Are you looking for low-cost Chevy Volt insurance in Baltimore? Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together each month for auto insurance? Your situation is no different than the majority of other vehicle owners in Maryland.
Statistics show that over 70% of consumers have stayed with the same insurance company for well over three years, and almost half have never taken the time to shop around. Baltimore drivers could cut their rates by roughly 55% a year just by shopping around, but most tend to underestimate the actual amount they would save if they switched to a cheaper policy. Vehicle owners have so many auto insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, more choices can make it harder to compare rates for Chevy Volt insurance in Baltimore.
The providers in the list below can provide free quotes in Maryland. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to find the most affordable rates.
Here’s why insurance is not optional
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Chevy Volt in Baltimore, insurance may be required for several reasons.
First, almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance if you want to drive legally. 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.
Second, if your vehicle has a loan, almost all lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you have insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may insure your Chevy at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for it.
Third, insurance protects both your Chevy and your personal assets. It will also cover medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you have damage to your Chevy as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially for larger claims. An average driver in America is wasting up to $810 a year so it’s important to compare rates at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Save with these six discounts on Chevy Volt insurance in Baltimore
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you purchase, but some discounts are required to be asked about in order for you to get them.
- Student Driver Training – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them take driver’s ed class in school.
- No Claim Discounts – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay much less as compared to policyholders that have many claims.
- Own a Home and Save – Just owning your own home can earn you a little savings because maintaining a house requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates as compared to drivers with claims.
- Discount for Good Grades – This discount could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings as much as 30%.
It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Even though the math looks like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Large insurance companies and the discounts they provide can be read below.
- Progressive may offer discounts for good student, online quote discount, continuous coverage, online signing, multi-policy, and homeowner.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include good student, distant student, teen driver, homeowner, and multi-car.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts for driver training, 55 and retired, youthful driver, good student, renewal discount, multi-vehicle, and safe driver.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including defensive driving training, Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, multiple policy, good student, driver’s education, and good driver.
- GEICO has discounts for driver training, air bags, federal employee, daytime running lights, good student, and membership and employees.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for bundle discounts, anti-lock brakes, homeowner, accident prevention training, multi-car, and teen safety rewards.
- Liberty Mutual may include discounts for multi-policy, exclusive group savings, hybrid vehicle, safety features, new graduate, and new move discount.
When getting free Baltimore auto insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to all the companies which discounts you may be entitled to. Savings might not be offered everywhere. To choose insurers that offer some of these discounts in Baltimore, click this link.
Shop online but buy locally
Certain consumers just want to go talk to an agent and that is not a bad decision Good agents can help you choose the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. An additional benefit of comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates but also keep your business local.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Baltimore who will return price quotes for your auto insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent instantly to you. In the event you want to compare prices from a specific insurance company, feel free to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Picking the best company is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- How long have they been in business?
- If independent agents, which companies do they recommend?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
When finding a reputable agency, there are a couple of types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Agencies in Baltimore are categorized either exclusive agents or independent agents. Both types can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning how they differ because it can influence your agent selection.
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive agents can usually just insure with one company like State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. These agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agencies are well schooled in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Baltimore who may provide you with price quotes.
Raul Braun – State Farm Insurance Agent
8609 Old Harford Rd – Baltimore, MD 21234 – (410) 663-3100 – View Map
John C Bugg III – State Farm Insurance Agent
6711 Belair Rd – Baltimore, MD 21206 – (410) 661-4949 – View Map
Natasha Parker – State Farm Insurance Agent
617 Stemmers Run Rd, Ste AA – Baltimore, MD 21221 – (410) 238-0071 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be independent are not restricted to one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with multiple insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If they find a cheaper price, they simply move your policy to a different company without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, you definitely need to get several quotes from a few independent agents to get the best comparison.
Below are independent insurance agencies in Baltimore willing to provide price quotes.
Austen’s Insurance Inc
3407 Eastern Blvd – Baltimore, MD 21220 – (410) 686-4700 – View Map
Goad Insurance Agency
3229 Erdman Ave – Baltimore, MD 21213 – (410) 558-0396 – View Map
Maryland Auto Insurance (the new MAIF)
1215 E Fort Ave #300 – Baltimore, MD 21230 – (800) 492-7120 – View Map
Maryland auto insurance companies
Ending up with a highly-rated insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many companies sell coverage in Maryland. The company information shown below may help you analyze which auto insurance companies to look at to insure your vehicles.
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+
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
Coverages available on your policy
Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Collision protection
Collision coverage covers damage to your Volt resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers claims like crashing into a ditch, backing into a parked car and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible on your Volt in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like theft, hail damage, hitting a bird and damage from flooding. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical expense insurance
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses for doctor visits, funeral costs, prosthetic devices and surgery. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Liability car insurance
This protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property by causing an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 30/60/15 that translate to a limit of $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $15,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for things like funeral expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, repair costs for stationary objects, emergency aid and pain and suffering. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Maryland requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/15 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.
The next chart shows why buying minimum limits may not be enough.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Chevy Volt.
Due to the fact that many Maryland drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (30/60/15), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Final considerations
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your objective should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Lower-priced car insurance in Baltimore is possible from both online companies and with local Baltimore insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some companies may not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agents.
How to find discount Chevy Volt insurance in Baltimore
The best way we recommend to find lower priced car insurance rates in Baltimore is to annually compare prices from providers who provide car insurance in Maryland. This can be done by following these guidelines.
- First, try to understand car insurance and the changes you can make to prevent high rates. Many factors that result in higher prices such as speeding tickets, careless driving and a poor credit rating can be improved by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Second, request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple companies.
- Third, compare the new rates to your existing coverage and see if there is a cheaper rate in Baltimore. If you can save money and make a switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Fourth, give notification to your agent or company of your intention to cancel your current coverage. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new insurance company. When you receive it, place the new certificate verifying proof of insurance with your registration paperwork.
An essential thing to point out is to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote and and to analyze every company you can. Doing this enables a level playing field and plenty of rates choose from.
To learn more, link through to the following helpful articles:
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is Baltimore Car Insurance for Drivers with Good Credit? (FAQ)
- How Much are Baltimore Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Bad Credit? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Kia Optima in Baltimore? (FAQ)
- New head restraint design cuts injuries (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)