No one looks forward to buying insurance coverage, especially knowing their premiums are through the roof. Big companies like Allstate, Progressive and Geico constantly 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.
If you have a current auto insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you can follow these tips to cut your premiums while maintaining coverages. Buying car insurance is not that difficult. Drivers just need to learn the proper way to compare company rates online.
The fastest way that we advise to compare rate quotes is to take advantage of the fact most insurance companies have advanced systems to quote your coverage. To get started, all you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information including the make and model of your vehicles, whether the vehicles are used for commuting, whether your vehicle is owned or leased, and if you have an active license. Your rating data is automatically sent to many different companies and they return rate quotes very quickly.
To start a rate quote now, click here and complete the form.
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings from companies such as Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads make the same claim that you can save if you change your policy.
How can each company make almost identical claims?
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer might be between 25 and 40, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. A driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who don’t measure up to the requirements will be quoted higher premiums and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings. This emphasizes why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which company will give you the biggest savings on Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance.
It’s important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine prices.
Companies that sell car insurance do not list every available discount very well, so we break down both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.
It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Insurance companies that possibly offer these benefits are:
Double check with each company which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts might not apply in your area.
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Understanding the coverages of insurance aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on most insurance policies.
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like rock chips in glass, hitting a bird, fire damage and hitting a deer. The highest amount your insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like EMT expenses, pain medications, X-ray expenses, chiropractic care and hospital visits. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability coverage – This coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as emergency aid, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, attorney fees and structural damage. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Collision coverages – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things such as crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle and rolling your car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
When you buy insurance online, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
In this article, we presented a lot of information how to lower your 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on insurance coverage is with the smaller companies. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
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