important in Chestertown.
After completing this simple form, the coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents in Chestertown who will compete for your insurance coverage. You never need to drive around as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy!
Shown below is a short list of insurance companies in Chestertown that may be willing to give price quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 948 Washington Ave, Chestertown, MD 21620 – (410) 778-0647
- Allstate Insurance – 100 Philosophers Ter, Chestertown, MD 21620 – (410) 810-2600
- Prudential Insurance Co – 315 High St, Chestertown, MD 21620 – (410) 758-4781
- Kent Insurance Inc – 7332 Church Hill Rd, Chestertown, MD 21620 – (410) 778-5700
For a full directory of insurance agents in Chestertown, please click here.
Picking a company requires more thought than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an provider that can provide car insurance coverage.
Additional car insurance information is located on the Maryland Insurance Administration website located here. Maryland consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find disaster information, and read industry bulletins.
Other informative sites include this page for car insurance prices in Maryland and this page of insurance agents in Chestertown.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
We’ve covered a lot of information how to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the most savings is with the least-expected company.
People change insurance companies for many reasons like policy non-renewal, unfair underwriting practices, policy cancellation or high rates after DUI convictions. Whatever your reason, finding a new car insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Cheaper car insurance is available on the web in addition to many Chestertown insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. Some car insurance companies do not provide online quoting and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.