There isn’t a single person who looks forward to paying for insurance coverage, especially when they know they could get a better deal.
There are many insurance companies to choose from, and although it’s nice to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to compare rates and find the lowest cost insurance coverage.
It’s a good habit to compare rates quite often since insurance rates trend upward over time. Even if you think you had the best rate for Excursion coverage on your last policy there may be better deals available now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding insurance coverage out there, but I’m going to show you a lot of great tips on how to find affordable insurance coverage.
Comparing insurance rates can take hours if you don’t know the easiest way. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking to local insurance agents in your area, or you can utilize online quotes for quick rates.
Most car insurance companies enroll in a system that enables customers to submit their information once, and at least one company then returns a price quote based on that data. This saves time by eliminating form submissions for each company.
To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to pricing coverage this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which providers to receive prices from. So if you want to select individual companies to compare rates, we put together a list of insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.
However you get your quotes, double check that you are using identical quote data for each quote you get. If each company quotes different data it will be next to impossible to make a fair comparison for your Ford Excursion. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits could skew the results. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing more rates from different companies helps you find more affordable rates. Not every company does online rate quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates from those companies as well.
Well-known insurance coverage companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to try to convey promises that people will save if you change your insurance coverage policy to them. That’s great but how can every company cost less than your current company? It’s all in how they say it.
All the different companies quote their best rates for the type of customer that will most likely be profitable. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be over age 30, carries full coverage, and has excellent credit. Any customer that meets those criteria is entitled to the best price and will also cut their rates substantially.
Insureds who may not quite match the “perfect” profile must pay a higher premium and this results in business not being written. If you listen closely, the ads state “drivers who switch” not “all people who quote” save the amount stated. That is how insurance companies can make those claims.
Different companies use different criteria so drivers must compare price quotes frequently. It is impossible to predict which company will have better premium rates than you’re paying now.
Lots of things are part of the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, but some are more obscure such as your credit history or your financial responsibility.
The itemized list below are a few of the “ingredients” utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so the next list breaks down some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using when you buy insurance online.
As a sidenote, some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride.
A few popular companies and a selection of discounts can be found below.
If you are trying to find cheaper insurance quotes, ask every company to give you their best rates. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policies in your area. If you would like to view insurers with the best discounts, click this link.
When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions might point out if you could use an agent’s help.
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Having a good grasp of your insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are the normal coverages found on most insurance policies.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Comprehensive insurance – This coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as rock chips in glass, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and hitting a bird. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Liability auto insurance – This coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 50/100/50 which stand for a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Another option is a combined limit which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers things like medical expenses, medical services and structural damage. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail and rolling your car. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Coverage for medical expenses – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for immediate expenses such as ambulance fees, surgery, X-ray expenses and chiropractic care. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Affordable 2000 Ford Excursion insurance can be sourced online in addition to many insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who may not have rates over the internet and many times these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.
As you shop your coverage around, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to regret that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price.