The words “cheap” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when comparison shopping for the cheapest car insurance for inexperienced drivers. In an attempt to save some money, let’s learn about a few of the factors the can have a considerable influence on insurance premiums, and find a few ways to shave a little off your next policy.
For new drivers, one of the more important components that impact a rate quote is your zip code in Maryland. Densely populated urban areas like Baltimore, Dundalk, and Catonsville tend to have higher rates, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents generally benefit from lower auto insurance rates.
The following table shows the most expensive areas in Maryland for inexperienced drivers to buy auto insurance in.
Rank | City | Average Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Baltimore | $1,760 |
2 | Woodlawn | $1,674 |
3 | Dundalk | $1,505 |
4 | Towson | $1,482 |
5 | Catonsville | $1,432 |
6 | Essex | $1,431 |
7 | Aspen Hill | $1,420 |
8 | Silver Spring | $1,417 |
9 | Bowie | $1,390 |
10 | Waldorf | $1,375 |
11 | Wheaton | $1,361 |
12 | Glen Burnie | $1,342 |
13 | Gaithersburg | $1,304 |
14 | Rockville | $1,290 |
15 | Severn | $1,275 |
16 | Potomac | $1,274 |
17 | Annapolis | $1,255 |
18 | Germantown | $1,249 |
19 | Ellicott City | $1,245 |
20 | North Bethesda | $1,243 |
21 | Columbia | $1,238 |
22 | Bel Air South | $1,210 |
23 | Bethesda | $1,202 |
24 | Frederick | $1,044 |
25 | Hagerstown | $980 |
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Information shown are comparative as the specific geographic location can alter price quotes considerably.
Everyone has different tastes in autos, and the style of vehicle requiring coverage is one of the largest factors when quoting cheap auto insurance for inexperienced drivers in Maryland. Vehicles with lots of speed or power, poor safety features, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The lists below features auto insurance rates for some of the cheapest vehicles to buy insurance for.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $1,562 | $781 | $130 |
Ford Fusion Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $1,828 | $914 | $152 |
Honda Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $1,500 | $750 | $125 |
Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $1,218 | $609 | $102 |
Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,536 | $768 | $128 |
Kia Optima SX | $1,654 | $827 | $138 |
Toyota Camry SE | $1,530 | $765 | $128 |
Toyota Corolla S | $1,530 | $765 | $128 |
Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,334 | $667 | $111 |
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Cost estimates assume single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Maryland minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in your specific Maryland location which can influence coverage rates significantly.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Acura MDX with Tech/Entertainment 4WD | $1,594 | $797 | $133 |
Chevrolet Traverse LTZ 2WD | $1,366 | $683 | $114 |
Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,218 | $609 | $102 |
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $1,476 | $738 | $123 |
GMC Acadia SLT AWD | $1,476 | $738 | $123 |
GMC Terrain SLT 2WD | $1,452 | $726 | $121 |
Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $1,218 | $609 | $102 |
Honda Fit | $1,168 | $584 | $97 |
Honda Pilot LX 2WD | $1,358 | $679 | $113 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $1,444 | $722 | $120 |
Jeep Patriot Limited 4WD | $1,444 | $722 | $120 |
Toyota Highlander Limited 2WD | $1,594 | $797 | $133 |
Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $1,444 | $722 | $120 |
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Table data represents single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Maryland minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy. Rate quotes do not factor in garaging location in Maryland which can change auto insurance rates substantially.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Colorado LT Extended Cab 2WD | $1,414 | $707 | $118 |
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ Crew Cab 2WD | $1,626 | $813 | $136 |
Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 2WD | $1,536 | $768 | $128 |
Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $1,712 | $856 | $143 |
Dodge Ram Crew Cab ST 2WD | $1,568 | $784 | $131 |
Ford F-150 Lariat King Ranch 4WD | $1,594 | $797 | $133 |
Ford F-250 XLT 4WD | $1,742 | $871 | $145 |
Ford F-350 Super Cab Lariat Turbo Diesel 2WD | $1,712 | $856 | $143 |
GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab 2WD | $1,680 | $840 | $140 |
Toyota Tundra Regular Cab 4WD | $1,568 | $784 | $131 |
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Table data represents single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Maryland minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in specific location information which can modify prices substantially.
Insurance providers that offer cheap auto insurance for inexperienced drivers in Maryland may additionally offer policy discounts that could lower prices by 25% or more if you meet eligibility requirements. Popular auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are included below.
Discount | Allstate | Progressive | State Farm | Geico | Nationwide |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Multiple policies | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Multi-vehicle | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Anti-theft | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Anti-lock brakes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Passive restraint | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Newer vehicle | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Hybrid vehicle | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Safe driver | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Defensive driving course | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Low mileage | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Armed forces | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Affinity/occupation | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Pay in full | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Auto-pay | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Customer loyalty | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Good student | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Distant student | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Own home | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Seat belt use | No | No | No | Yes | No |
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The information below shows the difference between yearly insurance costs with and without policy discounts. The price estimates are based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, Maryland state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The second shows the rates with accident-free, passive restraint, homeowner, vehicle safety, claim-free, and safe-driver discounts applied. With discounts applied, the average savings per year on auto insurance for inexperienced drivers is % or $.
google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawDiscqcibChart);function drawDiscqcibChart() {var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([[‘Age of Insured’, ‘Male Driver No Discounts’, ‘Male Driver with Discounts’],[‘Age 20’, 2887,2071],[‘Age 30’, 1527,1105],[‘Age 40’, 1481,1073],[‘Age 50’, 1357,983],[‘Age 60’, 1319,953],[‘Age 70’, 1639,1177]]);var options = {title: ‘Insurance Rate Comparison with Discounts for Inexperienced Drivers’,titleTextStyle: {color: ‘#333’,fontSize: 17,bold: true},width: ‘100%’,height: 500,’chartArea’:{left:100,top:50,’width’: ‘100%’, ‘height’: ‘70%’},legend: {position: ‘bottom’},colors: [‘#6791b9’, ‘#98bee2’],hAxis: {title: ‘Annual Auto Insurance Cost for Average Vehicle’,minValue: 0,format: ‘$###,###’},vAxis: {title: ‘Age of Insured’}};var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat({fractionDigits: 0,prefix: ‘$’});formatter.format(data,1);formatter.format(data,2);var chart = new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById(‘qcibdisc’));chart.draw(data, options);}
The example below illustrates how your choice of deductibles can change annual premium costs when quoting cheap insurance for inexperienced drivers. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no other discounts are factored in.
google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawDfdqcibChart);function drawDfdqcibChart() {var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([[‘Age of Insured’, ‘$100 Deductible’,’$250 Deductible’,’$500 Deductible’,’$1,000 Deductible’],[‘Age 20’, 3981,3629,3247,2887],[‘Age 30’, 2067,1905,1713,1527],[‘Age 40’, 2049,1873,1673,1481],[‘Age 50’, 1861,1707,1529,1357],[‘Age 60’, 1799,1651,1481,1319],[‘Age 70’, 2179,2007,1817,1639]]);var options = {title: ‘Impact of Deductibles on Insurance Rates in Maryland’,titleTextStyle: {color: ‘#333’,fontSize: 17,bold: true},width: ‘100%’,height: 700,’chartArea’: {left:100,top:50,’width’: ‘100%’,’height’: ‘80%’},legend: {position: ‘bottom’,textStyle: {fontSize: 12}},bar: {groupWidth: ‘80%’},colors: [‘#6791b9′,’#75a8d8′,’#98bee2′,’#bad4ec’],hAxis: {title: ‘Annual Auto Insurance Cost for Average Vehicle’,minValue: 0,format: ‘$###,###’},vAxis: {title: ‘Age of Insured’}};var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat({fractionDigits: 0,prefix: ‘$’});formatter.format(data,1);formatter.format(data,2);formatter.format(data,3);formatter.format(data,4);var chart = new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById(‘qcibdfd’));chart.draw(data, options);}
As shown above, a 50-year-old driver could reduce rates by $332 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $504 by using a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the 20-year-old example, could potentially save $1,094 every year by choosing larger deductibles on their policy. If you do make the decision to raise your deductibles, it is important to have enough spare savings to satisfy the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main drawback of higher deductibles.
There are many different ways to get cheap auto insurance quotes in Maryland, but the most popular methods are from an independent insurance agent, a captive (or exclusive) agent such as Allstate or Auto-Owners, or direct online or over the phone from a company like Geico or Progressive.
You can use whichever method you prefer, but auto insurance buyers need to understand the differences in how they give price quotes.
Independent agencies have contracts with multiple insurance companies and can compare coverage rates with all of them. These agents are appointed with more than one company and can give you more rate choices, which may give you the best chance of saving money. If you want to switch companies, they can switch companies in-house which prevents you from having to switch agents.
An agent who is captive is limited to one insurance company such as Allstate and Liberty Mutual agents. These agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes, so you will not be able to compare other companys’ rates.
If you buy direct, you forego an agent and instead shop direct from companies such as Esurance or Geico. Buying direct may be preferred by drivers who do not have complex finances and have a decent understanding of what limits they need.
So which of the methods works best to buy cheap auto insurance for inexperienced drivers in Maryland? The majority of people assume that buying from a direct company results in the cheapest price since there is no middleman, but in reality, that is not true. A valid argument could also be made that an independent agent guarantees the cheapest rates because you have more choices, but that assumption is not true either. In many circumstances, exclusive agents have really good rates that are the cheapest in Maryland.
Due to the large number of rating factors, the best method to ensure you are not overpaying for auto insurance is to get as many comparison quotes as possible. It’s recommended that drivers get price quotes all three ways to give yourself the best selection. For a list of companies offering online discounts, click here to view.
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are a few penny-pinching solutions that can help Maryland drivers buy the cheapest auto insurance.
The last tip is very valuable, as was pointed out in this article. Insurance prices can change in a short period of time, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to buy from a new company if a cheaper rate is available.
Being loyal to a particular company is commendable, but it’s not a great idea if that stubbornness costs you hundreds of dollars year after year. Take a few minutes and compare rates and find cheaper auto insurance for inexperienced drivers.