6 Discounts Presque Isle Drivers Miss when Quoting Car Insurance Online

Consumers who are new to buying insurance online can find shopping for low-cost Presque Isle car insurance is harder than they anticipated.

Pricing the lowest cost protection in Presque Isle is not that difficult. In a nutshell, anyone who carries car insurance most likely will be able to cut their insurance bill. But Maine car owners should learn how big insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.

Pay less by taking advantage of these six discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before being credited.

Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay much less when compared with accident-prone drivers.
Early Switch Discount – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. It’s a savings of about 10%.
Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Presque Isle can help you save on car insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
College Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.

To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Maine, follow this link.

Which Car Insurance is Cheapest in Presque Isle, ME?

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from different in Presque Isle, MEinsurance companies. The easiest way by far to compare insurance prices consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be done in several different ways.

One of the simplest ways to get quotes is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This type of form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry to each individual car insurance company. Completing one form will return price quotes . Just one form and you’re done.
A harder way to find lower rates requires a trip to the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For instance, let’s say you want to compare rates from Liberty Mutual, Farmers and GMAC. To find out each rate you need to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Presque Isle, click here.
The least recommended way of getting rate comparisons is to spend time driving to different Presque Isle agent offices. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you prefer the professional advice only provided by licensed Presque Isle agents. Drivers can compare the best prices online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

Whichever method you choose, make darn sure you compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote. If each company quotes different limits and deductibles on each one it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate in Presque Isle. Slightly different coverage limits can make a big difference in price. And when comparison shopping, quoting more will increase your chances of finding better pricing.

Don’t assume everyone needs the same coverage

When buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different.

These are some specific questions could help you determine whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.

Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Maine?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
Is my custom paint covered by insurance?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.

Online quotes with a local Presque Isle insurance agent

Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you can get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local agencies is especially important in Presque Isle.

Upon completion of this simple form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Presque Isle who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to drive around as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Types of insurance agents

When searching for a good insurance agency, you must know there are a couple different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Presque Isle are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive).

Independent Agencies or Brokers

These agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection. They also have the ability to place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates. price insurance in Presque Isle ME

Below is a short list of independent agencies in Presque Isle that are able to give rate quotes.

Piper Insurance – 744 Main St # 10 – Presque Isle, ME 04769 – (207) 764-0341
Kofstad Agency – 26 Rice St # 2 – Presque Isle, ME 04769 – (207) 764-4422
Hayden/Perry Insurance – 40 North St # 1 – Presque Isle, ME 04769 – (207) 764-6161

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies are contracted to one company such as State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captive agents are very knowledgeable on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers frequently choose to use a captive agent mainly due to the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

Listed below is a list of captive agents in Presque Isle who can help you get price quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 24 North St – Presque Isle, ME 04769 – (207) 764-0324
Allstate Insurance – 56 North St – Presque Isle, ME 04769 – (207) 764-1962

To view a full list of captive agencies in Presque Isle, please go to this site.

Selecting an insurance agent requires more thought than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:

Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
Who are their largest clients?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?

Once you have good answers to your questions and a good coverage price, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles. Keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can cancel coverage any time you want so never assume you are locked into your new company for the full term.

Learn about car insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like damage from flooding, damage from getting keyed and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Medical expense insurance – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for bills for doctor visits, prosthetic devices and ambulance fees. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

Auto liability – This coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see values of 50/100/50 that means you have a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability insurance covers claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering, court costs and structural damage. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible. Maine requires minimum liability limits of 50,000/100,000/25,000 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Due to the fact that many Maine drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 50/100/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Collision coverage – Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against things such as scraping a guard rail, backing into a parked car, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

In Summary

Low-cost car insurance is available online as well as from independent agents in Presque Isle, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

We covered a lot of ways to reduce car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from an unexpected company.

People leave their current company for many reasons like high prices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, being labeled a high risk driver or extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company is not as difficult as it may seem.

Additional information is available on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website through this link. Maine consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, get help finding coverage, find disaster information, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.