Do you want to save money by finding lower-priced Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore? Did a good deal turn into overpriced Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore? You’re in good company because you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse.
A recent survey discovered that the majority of drivers have remained with the same auto insurance company for more than four years, and nearly the majority have never compared quotes from other companies. Consumers in the U.S. could save up to $859 every year by just shopping around, but most just don’t grasp the benefits if they switched.
Steps to saving money on Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore
The best way we recommend to save money on auto insurance rates in Baltimore is to start comparing rates regularly from companies who can sell car insurance in Maryland. You can compare prices by following these steps.
- Try to learn a little about what coverages are included in your policy and the measures you can control to keep rates low. Many things that increase rates like traffic citations and a not-so-good credit history can be remedied by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Continue reading for ideas to find cheap rates and earn larger discounts.
- Request rate estimates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices from many different companies. Compare rates now
- Compare the quotes to your current policy to see if cheaper Optima coverage is available. If you find better rates and switch companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Notify your company or agent to cancel your current coverage and submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new agent or company. Be sure to keep your new proof of insurance certificate in an easily accessible location.
A key point to remember is to try to use similar deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to get prices from as many companies as you can. Doing this enables a fair price comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
You have multiple auto insurance companies to choose from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, it can be more difficult to adequately compare rates for Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore.
It’s smart to do price comparisons periodically because insurance prices change regularly. Just because you found the lowest rates on Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore a few years ago you will most likely find a better rate quote today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the best methods to find better coverage on Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore at a better price.
Our goal is to teach you the best way to buy inexpensive insurance. If you are insured now, you will definitely be able to save money using this strategy. Although Maryland drivers must learn the way insurance companies calculate your policy premium.
Cheapest companies for Kia Optima insurance
The companies shown below can provide free rate quotes in Maryland. To get the best cheap car insurance in Baltimore, we recommend you visit several of them in order to find the cheapest rates.
Rates and information analytics
The coverage information displayed below showcases estimates of policy rates for Kia Optima models. Knowing how policy premiums are calculated is important for making informed decisions when comparing rate quotes.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optima LX | $290 | $426 | $602 | $36 | $180 | $1,534 | $128 |
| Optima EX | $328 | $502 | $602 | $36 | $180 | $1,648 | $137 |
| Optima SX | $328 | $502 | $602 | $36 | $180 | $1,648 | $137 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data assumes single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Maryland minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can lower or raise rates noticeably.
Where to set your deductibles
One of the more difficult decisions when buying insurance is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The rates below can help you understand the cost difference when you buy lower versus higher coverage deductibles. The first price estimate table uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second pricing table uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optima LX | $314 | $528 | $458 | $28 | $138 | $1,491 | $124 |
| Optima EX | $354 | $624 | $458 | $28 | $138 | $1,627 | $136 |
| Optima SX | $354 | $624 | $458 | $28 | $138 | $1,627 | $136 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optima LX | $194 | $332 | $458 | $28 | $138 | $1,150 | $96 |
| Optima EX | $218 | $392 | $458 | $28 | $138 | $1,234 | $103 |
| Optima SX | $218 | $392 | $458 | $28 | $138 | $1,234 | $103 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Maryland minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in Baltimore location which can change prices substantially.
Based on the figures above, using a $250 deductible would cost the average driver about $31 more each month or $372 for a full year than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would have to pay $750 more if you file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally go at least 24 months between claim filings, you would more than likely save some money if you choose a higher deductible.
Should you buy full coverage?
The illustration below compares Kia Optima auto insurance rates with full coverage and liability only. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single status, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to drop full coverage
There is no clear-cut rule that works best for making the decision to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is about 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s say your Kia Optima claim settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, you would only receive $2,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying over $200 annually to have full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are some scenarios where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to keep full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.
Insurance discounts are available to cut your rates
Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list all possible discounts very clearly, so we researched a few of the more well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that you can use to lower your rates. If you don’t get every credit possible, you may be paying too high a price.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being in qualifying clubs or civic groups could trigger savings on your policy.
- ABS Brakes – Vehicles that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are much safer to drive and will save you 10% or more on Optima insurance in Baltimore.
- Government Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Insuring several vehicles with one company could earn a price break for each car.
- Telematics Devices – People who choose to allow their insurance company to spy on their driving habits remotely such as State Farm’s In-Drive could see a rate decrease if they have good driving habits.
- Baltimore Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can help you save on insurance because maintaining a house requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By making one initial payment instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
- Low Miles Discount – Low annual miles can qualify you for cheaper rates.
- Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a lower premium rate if you buy some life insurance too.
- Seat Belt Usage – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.
Remember that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it’s just not the way it works.
The information below illustrates the difference between Kia Optima insurance premiums with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The rates are based on a male driver, no violations or claims, Maryland state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, marriage, claim-free, multi-policy, multi-car, and safe-driver discounts applied.
A few of the larger companies and some of their more popular discounts can be found below.
- American Family has savings for multi-vehicle, air bags, accident-free, good student, and mySafetyValet.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts for good student, renewal discount, youthful driver, multi-policy, and 55 and retired.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for defensive driving training, safe vehicle, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good student, good driver, and passive restraint.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including new car, multi-car, save driver, home ownership, IntelliDrive, and good student.
- The Hartford includes discounts for air bag, bundle, driver training, good student, and vehicle fuel type.
- GEICO discounts include good student, multi-vehicle, air bags, defensive driver, seat belt use, and emergency military deployment.
- Progressive may have discounts that include continuous coverage, online signing, good student, multi-policy, and homeowner.
Before buying, ask each insurance company to apply every possible discount. All car insurance discounts might not be offered in Baltimore.
Your insurance coverage should be tailored to you
When quoting and choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. You are unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if you will benefit from professional help.
- How high should deductibles be on a Kia Optima?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Does low annual mileage earn a discount?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Is extra glass coverage worth it?
- What is an umbrella policy?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Buying from insurance agents
Certain consumers still prefer to sit down with an agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from and supporting neighborhood agents is important particularly in Baltimore.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Baltimore who will give you quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t even need to search for an agent as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. You can find the lowest rates without a big time investment. If you need to get a comparison quote from a specific company, just visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
When finding a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are two different types of agencies from which to choose. Auto insurance agencies can be described as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These agents are not required to write business for one company so they can write business through lots of different companies and find the cheapest rate. If your premiums go up, they simply move the coverage in-house and you can keep the same agent. When comparing auto insurance prices, you definitely need to include rate quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.
The following is a short list of independent agencies in Baltimore that may be able to give you free auto insurance rate quotes.
Morgan Smith Insurance Agency
847 W 36th St – Baltimore, MD 21211 – (410) 889-9290 – View Map
Ugele Insurance
408 E 25th St – Baltimore, MD 21218 – (410) 366-6566 – View Map
Baltimore Insurance Network
11 E Lexington St – Baltimore, MD 21202 – (443) 869-6424 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to provide other company’s prices so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents are well trained on the products they sell which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Baltimore that are able to give rate quotes.
Allstate Insurance Agency: Abernathy Michael
7696 Belair Rd – Baltimore, MD 21236 – (410) 426-5500 – View Map
Mimi Brown – State Farm Insurance Agent
911 S Lakewood Ave – Baltimore, MD 21224 – (410) 878-0232 – View Map
John Stein – State Farm Insurance Agent
6630 Baltimore National Pike #100b – Baltimore, MD 21228 – (410) 744-7733 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agent should depend on more than just the premium amount. Any agent in Baltimore should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in Baltimore?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- Does their agency support local causes in Baltimore?
- How many years have they been established?
- By raising physical damage deductibles, how much would you save?
If you get good answers to any questions you may have as well as a affordable price, you may have just found a car insurance agent that will provide auto insurance coverage.
Auto insurance company ratings
Ending up with a good quality insurance provider can be difficult considering how many choices there are in Maryland. The information below may help you choose which auto insurance companies to look at shopping prices with.
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+
One last note
There are still a few companies who do not offer internet price quotes and these regional carriers sell through local independent agencies. Cheaper Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore can be purchased both online and from local agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture.
You just read many ideas to save on Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote Baltimore car insurance, the higher your chance of finding inexpensive Baltimore car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies.
When searching for affordable Kia Optima insurance quotes, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed full coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, but do not skimp to save money.
Steps to buying cheaper Kia Optima insurance in Baltimore
If you want to save money, the best way to save on car insurance rates is to start comparing rates regularly from providers in Baltimore. This can be done by following these steps.
- Step 1: Get an understanding of how insurance companies determine prices and the changes you can make to drop your rates. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates such as getting speeding tickets and a poor credit rating can be eliminated by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices from many different companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to your existing rates to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a better price, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
The most important part of shopping around is that you’ll want to compare the same deductibles and limits on every quote and to quote with as many different insurance providers as possible. This helps ensure a level playing field and the best price quote selection.
To learn more, feel free to browse the resources below:
- Winter Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Baltimore Car Insurance Quotes for a Honda Pilot? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Baltimore Car Insurance Rates for Lyft Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Government Employees in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Wrangler in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)