If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find affordable Lincoln MKC insurance is to annually compare prices from different companies in Baltimore.
- Step 1: It will benefit you to learn about coverages and the factors you can control to drop your rates. Many policy risk factors that cause rate increases like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a negative credit history can be improved by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices from multiple sources.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to your existing coverage to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new carrier. Don’t forget to safely store the certificate verifying coverage in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
An important bit of advice to remember is that you use the same liability limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to look at as many companies as feasibly possible. This ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and a good representation of prices.
Shocking but true, a large majority of drivers have purchased from the same company for over three years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never even shopped around for cheaper coverage. With the average insurance premium being $1,494, Maryland drivers can cut their rates by roughly $750 a year, but they don’t know the actual amount they would save if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
Locating the best rates in Baltimore can really be easy if you know what you’re doing. If you already have coverage, you will be able to buy cheaper auto insurance using this strategy. But Maryland car owners must understand the methods companies use to determine prices.
The best way we recommend to compare car insurance rates for Lincoln MKC insurance in Baltimore utilizes the fact car insurance companies have advanced systems to give you rate quotes. All consumers are required to do is give the companies some data such as if the car is leased, any included safety features, coverage limits, and how much school you completed. Those rating factors is instantly submitted to many highly-rated insurers and you receive quotes with very little delay.
If you would like to compare rates now, click here and enter the information requested.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer price comparisons in Baltimore, MD. To get the best car insurance in Baltimore, MD, we suggest you click on several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Determine discounts on Baltimore car insurance
Some providers do not list every available discount very well, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving when you buy Baltimore car insurance online.
- Own a Home – Owning your own home or condo can help you save on car insurance because of the fact that having a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Active Military Service – Having a deployed family member can result in better prices.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks with the same car insurance company can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Drivers Ed for Students – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers participate in a local driver’s education class in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment could provide a small rate reduction with some car insurance companies.
- Anti-theft System – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices are stolen less frequently so companies will give you a small discount.
- Discounts for Responsible Drivers – Accident-free drivers may save up to 50% more compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This isn’t a discount exactly, but certain companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you are claim-free for a set time period.
- Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
We need to note that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
To choose providers who offer car insurance discounts in Maryland, click here to view.
Informed Drivers Can Slash Their Insurance Prices
Many things are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, but other criteria are more obscure like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are. Part of the auto insurance buying process is learning some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
The list below includes some of the most rate-impacting factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.
- Job reflects on rates – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Careers like real estate brokers, airline pilots, and accountants tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder attributed to job stress and long work hours. On the flip side, occupations such as actors, athletes and the unemployed pay lower than average rates.
- Safety first – Cars with five star safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Vehicles engineered for safety reduce occupant injuries and fewer serious injuries means less claims paid which can result in lower premiums.
- Men tend to take more risk – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown that females take fewer risks when driving. It does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Males and females cause auto accidents at a similar rate, but males get into accidents with more damage. Not only that, but men also have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving. Young men ages 16 to 20 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
- Policy add-ons may not be needed – There are a ton of additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying but may not be useful. Insurance for replacement cost coverage, towing coverage, and membership fees are some examples. They may seem like a good idea at first, but now you might not need them so consider taking them off your policy.
- Better credit means lower rates – Having a bad credit rating factor in determining premium rates. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than those with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit rating leaves room for improvement, you may save money insuring your Lincoln MKC by improving your rating.
- Good drivers pay lower rates – Careful drivers receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers unfortunate enough to have multiple citations such as DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may find that they have to to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to legally drive.
- Teenagers are high risk – Young drivers in Maryland have a tendency to be inattentive when behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher. Older people are proven to be safer behind the wheel, file fewer claims, and are generally more financially stable.
- Liability insurance is cheap – Liability coverage is the protection in the event that you are found to be at fault for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. It is affordable coverage as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
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Insurance loss data for a Lincoln MKC – Insurers use statistical claims data to calculate a price that will offset losses. Vehicles that have higher number or severity of losses will be charged more to insure.
The table below outlines the compiled insurance loss statistics for Lincoln MKC vehicles. For each coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles as a whole is set at 100. Numbers under 100 suggest a positive loss record, while numbers that are greater than 100 indicate more frequent losses or tendency to have higher losses.
Lincoln MKC Insurance Loss Statistics Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Lincoln MKC 4dr 2WD 97 76 69 Lincoln MKC 4dr 4WD 99 68 72 82 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Comparing rates from local Baltimore insurance agents
Some consumers still like to talk to an insurance agent and that is just fine! The best thing about comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get cheap auto insurance rates and also buy local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the quote information is submitted to companies in Baltimore that give free quotes for your business. You won’t even need to contact any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. Get lower rates without requiring a lot of work. In the event you want to get a comparison quote from a specific company, don’t hesitate to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Selecting an provider requires more thought than just the premium amount. Any agent in Baltimore should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
If you are searching for local Baltimore agents, it’s important to understand the different types of agencies and how they work. Agencies in Baltimore can be classified as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agencies can only write with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. They usually cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agencies are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price.
Listed below are Baltimore exclusive agencies that are able to give price quotes.
Scott Garvey – State Farm Insurance Agent
211 Key Hwy – Baltimore, MD 21230 – (667) 309-3792 – View Map
Kennedy Ins Agency – Progressive Insurance
410 Ingleside Ave – Baltimore, MD 21214 – (410) 719-6006 – View Map
Bob Duda – State Farm Insurance Agent
7939 Honeygo Blvd #105 – Baltimore, MD 21236 – (410) 529-2523 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents do not write with just one company so they can write business amongst many companies and get the cheapest rates. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to do anything. When comparison shopping, we highly recommend that you get rate quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
The following are Baltimore independent insurance agencies that can give you price quotes.
Goad Insurance Agency
3229 Erdman Ave – Baltimore, MD 21213 – (410) 558-0396 – View Map
Ugele Insurance
408 E 25th St – Baltimore, MD 21218 – (410) 366-6566 – View Map
Concrete Insurance
6405 Belair Rd – Baltimore, MD 21206 – (410) 433-0313 – View Map
It’s not one size fits all
Always keep in mind that when comparing coverage online or from an agent for your vehicles, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply.
For example, these questions may help you determine whether you may require specific advice.
- What are the financial responsibility laws in my state?
- When can my company non-renew my policy?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage?
- What is an umbrella policy?
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- Do I have newly-acquired coverage?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Which car insurance company is best in Maryland?
Selecting a good quality car insurance company can be challenging considering how many companies there are to choose from in Maryland. The rank data below may help you decide which car insurance providers you want to consider comparing rate quotes with.
Top 10 Baltimore Car Insurance Companies Overall
- Travelers
- USAA
- Mercury Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Allstate
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
Top 10 Baltimore Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- USAA – 91%
- AAA Insurance – 90%
- Esurance – 90%
- Mercury Insurance – 89%
- Nationwide – 89%
- Travelers – 88%
- Progressive – 88%
- Safeco Insurance – 88%
- State Farm – 88%
- Allstate – 88%
In conclusion
More affordable insurance in Baltimore is possible online as well as from insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies may not have rate quotes online and many times these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies.
When getting Baltimore car insurance quotes online, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
To read more, feel free to visit the articles below:
- Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)
- Who Has Cheap Baltimore Auto Insurance Quotes for Inexperienced Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for a Ford Edge in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)