Save on 2014 Ford Focus Insurance Quotes

Searching for better insurance coverage rates for your Ford Focus? Buying lower priced insurance coverage may be somewhat intimidating for consumers who are beginners to quoting and comparison shopping on the web. With a ridiculous number of companies in the marketplace, how are consumers able to effectively compare all the different companies and get the best price?

It’s a great practice to do rate comparisons at least once a year due to the fact that insurance rates change regularly. Even if you think you had the best rate on Focus insurance two years ago other companies may now be cheaper. There is a lot of bad advice regarding insurance coverage on the web, but in just a couple of minutes you can learn some great ways to find cheap insurance coverage.

How to lower your insurance costs

Many factors are used when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious like your driving record, but others are less apparent such as your credit history or your commute time.

  • Annual mileage and car insurance costs – The higher the miles on your Ford in a year’s time the more it will cost to insure it. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos used primarily for pleasure use cost less to insure compared to those used for work or business. Improper usage on your Focus may be costing you. Make sure your insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven.
  • If you don’t need it don’t buy it – There are a lot of additional coverages that sound like a good idea at the time but may not be useful. Add-on coverages like replacement cost coverage, high-cost glass coverage, and extra equipment coverage are probably not needed. These may sound like a good investment when buying your policy, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
  • Rural vs Urban Areas – Choosing to live in areas with lower population can be a good thing when trying to find low car insurance rates. Less people corresponds to lower accident rates. City drivers regularly have congested traffic and much longer commute distances. The longer drive time can result in more accidents.
  • Age of drivers impacts costs – More mature drivers are shown to be more cautious, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.Teen drivers are statistically shown to be careless and easily distracted in a vehicle so they pay higher insurance rates.
  • Safety first – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts which can result in lower premiums.
  • Bad credit hurts insurance costs – Having a bad credit rating will be a significant factor in determining what you pay. If your credit history is not that good, you could save money insuring your 2014 Ford Focus by taking the time to improve your credit score. Insureds with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers who have lower ratings.
  • Do you have a stressful job? – Did you know your career choice can influence rates? Careers like fire fightersair traffic controllers and dentists usually pay the highest average rates attributed to high stress levels and incredibly demanding work hours. Other professions such as scientists, students and performers have the lowest average rates on Focus insurance.
  • Allowing your insurance policy to lapse raises prices – Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to increase your renewal premiums. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage might get you a license revocation or jail time.

Don’t overlook these insurance coverage discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list every policy discount very well, so the list below details a few of the more common and also the lesser-known credits available to lower your premiums when you buy auto insurance online. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.

  • Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
  • Senior Discount – Older drivers can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums on Focus insurance.
  • Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Sign Early and Save – A few insurance coverage companies allow discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
  • E-sign – A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 simply for signing on the internet.
  • Accident-Free Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents get the best insurance coverage rates when compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – By making one initial payment rather than spreading payments over time you can avoid the installment charge.
  • Save with More Vehicles Insured – Purchasing coverage when you have primary and secondary vehicles with one company can get a discount on all vehicles.
  • Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a small discount if you purchase some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.

A quick disclaimer, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride. Any qualifying discounts will definitely lower your overall premium however.

Large insurance coverage companies and their offered discounts are shown below.

  • GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including driver training, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, air bags, and federal employee.
  • Travelers has discounts for hybrid/electric vehicle, driver training, student away at school, good student, IntelliDrive, and early quote.
  • Farm Bureau may offer discounts for renewal discount, good student, safe driver, 55 and retired, youthful driver, multi-policy, and driver training.
  • Liberty Mutual includes discounts for newly retired, new graduate, preferred payment discount, teen driver discount, new vehicle discount, exclusive group savings, and multi-car.
  • American Family may have discounts that include early bird, accident-free, Steer into Savings, good driver, multi-vehicle, and TimeAway discount.
  • Progressive may include discounts for multi-vehicle, good student, continuous coverage, multi-policy, online signing, and online quote discount.

Double check with each company or agent which discounts they offer. A few discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state. To see a list of insurance companies who offer discounts, click here.

Drivers who switch save $429 a year? Really?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate seem to constantly run television and radio advertisements. They all seem to seem to make the promise that drivers can save some big amount if you switch your car insurance policy to them. But how can every company charge you less for auto insurance? It’s all in how they say it.

Companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that will not have excessive claims. A good example of a desirable risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, carries high limits, and has a short commute. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will get low auto insurance rates and as a result will probably save money with a new company.

Potential insureds who don’t qualify for these stringent criteria must pay higher premiums which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. If you listen closely, the ads state “people that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s why companies can make those statements.

Different companies use different criteria so it’s extremely important to do a quote comparison often. Because you never know the company that will give you lower prices than your current company.

When to get professional advice

When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.

Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether you might need an agent’s assistance.

  • What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
  • Is upholstery damage covered by car insurance?
  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
  • Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

What insurance coverages do you need?

Understanding the coverages of your policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Comprehensive auto coverage

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as a broken windshield, vandalism, hail damage, falling objects and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Ford Focus.

Due to the fact that many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Auto liability insurance

This coverage can cover damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. It protects YOU against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for things like emergency aid, medical services, attorney fees and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible.

Collision protection

Collision insurance covers damage to your Focus from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, hitting a parking meter, crashing into a building and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like dental work, chiropractic care, pain medications, X-ray expenses and doctor visits. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. They cover you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

More quotes mean more savings

When buying insurance coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, an accident victim reduced full coverage only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price, but do not skimp to save money.

Some insurance companies do not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers only sell coverage through independent agents. Affordable 2014 Ford Focus insurance can be found on the web as well as from insurance agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis.

People leave their current company for many reasons like poor customer service, questionable increases in premium, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies is easier than you think.

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