Compare 1997 Ford E-250 Car Insurance Cost

Want the cheapest auto insurance rates for your Ford E-250? Trying to find more affordable auto insurance could be very difficult for drivers new to comparing prices online. Consumers have so many different companies and agents to choose from that it can turn into a real challenge to find cheaper rates.

This information will introduce you to the most effective way to quote insurance. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. But vehicle owners do need to know how insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.

How to find low cost insurance

When looking for cheap insurance coverage quotes, there are a couple ways of comparing rates from many different insurance companies. The best method to compare rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This is very easy and can be done in a couple minutes as outlined below.

• The recommended way to find the lowest comparison rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This easy form keeps you from doing separate quote forms to each individual insurance company. A single form gets rate comparisons from all major companies. It’s definitely the quickest method.
• A more difficult way to find more affordable insurance is to manually visit each individual company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you need rates from Farmers, State Farm and GMAC. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time going to each site individually and repeatedly enter your information, which is why first method is reommended. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.

Take whichever approach you prefer, but compare nearly identical information for each price quote. If the quotes have different coverage information it will be impossible to determine which company has the best rates. Even a minor difference in limits could throw off the whole comparison. Just remember that comparing a wide range of rates gives you a better chance of getting better pricing. Not every company does online quotes, so you should also compare price quotes from them, too.

Cut your car insurance rates with discounts

Some insurance providers don’t always list the complete list of policy discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched a few of the more well known as well as some of the hidden discounts that you may qualify for.

• Military Deployment Discount – Having a family member in the military could mean lower premium rates.
• Driver Education Discount – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them sucessfully take a drivers education course in school.
• E-sign Discounts
• Payment Discounts – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
• Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
• Good Student – Excelling in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students well after school through age 25.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Passenger Safety Discount – Factory options such as air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
• Save over 55 – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens are able to get a discount up to 10% on E-250 insurance.

Don’t be shocked that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will help reduce your premiums.

Some companies that may include some of the above discounts are:

• Farm Bureau
• Liberty Mutual
• State Farm
• Auto-Owners Insurance
• Geico
• SAFECO

Check with all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state.

You are unique and your car insurance should be too

When buying the right insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different.

For instance, these questions may help highlight if you would benefit from professional advice.

• When would I need additional glass coverage?
• Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• Am I covered if I hit a deer?
• Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?

If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

How you can control Ford E-250 insurance prices

Lots of factors are part of the equation when you quote your car insurance policy. Most are fairly basic like a motor vehicle report, although some other factors are more obscure like where you live or your vehicle rating.An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that are used to determine the price you pay for insurance coverage. If you understand what determines base rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower insurance coverage prices.

• Reduce premiums by driving safer vehicles – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles built for safety reduce occupant injuries and reduced instances of injuries means lower claim amounts and cheaper rates on your policy. If the Ford E-250 scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it may be receiving lower rates.
• Insurance coverage claims cost money – If you tend to file frequent claims, you shouldn’t be surprised to get either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies provide cheaper rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for the large, substantial claims.
• Higher rates for insurance coverage lapses – Having a lapse in insurance coverage is a fast way to bump up your insurance coverage costs. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You may have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with your state DMV.
• Only buy coverage you need – There are quite a few optional add-on coverages you can purchase on your E-250 policy. Coverage for things like rental car reimbursement, towing, and extra life insurance coverage are probably not needed. The coverages may be enticing at first, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so get rid of them and save.

Can you really save $480 a year?

Big name companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive endlessly run ads on TV and radio. All the companies make an identical promise of big savings if you switch your policy. How is it possible that every company can sell you cheaper insurance coverage? You have to listen carefully.

Companies have an ideal profile for the type of customer that will be a good risk. A good example of a profitable insured might have to be between the ages of 30 and 45, has never had a policy lapse, and the vehicle is rated for pleasure use. Anybody who fits that profile receives the best prices and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile will be charged higher premiums with the end result being the customer buying from a different company. The ads state “people that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

This illustrates why you really need to compare quotes as often as possible. It’s impossible to know which company will have the best prices for your profile.

Specific coverage details

Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

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. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Medical expense coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses like nursing services, funeral costs and doctor visits. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available and may carry a deductible

Liability coverage – This coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property that is your fault. It protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.

Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for things like legal defense fees, court costs, pain and suffering, loss of income and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as large an amount as possible.

Comprehensive protection – Comprehensive insurance pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, a broken windshield, theft, hitting a deer and vandalism. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Collision – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your E-250 caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. 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 scraping a guard rail, crashing into a building and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Stretch your dollar

We covered quite a bit of information on how to compare 1997 Ford E-250 insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the best prices are with the least-expected company.

Some insurance companies may not offer the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents. More affordable insurance can be purchased on the web and with local insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both so you have a total pricing picture.

Consumers leave their current company for many reasons like high prices, delays in paying claims, being labeled a high risk driver or extreme rates for teen drivers. Whatever your reason, finding the right insurance provider can be easier than you think.

More information is located at the links below

• Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
• Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Tools for Teen Driving Safety (State Farm)
• Safety Features for Your New Car (State Farm)