Truthfully, the best way to get budget car insurance rates in Baltimore is to regularly compare price quotes from insurance carriers who provide auto insurance in Maryland. Price quotes can be compared by following these steps.
- Read and learn about policy coverages and the changes you can make to prevent high rates. Many factors that result in higher rates like traffic violations and a low credit score can be eliminated by making minor changes to your lifestyle. Keep reading for more information to help prevent high rates and earn a bigger discount.
- Quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
- Compare the new rates to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available in Baltimore. If you find better rates and buy the policy, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your current coverage. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new company or agent. As soon as you receive it, place your new certificate of insurance above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
A good piece of advice is to make sure you’re comparing identical deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as you can. This guarantees a fair price comparison and a complete price analysis.
Amazingly, about 70% of customers kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for at least the last four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never quoted rates to find cheap coverage. American drivers could cut their rates by roughly $859 a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t believe how much they could save if they switched.
Insurance analysis for a Lexus GS 450h
The information below outlines a range of insurance coverage prices for Lexus GS 450h models. Having a better idea how policy rates are figured can aid in making smart choices when buying a car insurance policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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GS 450H Hybrid | $298 | $628 | $548 | $32 | $164 | $1,670 | $139 |
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Premium data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Maryland minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Price information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can modify coverage prices greatly.
Deductible comparison
When shopping for insurance, a common question is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The premium rates below summarize the premium difference when you buy lower versus higher coverage deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price table uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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GS 450H Hybrid | $434 | $812 | $406 | $24 | $122 | $1,823 | $152 |
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Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GS 450H Hybrid | $268 | $510 | $406 | $24 | $122 | $1,330 | $111 |
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Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Maryland minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can modify premiums considerably.
We can estimate from the data above that using a $250 deductible will cost you roughly $41 more each month or $492 annually averaged for all GS 450h models than opting for the higher $1,000 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $750 more if you turn in a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you have at least 18 months between claim filings, you would most likely save money if you choose the higher deductible.
Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage
The diagram below shows the comparison of Lexus GS 450h premium costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The rate quotes are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to stop paying for full coverage
There is no set rule of when to phase out comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is 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 Lexus GS 450h replacement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company will settle for is $2,000 after paying your policy deductible. If premium cost is more than $200 annually for physical damage coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not financially feasible. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to keep full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Learn How to Lower Your Insurance Rates
A large part of saving on insurance is knowing some of the factors that help determine the price you pay for insurance. If you understand what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that could result in lower premium levels.
- Discounts for auto and home policies – The majority of insurance companies allow a discount to policyholders that buy multiple policies in the form of a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even with this discount, drivers will still want to get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal. Consumers may save more without the discount by buying from different companies
- Your vocation is a factor – Occupations such as lawyers, business owners, and dentists usually pay higher premium rates attributed to high stress and lots of time spent at work. Other careers like farmers, athletes and the unemployed receive lower rates.
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Your age impacts your prices – More mature drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, cost insurance companies less in claims, and get fewer tickets. Beginning drivers are statistically shown to get distracted easily behind the wheel so insurance rates are higher.
The chart below uses these assumptions: single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
- Better credit means lower prices – Having a good credit score is likely to be a major factor in determining premium rates. Drivers who have very high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit. If your credit history leaves room for improvement, you could save money insuring your Lexus GS 450h if you clean up your credit.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – Driving a lot of miles in a year the more you will pay for insurance. Almost all companies calculate rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars left parked in the garage receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. Make sure your insurance policy correctly shows the correct usage, because it can save money. An improperly rated GS 450h may be costing you.
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Lexus GS 450h statistical loss data – Companies analyze the history of losses when they file their rates in each state. Models that tend to have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will cost more for specific coverages. The next table shows the insurance loss data for Lexus GS 450h vehicles.
For each coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is considered to be 100. Values that are 100 or less imply a favorable loss record, while values that are 100 or greater point to more losses or tendency to have higher losses.
Lexus GS 450h Insurance Claim Statistics Specific Lexus Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Lexus GS 450h Hybrid 4dr 208 250 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Quote more to save more
We just covered many tips how you can compare Lexus GS 450h insurance prices in Baltimore. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where an insured dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
For more information, take a look at the resources below:
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for a 20 Year Old Female in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for Welfare Recipients in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance FAQ (Farmers Insurance)
- Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
- Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)