Want lower car insurance rates for your Mercury Mariner? Are you overwhelmed by the crazy number of car insurance companies? Lot’s of other consumers are too. People have so many choices that it can be a big hassle to find lower rates.
It’s a good idea to get comparison quotes on a regular basis since insurance rates change quite often. Even if you think you had the lowest rates on Mariner insurance six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to find out the fastest and easiest way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.
It’s important that you understand some of the elements that help determine your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there are discounts available to help bring down the price. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be asked about before being credited.
Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.
A partial list of companies that may have these benefits may include but are not limited to:
Double check with each company which discounts they offer. Discounts may not be available in your state.
Companies like Progressive, Allstate and Geico consistently run ads on television and other media. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save if you change to them. How does each company make the same claim?
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that makes them money. For instance, a driver they prefer might be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A driver who matches those parameters will get the preferred rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.
Consumers who don’t qualify for the requirements must pay higher premiums which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save money. That is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do.
This illustrates why you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different.
For example, these questions could help you determine whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Liability – Liability insurance can cover damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. Liability 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 limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage pays for things like loss of income, funeral expenses, attorney fees and bail bonds. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Mercury Mariner.
Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Normally the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Collision coverage – This coverage covers damage to your Mariner resulting from colliding with an object or car. 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 sustaining damage from a pot hole, driving through your garage door, damaging your car on a curb, scraping a guard rail and crashing into a building. 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.
Comprehensive auto coverage – This coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a bird, fire damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane and rock chips in glass. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses like EMT expenses, pain medications, ambulance fees and nursing services. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
When buying insurance coverage, it’s very important that you do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, delays in paying claims, high rates after DUI convictions or lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, switching insurance coverage companies is actually quite simple.
Cheaper 2007 Mercury Mariner insurance is definitely available on the web in addition to many insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance coverage companies do not provide online quoting and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.