Expert Advice on Saving Money on Ocean City Auto Insurance

Have you fallen victim to overpriced auto insurance? Trust us when we tell you there are lots of people in the same boat. Online insurance companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, GEICO and Allstate continually hit you with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to see through the deception and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Consumers need to take a look at other company’s rates before your policy renews since rates fluctuate regularly. Even if you think you had the best price a year ago you can probably find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of wrong information about auto insurance online but with this article, you’re going to get some great ways to put money back in your pocket.

If you are insured now or are looking for a new policy, you can follow these tips to cut your premiums while maintaining coverages. Finding affordable coverage in Ocean City is not rocket science. Maryland consumers just need to understand how to shop for auto insurance over the internet.

Save Money with These Tips

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

• Claim-free discounts can add up – Auto insurance companies in Maryland generally give better rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to higher rates. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
• Always keep insurance in force – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.You may have to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Maryland department of motor vehicles.
• Liability insurance protects assets – Liability coverage will protect you if ever you are found to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
• Your job and insurance rates – Occupations like doctors, architects and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average in part from high stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations like pilots, athletes and retirees have the lowest average rates.
• Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Many auto insurance companies will give a discount to policyholders who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal. You may still find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
• Men pay higher rates – Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are better drivers. Women and men tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but a few must be manually applied prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

• Defensive Driver – Completing a driver safety course could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
• Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
• Sign Online – A few companies will give a small break for buying your policy online.
• Anti-theft Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will reduce your premiums.

For a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Ocean City, click here.

Additional auto insurance information is available on the website for the Maryland Insurance Administration through this link. Maryland consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other useful links include this link for Maryland coverage information and this list of insurance agents in Ocean City.

Smart shoppers get results

Cheap auto insurance can be found both online in addition to many Ocean City insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance providers do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

We just presented a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company. These companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.