Selecting a car insurance company in Scarborough, Maine can be time consuming since there are a lot of options and choosing the right Scarborough auto insurance agent takes more work than just randomly choosing from the yellow pages. Most likely you’re looking for a competent insurance agent, but you also want the best rates possible.
With companies like State Farm, Allstate and Farmers Insurance having offices in Scarborough, it’s hard to tell which insurance agency will have the best service and rates. Thankfully, consumers can get online quoting to get a list of agencies from which to choose.
Scarborough agents and online quotes
Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local businesses is especially important in Scarborough.
After completing this short form, your information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent to your email. Now that’s easy!
Types of insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a local agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Scarborough are categorized either independent or captive. Both do a good job, but it’s worth mentioning how they differ since it can impact the type of agent you choose
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.Most can insure with smaller companies which can save you money.
Below are independent insurance agents in Scarborough willing to provide comparison quotes.
- O’Hearn Agency and Assoc – 153 Us Route 1 – Scarborough, ME 04074 – (207) 883-3888
- Billings Insurance Managers – 22 Plantation Dr – Scarborough, ME 04074 – (207) 883-0077
- Theodore A Malette Insurance – 27 Gorham Rd # 9 – Scarborough, ME 04074 – (207) 510-6600
- Joe Burke Allstate Agency – 153 Us Route 1 – Scarborough, ME 04074 – (207) 885-0436
Captive Agents
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company such as State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives are well schooled in insurance sales which can be an advantage. Consumers frequently purchase coverage from captives mainly due to loyalty to the company and strong financial ratings.
Below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Scarborough that are able to give price quote information.
- Joe Burke Allstate Agency – 153 Us Route 1 – Scarborough, ME 04074 – (207) 885-0436
- State Farm Insurance – 3 Oak Hill Ter – Scarborough, ME 04074 – (207) 883-5867
To view a complete directory of car insurance agents in Scarborough, please view this page.
Picking an insurance agency requires more thought than just the price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- What insurance companies do they work with?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
Once you have good answers to all your questions and a low price estimate, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Are online companies an option?
Insurance agencies are important to many people, but you can also find affordable Maine auto insurance direct from companies online. A few companies, such as State Farm, Allstate and Farmers, who have local agents in Scarborough also allow you to buy direct on their websites, so keep that in mind.
If you’re apprehensive about not having an agent to talk to, that should not be a issue. Online companies that require consumers to choose their own coverages give you access to trained agents to answer your questions. Consumers also can use a frequently asked questions page so you can feel comfortable buying online.
The only way to know whether prices are lower online or from agents is making fair comparisons of each of their rates. It’s not unheard of to actually get different prices from the exact same provider depending on where you get the price quote from. It’s not possible to know whether the best rates are online or from an agent without quoting identical coverages for both.
Will you save money buying auto insurance online? Many people swear by it, but it’s difficult to answer because there are many components that determine your policy premium. Common logic is that a shopper who purchases direct saves money because there is no agent involvement. In reality, marketing their products costs a lot of money so there may not be significant savings.
Summing up your car insurance search
Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like high prices, delays in responding to claim requests, extreme rates for teen drivers or an unsatisfactory settlement offer. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new car insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.
When buying insurance coverage, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice full coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
Additional car insurance links
Additional car insurance information can be found on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website located here. Maine consumers can find disaster information, file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
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