Cars & Auto Insurance

For many working families, access to a car can be the difference between reaching a family-sustaining job and remaining mired in poverty. But the challenges of finding an affordable vehicle, paying for insurance, and avoiding scams can make cars inaccessible to those who need them the most. MCRC works with partners to make the car buying and auto insurance industries fair and affordable for all Maryland consumers.

non-Driving Related factors in car insurance

Auto insurance is increasingly expensive in Maryland. In fact, our rates are some of the highest in the nation! One reason coverage is so costly is the use of “non-driving related factors” by insurance companies. These factors (such as gender, zip code, credit score, marital status, etc.) have nothing to do with how you drive, but have a lot to do with how much your insurance costs. Cumulatively, these factors mean that low-income people, people-of-color, and women pay more than their wealthy, white, male counterparts.

MCRC works to remove the use of these discriminatory factors through research and policy advocacy. We’ve written reports on how insurance companies drive up the cost of insurance for women, how zip code acts as a racial proxy for insurance companies, and the overall discrimination the use of non-driving related factors creates in Maryland.

Buying used cars – without getting taken for a ride

Car dealers are experts when it comes to squeezing every last dime from their customers. 

They attend seminars on buyer psychology to learn exactly what to say to make a sale. They hire finance consultants who explain how to finagle contracts so that even if they give you a bargain in one area, they’re able to gouge you somewhere else and still make a very attractive profit.

This is their business and they are very, very good at it. While some dealers are good corporate citizens, there are many others who won’t hesitate to sell you a rebuilt wreck, a truck with flood damage, or a car that a manufacturer was forced to buy back because it was defective. These vehicles may endanger your safety and lead to huge repair bills down the road. 

That’s why MCRC put together a comprehensive car buying guide to make sure you can safely purchase a used car – without being taken for a ride.