Auto theft and car insurance quotes in Baltimore, Maryland

Car owners in Baltimore, Maryland aren't as used to auto theft as people in other places (especially California), but this certainly doesn't mean that car's aren't being stolen there as well. While Maryland seems to be like a safe spot for a car owner in terms of theft risk on top of a global decline in theft rates, things like that still happen from time to time. And you certainly want your vehicle to stay out of the statistics even if you have it insured properly. Who needs the hassle of dealing with an insurance company when all it takes is a few measures to protect the car? Moreover, when it also offers the chance to get better auto insurance quotes in Baltimore, Maryland. Yes, that's right, and in order to understand the connection you first need to learn the link between theft rates and insurance rates.

How theft rates affect auto insurance quotes

It's pretty obvious that higher car theft rates lead to higher insurance costs. Since many car owners tend to prefer comprehensive coverage, especially if they are aware of the theft risks, it's the insurer who ends up paying for the stolen vehicle. And while the current theft rates are among the lowest during the last several decades, still there are hundreds of thousands of vehicles being stolen on a yearly basis. And only half of them make it back to their owners, while the other half gets reimbursed by insurance companies. So, obviously, insurance rates tend to be higher in areas with higher theft rats. Fortunately for car owners in Baltimore, that's not exactly their case. But they can still take advantage of anti-theft initiatives if they want to get better auto insurance quotes in Baltimore, Maryland.

How protecting your vehicle saves you money

Regardless of the local car theft rates, insurance companies are always happy when car owners take the effort to lower the risk of their vehicle being stolen. Actually, they are happy to the point where they will reward the driver if the efforts are deemed effective for protecting the car. In other words, you can get a very sweet discount for taking the necessary measures to protect your vehicle against theft. And while these measures will require some effort and investment, they are usually paid off with the discount you get in the end.

Measures that can be taken for protecting the vehicle

The modern market offers a wide variety of options for protecting your vehicle from being stolen. The price range is also quite broad, starting with just a dozen of dollars for the simplest "club" to thousands of dollars for the most advanced security system. But the amount of money spent on anti-theft protection isn't that important for as long as the measures are really effective. That's why insurance experts recommend setting your eyes and wallet on the following anti-theft options:
Loud and bright alarms: the most annoying type of protection, which is also very effective. The aim of such a system is not to stop the thief but to alarm everyone about his presence, which puts the criminal into stress and usually makes him want to give up the attempt. So it may be not very expensive for as long as it's good at making the noise when required.
Immobilizers: there are many types of such devices ranging from simple steering wheel blockers to advanced kill-switches and electric locks. The main purpose of such devices is to render the vehicle inoperable in case of an unauthorized access, and that's where you would want to cash out a bit. A professional car thief may break even the most advanced digital lock, but if it's a really good one it will take him more time, which increases the chances of being detected.
Geo-locators: a piece of equipment that can bring back your vehicle in a matter of hours after the theft. By having real-time access to the current location of your vehicle through a GPS module you will be able to contact the police and retrieve it effectively. That's why having this feature alone can seriously reduce your auto insurance quotes in Baltimore, Maryland.