Lower Your 2010 Mercury Mountaineer Car Insurance Cost

Looking for lower auto insurance rates for your Mercury Mountaineer? Did budget coverage turn out to be overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, many consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy.

Many car insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every insurance company to discover the definitive cheapest price

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. Finding affordable coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. But drivers must comprehend the methods companies use to price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.

What determines Mercury Mountaineer insurance rates?

Part of the insurance buying process is learning the different types of things that go into determining your policy premiums. When you understand what impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that may result in lower insurance prices. Multiple criteria are used in the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Most are fairly basic like an MVR report, although some other factors are more obscure such as your credit history and annual miles driven.

  • Small claims can cost you – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can pretty much guarantee increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Car insurance companies generally give better rates to policyholders who only file infrequent claims. Your car insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • The more you drive the more you pay – Driving a lot of miles in a year’s time the higher the price you pay to insure it. Almost all companies calculate rates partially by how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage receive better premium rates than those that get driven frequently. Improper usage on your Mountaineer is throwing money out the window. Make sure your policy is rated on the right rating data, because it can save money.
  • Driver age impacts costs – Young drivers have a tendency to be inattentive and easily distracted behind the wheel so insurance rates are higher. Parents adding a teenage driver onto a policy will cause a huge premium hike. Older insureds are more cautious drivers, are lower risk to insure and are safer drivers.
  • Compare rates if you bundle your policies – Some companies afford discounts to insureds who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you already get this discount, you still need to shop around to guarantee you are still saving the most. It’s possible to still save money even if you insure with multiple companies
  • Drivers with responsible credit save – An insured’s credit score is likely to be a major factor in determining what you pay. People with very high credit ratings tend to be more responsible as compared to drivers with poor credit scores. If your credit score is lower than you’d like, you may save money insuring your 2010 Mercury Mountaineer by improving your rating.
  • Safer vehicles mean better insurance rates – Cars with five star safety ratings cost less to insure. Highly rated vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates.

Discounts for affordable auto insurance rates

Some companies don’t list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so below is a list a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find credits available to lower your premiums when you buy insurance coverage online.

  • Student Discount for Driver Training – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
  • Multi-car Discount – Purchasing coverage when you have primary and secondary vehicles with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen with less frequency and earn discounts up to 10% off your insurance coverage quote.
  • Passive Restraints – Options like air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may get savings as much as 30%.
  • Own a Home – Simply owning a home can save you money because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
  • Discounts for New Vehicles – Insuring a vehicle that is new can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
  • Multi-line Discount – Some insurance companies give a lower auto insurance rate if you buy a life policy as well.
  • Sign Online – Some larger companies will provide an incentive get insurance coverage over the internet.

It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.

A few popular companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are shown below.

  • State Farm has savings for safe vehicle, multiple policy, good student, accident-free, and defensive driving training.
  • GEICO discounts include military active duty, seat belt use, good student, multi-vehicle, and anti-lock brakes.
  • SAFECO offers discounts for drive less, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, teen safe driver, and multi-car.
  • Farmers Insurance includes discounts for homeowner, early shopping, multi-car, switch companies, bundle discounts, distant student, and business and professional.
  • AAA may have discounts that include anti-theft, good driver, AAA membership discount, multi-car, education and occupation, good student, and pay-in-full.
  • USAA policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, vehicle storage, family discount, defensive driver, driver training, military installation, and safe driver.

When quoting, ask every company to apply every possible discount. Savings may not be offered in every state. To locate insurers with the best auto insurance discounts, follow this link.

You may need specialized insurance coverage

When choosing coverage, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether you might need an agent’s assistance.

  • What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
  • Is my 2010 Mercury Mountaineer covered for flood damage?
  • Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
  • If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
  • Who is covered when they drive my 2010 Mercury Mountaineer?
  • Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?

If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Car insurance coverage basics

Knowing the specifics of car insurance can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the usual coverages found on most car insurance policies.

Liability coverage

Liability coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see liability limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for things like repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees, funeral expenses and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Comprehensive insurance

This covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as rock chips in glass, hail damage, theft, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and damage from flooding. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills like X-ray expenses, ambulance fees and rehabilitation expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision insurance

Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against claims like sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Have money to burn

The cheapest 2010 Mercury Mountaineer insurance can be found on the web and with local insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies may not offer internet price quotes and these small, regional companies work with independent insurance agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

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