Buying Car Insurance For The First Time

You just bought your first car. The open road is calling your name. All you need now is the right car insurance plan. At Ashley Insurance, we happily serve guests of all ages and stages of life. If this is your first time buying car insurance, this is your go-to guide.

Buying Car Insurance for the First Time,

What You Need:

There are just a few things you will need to provide when you purchase your vehicle’s insurance. For starters, you will need to know about the different types of auto insurance you’d like to include in your policy. You will also need to provide some important details about your car, including the year, make, and model. Additional personal information and documentation will also be required:

  • Your valid drivers’ license
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Occupation
  • Marital status
  • Education level
  • Driving history
  • Insurance history

For future reference, your driving history affects your insurance rates. So does your location. While you may not have much control over the location factor, driving safely is the best way to ensure you receive the lowest possible rates after buying car insurance for the first time.

How to Buy Car Insurance for the First Time

Insurance Tips For First Time Car-Buyers

Anyone wondering how to buy car insurance for the first time could benefit from a tip or two. Here are just a few of the basics that will help you during the process:

  1. You can and should get insurance before you buy your car – All you need is the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). If you already picked out the car you plan on buying, contact the dealership to find out the VIN and our experts will get you started.
  2. Cost varies – For first time buyers, car insurance typically costs slightly more than for experienced drivers. This is normal. Experienced drivers are considered at a lower risk level. As long as you drive safely, your rates will go down eventually!
  3. Compare quotes – All insurance companies are different. At Ashley Insurance, we offer great rates no matter your driving experience. Use our Get A Quote tool to compare rates across various insurance companies so you can ensure you are getting the right plan.
  4. Find out what is required – In some states, higher levels of insurance are required by law. Speak with our experts to create a plan with everything you will need. Skipping this step could leave you paying for unnecessary expenses.
  5. Purchase as much insurance as you can afford – While it’s not necessary for you to purchase every little bit of coverage, you should still try to make sure that your vehicle is as protected as possible. Our experts can help you figure out which types of coverage you may need. At the very least, those buying car insurance for the first time should purchase minimum liability coverage.
  6. Think carefully before changing your policy – Here’s a few ways you can intuitively time future auto insurance policy changes.

If you are a parent looking for tips on insuring your teen driver, click here!

Do I Need Insurance To Own A Car?

The short answer is, yes. In fact, car dealerships should not even allow you to leave the lot without car insurance. Dealerships aren’t as concerned if you are buying the vehicle outright, but those who are financing or leasing will often need to purchase comprehensive and collision coverage.

Car Insurance for First Time Buyers

Find the Right Auto Insurance Plan

Don’t let your car insurance cause you too much stress. This basic requirement is simple and affordable to acquire, as long as you have the right insurance company that is working for you. Contact the team at Ashley Insurance to hear about our low rates and receive more guidance about buying car insurance for the first time!

Why does someone need to have auto insurance?

The Easton, MD area can be a great place to live, and owning a car will make it much easier to get around and enjoy all that it has to offer. If you are moving to this area of Maryland and need a car, it is also important that you have insurance for it.

There are multiple reasons why car owners need to have an auto insurance plan for their vehicles:

Insurance is an Obligation by Law

A reason why someone here will likely need to have auto coverage is that it is an obligation under the law. Anyone that lives in Maryland will need to have auto insurance if they want to drive their vehicle. At a minimum, you need to carry a certain level of liability insurance coverage. Further, you will need a full comprehensive plan if you have a loan that is secured by your car. 

Insurance Needed to Protect Car

If you are going to buy a car, you undoubtedly will want to protect it as well. One of the best ways that someone can protect their car is by getting auto insurance. If you have a full plan, including collision and comprehensive insurance, you will have support if you incur a variety of situations that could result in a loss. 

Contact Us Today

People throughout the Easton, MD area will need to have auto insurance if they are going to buy a car. When you are in the market for a vehicle and need insurance, Ashley Insurance is a great company to start your search with. There are a lot of important choices to make when evaluating your coverage needs and Ashley Insurance can help you further assess your insurance obligations and needs to help you build a new plan. 

Insuring Your Family’s Teen Driver

As your teenager approaches the age of 15, you need to contact Ashley Insurance serving Easton, MD about adding your teen to your auto insurance.

Adding Your Teen to Your Policy

This process requires phoning our office to inform us that they’ve acquired their learners’ permit. While adding them takes just a phone call, you might experience a little "sticker shock" at the cost of adding them.

That cost comes from their lack of driving records and the risk levels of teens. Teenaged drivers comprise one of the largest groups who incur accidents. They lack experience in driving, and they take too many risks. That increases the insurance underwriter’s risk, and your premiums increase.

How can you reduce the premiums?

You can make your teen take a defensive driving course along with their school’s driver’s education course. Another option includes sending them to a driving school course.

You can also place a monitor in their vehicle from the insurance company that records their driving record. The insurance company regularly reviews this data to determine how the driver manages risk. You need to wait until they obtain their own vehicle, though, because you must guarantee that each monitor applies to just one driver.

Purchasing Their Own Policy

At 16, your teen can purchase their own policy. This process typically occurs when they buy their first car. The insurance cost belongs to them solely when they buy their own policy. If they purchase a used car of more than a decade in age, it makes the most sense to obtain liability and bodily injury coverages. If your teen bought the car for about $1,000, there’s probably no reason for comprehensive or collision coverage. That’s the opposite of your own vehicle insurance because you probably purchased a new vehicle.

Contact Us for More Information

When you need to decide how to handle insuring your teen for driving, contact Ashley Insurance serving Easton, MD. We’ll help you determine the most affordable way to insure them.

What Auto Insurance Do I Need in Maryland?

If you drive a vehicle in Maryland, then you likely know the importance of auto insurance as a form of protection on your daily route to work, school, errands, or wherever else you may be going. This great state is filled with vehicles and drivers, all on their way somewhere. 

Legally, every driver and vehicle must carry a minimum of liability insurance to drive a car in Maryland. Liability insurance serves to offer the driver protection they need if they are responsible for a collision. If you’re a resident of Easton, MD and are looking for auto insurance, Ashley Insurance is a great option for many reasons. 

While you may not think about the risks involved in driving when you’re rushing out the door in the morning, that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks. You may drive defensively and believe yourself to be a safe driver, but you can’t control who you may come into contact with on the road at any given time. 

That’s why a full coverage auto insurance plan in Easton, MD is highly recommended by Ashley Insurance. Plans that include coverage for uninsured or underinsured motorists, liability coverage, comprehensive and collision coverage are ideal because they can fully cover the driver in an accident, whether it’s your fault or not. 

There are so many reasons to protect yourself when driving a vehicle in Maryland. Don’t put it on the back burner for another day. Particularly during the winter season when the roads are slick and more dangerous, you’ll be grateful you invested in auto insurance when the moment comes when you need it the most. 

Contact Ashley Insurance for all your auto insurance coverage needs. We’re here to help! 

Timing Your New Auto Insurance Policy

Buying a new car requires you to work with companies like Ashley Insurance to give your Easton, MD car the policy that it needs. But when exactly do you need a new policy in Maryland? Let’s take a look at these facets to ensure you time your policy correctly. 

Grace Periods Help You Adjust 

When you buy a new car, you typically have a grace period during which you don’t need to purchase car insurance. These periods last from 24 hours to a month, depending on the state and the buying situation. For example, if you have never bought a car before, you need to get insurance before you get the car. 

Of course, you can buy the car, but you cannot take it off the lot until you have insurance for it. For people who already own a vehicle and update their rides, their grace period will vary. Easton MD residents need to know what period this state requires for their needs. 

Maryland Car Insurance Grace Periods 

If you’re replacing your old car with a new one, you should get at least a 7-30 day grace period for most companies. However, when adding a new vehicle to an existing policy (such as if you’re not replacing an old car but buying a new one on top of it), your grace period is usually 2-4 days. 

These varying times occur because of different company regulations. Maryland does not dictate a specific minimum or maximum for grace periods, allowing companies to choose which they prefer. In any case, it is always best to just get insurance as soon as possible to minimize confusion. 

Find the Insurance You Need 

Don’t hesitate to contact us at Ashley Insurance right away if you’re not sure about what policy you want or need. Our team will do what they can to help Easton residents feel comfortable with their policy. 

Auto insurance Add-ons coverages

Have you ever wondered what could transpire when you require a rental car in Easton MD, after engaging in an accident or your car becomes totaled, and you owe your lender more than your car is worth? Regrettably, a standard policy doesn’t cater to these expenses. Luckily, a car insurance add-on gets tailored as additional coverage that gets opted for with comprehensive car insurance to solidify the coverage and protection offered by car insurance. Are you searching for detailed information about available add-ons in Easton, MD? Don’t look beyond Ashley Insurance. We offer prolific auto insurance blended with add-ons to ensure that Easton, MD drivers get perfectly shielded against imminent perils like theft and fire. Below are add-ons you can ponder about to boost your auto insurance policy.

Road assistance coverage

Imagine what could transpire when your vehicle breaks down or runs out of gas in the middle of nowhere in Easton, MD? It can be stressful. Investing in superb road assistance coverage wipes all worries of helplessness. This coverage offers services such as loss of car keys, battery jumpstart, gas delivery, puncture repairs, and towing services whenever your car malfunctions away from home.

Zero depreciation coverage

As the passing of each year progresses, the market value of your vehicle depreciates. This type of add-on coverage ensures car owners in Easton, MD get the complete claim of the repair or replacement cost devoid of factoring depreciation. Without this pivotal protection, you might cater to the difference between the actual cost of repair and the insured value. Zero depreciation coverage helps you in averting the burden of carrying the depreciation cost of your car, thereby amplifying your claim amount.

Consumable coverage

During claim times, occasionally consumables such as oil, nuts, grease, air, lubricant clips, oil filter, washers, and bolts are neglected by insurance. Buying this kind of add-on at Ashley Insurance can save on all these consumables that will get shielded no matter the minute they seem to appear.

Engine protection coverage

Your car engine is one of the most instrumental components. The engine is susceptible to breakdown, especially during heavy downpours resulting from flash floods and flooding of roads. This add-on coverage assists the policy bearer to be indemnified against impending expenses for either mechanical or electrical breakdown of your engine due to a spill or water ingression.

Are you a car owner in Easton, MD? Your ordinary auto insurance requires enhancement to provide extra protection for your car. Our agents will assist you in customizing auto insurance enhanced with add-ons that match your needs and budget. Please call or visit us at Ashley Insurance offices in Easton, MD.

Types of Auto Insurance

You may have an idea of the mandatory policies required for Easton, MD drivers, but do you know what these policies cover? In addition to this, optional policies also come with different features, all providing protection for different emergencies. Before signing up for any cover, understanding the various auto insurance options on the market will be an essential part of your coverage journey. Below, Ashley Insurance explains the different auto coverage options to be on the lookout for.

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage protects 3rd parties from bodily injury liability and property damage liability. With the state being an at-fault region, you will be required to cover the costs of other parties’ injuries when you cause an accident. In addition to this, you will also be mandated to cover any property damage costs that other parties incur when you cause an accident. Liability coverage helps you pay for these costs, acting as an ideal protection mechanism when you are on the road.

Medical Payments Coverage

Medical payments coverage takes care of your medical expenses when you are injured in an accident. Your passengers are also protected by this coverage, allowing them to offset any hospital bills they incur due to bodily injury.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage helps you pay for costs for collision accidents when you hit objects on the road or other motorists. This policy ensures that you get compensation for your vehicle repair and replacement costs.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage comes in handy when you get into non-impact accidents. These can be instances involving hail, theft, vandalism, and fire accidents. Comprehensive coverage allows you to cover your repair or replacement costs when these incidents occur.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured coverage protects you when you get into an accident with an uninsured motorist and will compensate you for your injuries and vehicle repair and replacement costs. If, on the other hand, you are hit by a motorist whose cover is insufficient for covering your injuries and vehicle damages, underinsured coverage will help you pay for these costs.

Whether you are a first driver interested in purchasing auto insurance or need to renew your Easton, MD cover, call Ashley Insurance today for tailor-made auto insurance. 

Auto Insurance Variables Maryland Residents Should Consider During The Winter

Ashley Insurance serves the Easton, MD community, and the surrounding areas, by providing insurance coverage. For over 25 years, we have helped our clients find policies to protect their assets. Providing excellent customer service is important to us.

Auto Insurance Variables During The Winter

As you travel around Easton, MD, and other parts of the state, auto insurance covers you against some risks. You can have peace of mind that you will be protected if you are involved in an accidental collision. You are also covered if your vehicle is stolen or vandalized. Liability coverage protects you if you are held responsible for any damages caused in a collision. As the seasons change to colder temperatures, you have to adapt. Here is a look at some important variables.

During the winter, there is a higher likelihood of being involved in a collision due to the road’s unpredictable nature and other drivers. You want to make sure that you have comprehensive coverage to be prepared for any situation.

Add storage coverage. When you aren’t driving, make sure that your vehicle is stored in a safe place. You can add storage coverage to be protected if your vehicle is vandalized or severe weather causes damage to the unit.

As accidents can happen at any moment and especially during poor driving conditions, consider adding emergency roadside assistance. If you have a flat tire or engine troubles, you can receive towing service. Adding uninsured motorist coverage is another option to consider. You will be protected if you collide with another vehicle and the driver doesn’t have insurance.

Ashley Insurance Will Help You Stay Safe On The Road

Visit our website today to learn more information on auto insurance.  

What is included with an auto insurance policy in Maryland?

Almost everyone that resides or works in the Easton, MD area should consider getting a car. If you do purchase a car in this area of Maryland, it will provide you with a variety of amenities and conveniences that can make your life easier and more efficient. If you do get a car here, you need to make sure that you always properly protect it with insurance. There are several forms of coverage that are included in your auto insurance plan that make it a great investment.

Coverage to Repair or Replace Car

If you get an auto insurance plan with collision and comprehensive coverage, you are going to receive the protection that you need to repair or replace your car entirely. An auto insurance policy that has this coverage will provide you with the means to handle any damages associated with theft, auto accidents, or other situations that result in a loss. Due to the benefits of this part of your auto insurance policy, any lender will also require that you have it at all times. 

Coverage for Liability Risk

You can also receive important coverage to mitigate your liability risk. Those that drive a car are always at risk of causing an accident. While the damages associated with these accidents can be significant, you can always offset the risk by getting auto insurance as it provides you with liability insurance coverage as well.

Having an auto insurance plan in the Easton, MD area is always a good idea and usually a requirement. When you are looking to get insurance, you should call the team at Ashley Insurance. The professionals at Ashley Insurance can help you to better understand all of your insurance needs to make sure you get into a reliable policy. 

Why liability insurance is required on auto policies

Drivers in Easton, MD and all over the United States are required by law to have some kind of basic liability insurance if they operate a motor vehicle on the government’s roads. This is done to protect drivers, property owners, pedestrians, and others in case they sustain losses and need to find a way to be paid. The driver at fault who caused the accident needs to find some way to cover their expenses and legal judgments without losing everything.

The basic liability insurance requirement makes it possible for all of this damage to be paid for by drivers, who only have to spend a small amount for coverage each year in exchange for protection in case of an accident by an insurance provider like Ashley Insurance. 

Car accidents, lawsuits, and financial losses

An unfortunate reality of auto accidents is that they often result in a legal battle between personal injury attorneys and insurance companies. If a driver is found to be at fault for an accident, their insurance provider may have to defend against a lawsuit on their behalf and payout any losses. Having drivers pay into a liability policy is important because these losses can be very large at the time. The driver would usually not be able to pay thousands of dollars worth of losses out of their own pocket or savings.

Speak with an auto insurance agent today

If you have any other questions about liability coverage or auto insurance in general, you can contact an agent with Ashley Insurance. We serve the Easton. MD region and nearby areas with superior customer service and knowledge related to the auto insurance process. Reach out to our office for a quote.