Anyone knows that car insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. Drivers who do rate comparisons will probably move their business because there is a good probability of finding lower prices. A recent insurance study revealed that people who routinely compared quotes saved over $3,400 over four years as compared to drivers who never shopped around.
If finding the lowest rates on insurance is your goal, learning how to get price quotes and compare coverages can save time and make the process easier.
The best way to find affordable quotes for Dodge Stratus insurance is to start comparing prices yearly from insurance carriers that sell auto insurance in Baltimore. You can compare rates by completing these steps.
- First, get an understanding of what is in your policy and the things you can control to keep rates in check. Many rating criteria that increase rates such as accidents, careless driving, and a bad credit score can be remedied by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Read the full article for additional tips to get lower rates and find missing discounts.
- Second, compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Third, compare the new quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you can save some money and decide to switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
One thing to remember is to make sure you’re comparing the same deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get rate quotes from every insurance company. Doing this enables a level playing field and a complete price analysis.
If you already have coverage or are looking for a new policy, take advantage of these tips to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Locating the most cost-effective car insurance policy in Baltimore is really not that difficult. Smart buyers only have to learn the tricks to compare rate quotes over the internet.
Cut Insurance Costs with These Tips
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in lower premium levels.
The following are a few of the “ingredients” used by companies to determine prices.
- File insurance claims and pay more – Car insurance companies in Maryland award lower rates to drivers who only file infrequent claims. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is designed for more catastrophic claims.
- How old are your drivers? – Teenage drivers in Maryland have been known to be inattentive and easily distracted with other occupants in the car and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher. Having to add a first-time driver onto a policy will cause a huge premium hike. Older, more experienced drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, tend to cause fewer accidents, and receive fewer citations.
- Cheaper to insure women? – Statistics show females are less aggressive when driving. This data doesn’t prove that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both cause at-fault accidents in similar numbers, but the males have accidents that have higher claims. They also get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI.
- Combine policies and save – Most larger insurers afford discounts to policyholders that purchase more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount drivers will still want to compare other Baltimore Stratus insurance rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Maryland. If you wish to find cheap car insurance in MD, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get a more complete price comparison.
Buying the right Dodge vehicle insurance in Maryland is an important decision
Even though it can be expensive, paying for insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- Just about all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability if you don’t want to risk a ticket. In Maryland these limits are 30/60/15 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a loan on your vehicle, almost every bank will require that you buy full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you default on your policy, the lender will be forced to insure your Dodge for a lot more money and force you to pay the higher premium.
- Insurance safeguards not only your vehicle but also your assets. Insurance will pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially when you need to use it. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays as much as $865 each year so smart consumers compare quotes once a year at a minimum to save money.
You may qualify for discounts for Dodge Stratus insurance in Baltimore
Companies do not advertise every policy discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below gives a summary of both well-publicized as well as some of the hidden discounts that may be available.
- No Accidents – Claim-free drivers have much lower rates when compared to policyholders that have many claims.
- Telematics Discount – Policyholders that allow companies to analyze their driving habits by using a telematics device such as Progressive’s Snapshot and State Farm’s In-Drive could see a rate decrease if they show good driving skills.
- Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for switching companies before your current expiration date. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts could see savings of up to 25% or more.
- Senior Discount – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may be able to get a small discount on rates.
- Sign Online – A few larger online companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks get Baltimore auto insurance online.
- Driver Training Discounts – Passing a driver safety class can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
Please keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, nobody gets a free ride.
If you would like to choose from a list of companies who offer free Dodge Stratus insurance quotes in Maryland, click here.
Should I have guidance from an insurance agent?
Certain consumers would prefer to go talk to an agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can help you choose the best coverages and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is the fact that drivers can get cheaper rates and also buy local. Putting coverage with neighborhood agents is especially important in Baltimore.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your insurance data gets sent to local insurance agents who will give you quotes to get your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to you. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from a specific company, you just need to navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
Picking the best provider needs to be determined by more than just the price. Any agent in Baltimore should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Baltimore?
- Do you need full coverage on every vehicle?
Once you have good answers for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, it’s possible that you found an insurer that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.
Ratings for Baltimore auto insurance companies
Insuring your vehicle with the right auto insurance company can be difficult considering how many different companies insure vehicles in Maryland. The company rank data in the lists below may help you select which auto insurers to look at comparing rates with.
Top 10 Baltimore Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- USAA
- Travelers
- Mercury Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- The General
Top 10 Baltimore Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- Travelers – A++
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Titan Insurance – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- The Hartford – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Nationwide – A+
How much car insurance do I need?
When it comes to choosing a policy for your personal vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different.
These are some specific questions might point out if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
- Can I cancel at any time?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Does my Dodge Stratus need full coverage?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Is my camper covered by my car insurance policy?
- How many claims can I have before being canceled?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
Find cheap rates by being thorough
Drivers switch companies for many reasons like policy cancellation, denial of a claim, poor customer service and even delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right insurance provider is actually quite simple.
The cheapest Dodge Stratus insurance in Baltimore is attainable both online and with local Baltimore insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who may not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agencies.
While you’re price shopping online, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Helpful articles
- Tools for Teen Driving Safety (State Farm)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Subaru Outback in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)
- What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
- Reducing Your Risks in a Car Crash Video (iihs.org)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)