Learn How to Shop For Topsham Maine Auto Insurance Like an Informed Consumer

Buying the cheapest Topsham auto insurance on the web is intimidating for consumers new to price shopping online. With such a large number of insurers available, how can Topsham drivers even start to compare them all to find the best pricing?

Don’t pay full price with these discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. A few discounts will automatically apply when you get a quote, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before you get the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
Senior Citizens – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
Organization Discounts – Participating in a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
Sign Online – A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy digitally online.

A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

To choose insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Maine, follow this link.

Free Topsham Auto Insurance Quotes

Finding a lower price on insurance can be relatively painless. You just need to take a few minutes to get quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The first (and easiest) way consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This type of form eliminates the need for separate forms for every auto insurance company. Filling out one form compares rates from many national carriers. It’s definitely the quickest method.
A harder way to get comparison quotes is to take the time to go to the website for every company you want to comare and request a quote. For example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Nationwide, Progressive and GEICO. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to insurance companies in Topsham, click here.
The most time-consuming way to compare rates is to waste gas driving to and from local Topsham insurance agencies. The internet can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you have a need for the professional guidance that only a license agent can provide. Drivers can find lower rates online and still use a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but double check that you are using exactly the same quote information for every company. If each company quotes different limits and deductibles on each one it’s impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Topsham.

Why you might pay higher rates in Topsham

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

Shown below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate prices.

Never let your coverage lapse – Driving with no insurance can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage have a gap. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
Where you live can impact rates – Living in a rural area is a positive aspect when it comes to auto insurance. Drivers in populated areas have to deal with more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident and a lower car theft rate.
Do you know you’re credit rating? – Credit score is a large factor in your rate calculation. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than drivers with lower ratings. If your credit rating is low, you could save money insuring your by repairing your credit.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are quite a few additional coverages that can waste your money on your policy. Insurance for roadside assistance, accident forgiveness and membership fees may be wasting your money. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Drive a safer car and pay less – Safer cars can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Proper usage rating affects rates – The more you drive in a year the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Autos not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage.
Males pay more for insurance – The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes cause accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get more serious tickets such as reckless driving.

Price shop online but buy from a local Topsham agent

A small number of people would prefer to sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. Good agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you may find the best rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for small agencies is definitely important in Topsham. car insurance image

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to companies in Topsham who will return price quotes to get your business. You won’t need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!

Captive or Independent: There is a difference

When looking for an insurance agent, there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Topsham agents are classified as either independent or captive. While both can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the differences because it can influence your agent selection.

Independent Agents

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, we recommend you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.Many can place coverage with different regional companies which can save you money.

Shown below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Topsham willing to provide comparison quotes.

Cox Insurance – 28 Monument Pl # C – Topsham, ME 04086 – (207) 729-9341

Captive Insurance Agents

This type of agents write business for a single company like State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Captives cannot shop your coverage around so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives are well schooled on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the brand legacy and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Below is a list of captive agents in Topsham willing to provide rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 69 Main St – Topsham, ME 04086 – (207) 729-7721

For a full directory of captive insurance agencies in Topsham, view this link.

Picking an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:

How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
Can glass repairs be made at your home?
Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?

Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.

More quotes mean more savings

We’ve covered a lot of ways to lower your auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the smaller companies.

People change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy non-renewal, high prices or even denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.

As you shop your coverage around, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many situations where an insured dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Online resources for education

More information is available on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website through this link. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, find out industry alerts, and download brochures.

Also read more on BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and CarInsuranceDIY.com.