Lower Your 1996 Ford Probe Car Insurance Cost

Have you fallen victim to an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Popular companies such as Geico and Progressive continually bombard you with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to see through the cute green geckos and mayhem and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Consumers need to compare prices every six months because rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price for Probe coverage on your last policy you will most likely find a better rate today. You can find a lot of wrong information about car insurance on the web, but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some solid techniques on how to save money.

If you are insured now or are shopping for new coverage, you can use these techniques to reduce the price you pay and possibly find even better coverage. Finding the best rates is quite easy. Drivers just need to understand the proper methods to compare rates online.

Discounts are basically free money

Companies don’t always advertise every available discount very well, so here is a list both the well known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you don’t get every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

  • More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Clubs and Organizations – Participating in certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your policy for Probe coverage.
  • Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
  • Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
  • Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
  • Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
  • College Student – Any of your kids who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
  • Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance.
  • Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.

A partial list of companies who might offer these discounts include:

Double check with all companies you are considering what discounts are available to you. Savings may not be available in your area.

Ford Probe insurance premiums are calculated by many factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings.

  • Do men or women drive better? – The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes have accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Do you know your deductibles? – Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your Ford from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be for Probe coverage.
  • Mature drivers pay less – Teen drivers tend to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Older insureds are more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
  • Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Some insurers will give a discount to policyholders who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be five, ten or even twenty percent. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s in your best interest to compare rates to ensure the best deal.
  • Save money with special equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates. If your Ford Probe is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it is probably cheaper to insure.

Which insurance is the “right” coverage?

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s needs are different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions might point out if you may require specific advice.

  • Are my friends covered when driving my car?
  • Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
  • Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
  • Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
  • How can I find cheaper teen driver insurance?
  • Should I buy full coverage?
  • Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
  • What exactly is covered by my policy?
  • Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
  • Is extra glass coverage worth it?

If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Car insurance 101

Learning about specific coverages of insurance can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the usual coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Medical expense coverage

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses for hospital visits, chiropractic care, pain medications and rehabilitation expenses. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your Ford Probe.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Comprehensive protection

This coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as a broken windshield, hail damage, theft, fire damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability

Liability coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability insurance covers things such as medical expenses, pain and suffering and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Collision insurance

This coverage pays for damage to your Probe resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage pays for things such as scraping a guard rail, rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a ditch and backing into a parked car. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Don’t be a big spender

We just presented some good ideas how to shop for 1996 Ford Probe insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the smallest insurance companies. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Geico and State Farm.

When buying insurance coverage, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.

Much more information about auto insurance is located at the links below