2001 Ford Explorer Insurance Rates

Are you drained from being strong-armed to buy auto insurance? You are in the same boat as many other drivers.

Having so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the cheapest auto insurance provider.

Buying car insurance is not rocket science. In a nutshell, every driver who carries insurance will more than likely be able to find lower rates. Although consumers need to have an understanding of the way insurance companies price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.

Which insurance is cheapest?

Comparing insurance rates can be exhausting if you don’t know the fastest way to get free quotes. You could spend the better part of a day talking to local insurance agents in your area, or you can stay home and use the internet to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.

Most of the best insurance companies take part in a program that enables customers to send in one quote, and each participating company then gives them pricing based on that data. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions for each company. To participate in this free quote system, click here to open in new window.

The single downside to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which carriers to get quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have a page of companies who write insurance in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.

Whichever way you choose to compare rates, make absolute certain that you use nearly identical coverage limits and deductibles on every price quote you get. If you enter different data it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate for your Ford Explorer. Just slight variations in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when quoting insurance, remember that quoting more will increase your chances of finding a better price.

Auto insurance discounts are available to reduce your rates

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts that can dramatically reduce your bill. Many discounts should be triggered at the time of purchase, but some discounts are required to be manually applied before being credited.

• Theft Prevention System – Cars equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen with less frequency so companies will give you a small discount.
• Discounts for Federal Employees – Federal government employees may qualify for a discount when you quote car insurance on Explorer insurance with a few auto insurance companies.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
• Senior Citizens – Seniors may be able to get a discount up to 10% on Explorer insurance.
• Cautious Driver Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents could pay up to 40% less on Explorer insurance compared to accident prone drivers.
• Accident Forgiveness – This one isn’t a discount, but certain companies will let one accident slide before your rates go up if your claims history is clear prior to being involved in the accident.
• No Accidents – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay much less as opposed to policyholders that have many claims.
• Early Switch Discount – Some insurance companies give discounts for renewing your policy before your current expiration date. You may see this discount when you get car insurance quotes online.
• Discount for Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles on your Ford can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.

Don’t be surprised that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts should definitely cut the amount you pay for coverage.

Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are shown below.

• Progressive offers discounts including homeowner, online signing, multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
• AAA may include discounts for multi-policy, multi-car, education and occupation, anti-theft, good driver, and AAA membership discount.
• Farmers Insurance discounts include bundle discounts, electronic funds transfer, youthful driver, homeowner, early shopping, and switch companies.
• Geico offers premium reductions for multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, air bags, good student, and seat belt use.
• Esurance has discounts for multi-policy, safety device, anti-lock brakes, online shopper, paid-in-full, good student, and emergency road assistance.
• SAFECO has savings for teen safe driver, multi-car, anti-lock brakes, teen safety rewards, bundle discounts, drive less, and accident prevention training.
• State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including multiple policy, student away at school, good student, Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, defensive driving training, and anti-theft.

If you need lower rates, check with all the companies how you can save money. Some discounts listed above might not be offered on policies in your state.

How do insurance providers determine Ford Explorer insurance costs?

The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at the factors that are used to determine the level of your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that may result in better auto insurance rates.

• How many coverages with the same company – Most larger insurers will award a discount to customers that purchase more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to as much as ten percent or more If you currently are using one company, drivers will still want to compare other insurance prices to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. It’s possible to still find a better deal even if you have your coverage with different companies
• Is insurance coverage cheaper for females or males? – Statistics demonstrate that females take fewer risks when driving. This data doesn’t prove that females are better drivers. Women and men have fender benders in similar percentages, but the men have costlier accidents. Not only are claims higher, but men get ticketed for serious violations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly.
• Teenage drivers pay more – Older, more experienced drivers tend to be more responsible, are lower risk to insure , and are generally more financially stable.Drivers with little experience have a tendency to be more careless behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates.
• Infrequent drivers can save – The more miles you rack up on your Ford in a year’s time the higher the price you pay to insure it. Many insurance companies calculate rates based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that sit idle most of the time can get a lower rate than those that get driven frequently. An incorrectly rated Explorer is throwing money out the window. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
• Avoid traffic tickets – Just one speeding ticket or other violation can bump up the cost substantially. Attentive drivers get better prices as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who have received serious tickets like DUI or willful reckless driving may need to maintain a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to legally drive.
• Safety first – Safer cars tend to have lower insurance rates. Vehicles built for safety help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
• Car insurance liability protection limits – Liability coverage is the protection if you are found liable for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage which can cost a lot. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.

Everyone needs different insurance coverage coverages

When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions might point out whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
• What if I total my 2001 Ford Explorer and owe more than it’s worth?
• What is the ISO rating for a 2001 Ford Explorer?
• Is my teenager covered with friends in the car?
• Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
• What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?

If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Auto insurance in the media

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and Geico regularly use television and radio advertisements. They all make an identical promise that you can save if you get a free car insurance quote and switch your policy. How does each company say the same thing? Here is the trick they use.

Insurance companies have specific guidelines for the type of insured that will generate a profit. For instance, a profitable customer could possibly be between 25 and 40, has a clear driving record, and drives a safe vehicle. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” will get low prices and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who may not quite match those standards will see higher premiums and this results in the prospect going elsewhere. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “drivers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can make those statements. This really illustrates why you need to get car insurance quotes as often as possible. Because without a comparison, you cannot know which company will fit your personal profile best.

Car insurance policy specifics

Knowing the specifics of car insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are the usual coverages available from car insurance companies.

Collision – This will pay to fix damage to your Explorer resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for claims like backing into a parked car, crashing into a ditch, sideswiping another vehicle and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Auto liability – This protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage protects against claims like loss of income, attorney fees and funeral expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Ford Explorer.

Due to the fact that many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.

Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses like funeral costs, rehabilitation expenses and surgery. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like rock chips in glass, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, theft and a broken windshield. The most your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Make an honest buck

We just presented a lot of techniques to reduce 2001 Ford Explorer insurance premium rates online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting cheap car insurance. You may even discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from an unexpected company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower prices on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.

Cheaper 2001 Ford Explorer insurance is attainable online as well as from insurance agents, so you need to shop car insurance with both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers sell through local independent agents.

Even more information can be found by following these links:

• Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Ford Explorer in Fresno? (InsureFresno.com)
• Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
• Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)