Young couple smiling while driving with the windows down

Do you remember when you first started driving? Driving the speed limit. Observing the rules. Being courteous. Hopefully that’s still the case, but as many of us get older and more comfortable behind the wheel, we get more lax with the rules. Maybe going 10 miles over the speed limit becomes the norm. Or not signaling. Or tailgating.

“Many customers wonder why their rates are skyrocketing when they contact us,” says Danny Edgecomb, President, Kennebunk Savings Insurance. “Certainly, there are forces in the market we have no control over, but many times their records are what’s driving changes to their rates.”

As you pick up the kids from daycare or school, drive to work or head out for a road trip, here are four ways to keep your rates down. (To learn why rates can go up, be sure to read, “Causes of high insurance rates and how to avoid them,”)

Back to Basics

This is a simple one: Pay attention. It’s safer for the driver and safer for the community. Like your high school driving instructor told you, keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. Obey the speed limit, and never drive distracted—an issue that’s becoming more of a problem with the proliferation of smartphones. It only takes seconds for a distracted driver to look down, read a text then look up and collide with a vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist. More distracted driving deaths are occurring across the country than drinking and driving. Driving distracted is so easy to do, but those few seconds of checking a text could cost you more than just your insurance rates going up.

Avoid tickets

Seems easy enough, right? Driving safely is the right decision for the community, and it has the benefit of avoiding the radar gun and the ticket at the other end. “Distracted driving tickets, violations, and speeding tickets will absolutely increase your rates,” says Edgecomb.

In the past, that wasn’t always the case to the degree we are seeing them impact us now.

“Ten years ago, tickets weren’t nearly as impactful,” says Edgecomb. “Now the amount of tickets you have will not only impact your rates, but it may also lead to insurers not being willing to insure you at all.”

Shop smart

Our goal is to get you the best policy for the best price that brings you the most value. When shopping for insurance, you may not know what you actually need. The team at Kennebunk Savings Insurance starts by asking what coverages new customers currently have and makes recommendations tailored to each person’s lifestyle.

“When a new customer comes in, we ask why they are looking for a new policy,” says Edgecomb. “Most people will say they want to save money and that their current policy is either liability-only or full coverage. It’s not one or the other. Customers have so many choices when it comes to insurance. We help educate them on all of the choices and put together a package appropriate to their needs and budget.”

Choose an independent agent

As an independent agent, we represent multiple carriers to bring you competitive rates.  “We’re also your advocates,” says Edgecomb. “When you’re a Kennebunk Savings Insurance customer and you need help, you speak with the same people who have been advising you all along.”

We’re also local so you’ll be working with a company who knows the market, your community and can provide a policy that meets your needs.

Remember, driving safely, knowing the rules and not speeding are the best ways to keep your rates down. Kennebunk Savings Insurance can enhance this by helping you understand what your policy means and the different choices you have to meet your needs.

If you’re in the market for auto insurance, know that we will be with you each step of the way. We’d love to hear from you and find out how we can help. Get in touch!