Top 10 Methods to Save on Car Insurance in Biddeford

Expensive car insurance can overdraw your bank account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. With so many different company options, it is very difficult to choose the best insurance company.

Locating more affordable protection in Biddeford is simple if you know the tricks. If you have a current car insurance policy or are just looking to switch companies, you can use these techniques to get lower rates and still get good coverage. Maine vehicle owners only need to know the tricks to compare company rates online.

These ten discounts can lower your rates

Car insurance is not cheap, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. A few discounts will automatically apply when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are paying more than you should be.

Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a break if you buy life insurance.
Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can save you money because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags can get savings of 20% or more.
Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Bundle and Save – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
College Student – Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% depending on your company.

Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. But any discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

To choose insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Biddeford, click here to view.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions can help discover whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
What are Maine no-fault laws?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.

Do you really save 40% when you switch?

Consumers in Maine can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings from companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim that you’ll save big if you move your policy.

How do they all claim to save you money?

All the different companies can use profiling for the driver that makes them money. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and has a short commute. A propective insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don’t meet the requirements will have to pay a higher premium and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how companies can advertise the savings. auto insurance image

Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to get as many quotes as possible. It’s impossible to know which company will give you the biggest savings.

Car insurance coverage breakdown

Knowing the specifics of car insurance can help you determine the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Shown next are typical coverages available from car insurance companies.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for bills for things like EMT expenses, pain medications, doctor visits, rehabilitation expenses and dental work. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Since many Maine drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (50/100/25 in Maine), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Frequently the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Comprehensive insurance

This coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as fire damage, hitting a deer, vandalism and falling objects. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Coverage for collisions

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for things like crashing into a building, damaging your car on a curb and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Auto liability insurance

Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to people or other property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show limits of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for claims like medical expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Maine state law requires minimum liability limits of 50,000/100,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.

Affordable insurance is out there

When shopping online for car insurance, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

You just read a lot of tips how to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with the least-expected company. These companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Progressive and GEICO.

Affordable car insurance can be sourced online and with local Biddeford insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.