Who should you buy your automobile insurance from?

Shop the rates. Every automobile insurance company must file with the Maryland Insurance Administration their underwriting standards and rates.

Automobile insurance companies in Maryland may use numerous factors to determine their risk and to set rates based upon the risk. Factors that are considered include: geographic location, age of driver, education of driver, type of job, distance of normal commute, and credit rating. Factors are placed in separate boxes and rates are set by which box a person matches up with. The carriers do, however, weigh risks differently, and therefore, a persons rates may depend on their particular insurance company.

Factors that may not be considered are a persons race or nationality. In other words, Korean or Chinese speaking Maryland clients can not be forced to pay more in premiums.

Insurance companies are allowed to base future rates on an insured's traffic record and history of at fault accidents.

Since each automobile insurance company uses different factors and weighs the risks differently, you should shop around to determine the best rates for yourself. One carrier for example may charge more based on the type of care you drive, while another due to the inexperience of the driver.

Service does not generally vary from insurance carrier to insurance carrier. It does vary from adjuster to adjuster, but that is just a matter of luck. Therefore, base your decision on what the policy costs, not what the carrier says about its overall service.