Nobody that owns a car enjoys paying for auto insurance, especially knowing they could get a better deal.
Many car insurance companies vie for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurance companies to find the lowest cost out there.
It is always a good idea to shop coverage around once or twice a year because rates trend upward over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rate for Focus coverage a few years ago other companies may now be cheaper. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the fastest way to get good coverage at a lower rate.
Multiple criteria are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving record, although others are not as apparent like where you live or your commute time.Part of the insurance buying process is learning a few of the rating criteria that go into determining the rates you pay for insurance. If you know what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower rates.
The items below are some of the most common factors used by your company to calculate prices.
There are multiple methods you can shop for insurance coverage but one way is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could waste a few hours talking about coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quoting for quick rates.
Most car insurance companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers send in one quote, and each company can give them a price based on that information. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms to each company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to comparing rates this way is you can’t choose the companies you want to price. If you would rather choose specific insurance companies to compare, we have a listing of insurance coverage companies in your area. Click here to view list.
Whichever method you choose, be certain you are entering the exact same coverages with every price quote. If you enter higher or lower deductibles it will be next to impossible to determine which rate is truly the best. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages or limits could mean much higher rates. And when comparison shopping, comparing a wide range of rates helps improve the odds of finding better pricing.
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may be missing some discounts to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you complete an application, but once in a while a discount must be specifically requested before being credited. If you do not check that you are getting every discount available, you’re just leaving money on the table.
As a sidenote, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.
To choose insurers with discount rates, click here to view.
When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions can help discover whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on most car insurance policies.
Comprehensive car insurance
This will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like rock chips in glass, theft, fire damage and falling objects. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability insurance
This will cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as attorney fees, medical services and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Ford Focus.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Coverage for medical expenses
Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills like chiropractic care, rehabilitation expenses and ambulance fees. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision coverage protection
This pays for damage to your Focus from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as crashing into a building, backing into a parked car, hitting a mailbox and colliding with a tree. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Low-cost 2005 Ford Focus insurance is definitely available from both online companies and with local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who may not have the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent agencies.
We’ve covered quite a bit of information on how to shop for 2005 Ford Focus insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the lowest rates are with the smaller companies. Some small companies often have lower auto insurance rates on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
Additional car insurance information is located on the following sites: