Cheap 2002 Ford Focus Insurance Quotes

Trying to find the cheapest insurance rates for your Ford Focus? Tired of trying to scrape together enough money to make your insurance payment? You have the same problem as the majority of other vehicle owners.

Many car insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the lowest rate

It’s smart to do price comparisons once or twice a year because insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you think you had the best rates on Focus coverage at your last renewal you can probably find a better premium rate now. Forget all the misinformation about insurance because you’re about to learn one of the quickest ways to save on insurance.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to save some money using this strategy. Finding affordable coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. Although vehicle owners do need to know how the larger insurance companies determine prices and use this information to your advantage.

Smart consumers save every year

A large part of saving on insurance is knowing the factors that help determine your policy premiums. If you know what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make good choices that may result in better insurance rates. Lots of things are used in the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, but other factors are not as apparent like where you live or your financial responsibility.

The list below includes some of the most common factors that factor into your premiums.

• Poor driving means higher prices – Drivers with clean records get better prices compared to bad drivers. Just one speeding ticket or other violation may cause rates to rise substantially. Drivers with dangerous violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find that they have to to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to legally drive.
• Are females or males drivers cheaper? – The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. It does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Females and males are in auto accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure and thus pay the highest rates.
• Your address can push rates up or down – Being located in a small town may provide you with better prices when buying insurance. Residents of big cities have to deal with more auto accidents and longer commute times. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident.
• Extra coverages that aren’t used – Insurance companies have many additional extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t diligent. Things like coverage for rental cars, towing, and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. They may seem good when deciding what coverages you need, but if you don’t need them think about removing them and cutting costs.
• Save by driving less – The more miles you rack up on your Ford in a year the more it will cost to insure it. Most insurance companies calculate rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage cost less to insure than those used for commuting. Improper usage on your Focus may be costing you higher rates. Double check that your declarations sheet correctly shows the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.

Finding auto insurance

The are a couple different ways to get quotes from local auto insurance companies. The simplest method to compare rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. It’s really quite simple and can be done in a couple minutes as outlined below.

1. The most efficient way to find low rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating a different quote to each individual auto insurance company. One quote request will get you rate comparisons from several companies.
2. A slightly less efficient method to analyze rates is going to the website for each individual company and get a separate price quote. For instance, let’s assume you need rates from Geico, Allstate and Progressive. To get each rate you have to spend time going to each site individually and punch in your information repeatedly, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.
3. The most difficult way to compare price quotes is actually driving to insurance agencies in your area. The ability to buy insurance online eliminates the middleman unless you prefer the trained advice that only a licensed agent can provide. Although, it is possible price shop your coverage online but have your policy serviced through an agent.

Whichever way you choose to compare rates, try to keep the exact same quote information on every quote. If you compare different values for each quote it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison. Just a small difference in limits can make a big difference in price. And when price shopping your coverage, getting more free quotes helps locate the best offered rates. Not every company provides prices over the internet, so it’s necessary to compare price quotes from those companies as well.

Insurance quotes and discounts

Insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you can get discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. A few discounts will automatically apply at quote time, but a few must be requested specifically in order for you to get them.

• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low annual miles can qualify you for slightly better insurancerates than normal.
• Policy Bundle Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
• Seat Belts Save – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the PIP or medical payment premium.
• Multiple Vehicles – Purchasing coverage when you have several vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
• Life Insurance – Insurance carriers who offer life insurance give a small discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
• Discount for New Cars – Insuring a vehicle that is new can get you a discount due to better safety requirements for new vehicles.
• Senior Citizen Discount – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens could receive reduced rates on Focus coverage.

Remember that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your policy cost.

The best insurance companies and their offered discounts are shown below.

• State Farm may offer discounts for good student, student away at school, accident-free, Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, driver’s education, and defensive driving training.
• Geico discounts include federal employee, anti-lock brakes, five-year accident-free, air bags, emergency military deployment, and multi-policy.
• SAFECO offers premium reductions for bundle discounts, homeowner, multi-car, accident prevention training, teen safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
• Farmers Insurance has discounts for alternative fuel, switch companies, mature driver, multi-car, youthful driver, and distant student.
• AAA policyholders can earn discounts including AAA membership discount, good driver, education and occupation, pay-in-full, multi-policy, good student, and anti-theft.
• USAA includes discounts for vehicle storage, driver training, military installation, defensive driver, and multi-vehicle.

When getting a coverage quote, ask every company how many discounts you can get. Discounts may not be offered in your area. To locate insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above, click this link.

Situations that may require an agent’s advice

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
• Does my personal policy cover me when driving out-of-state?
• Are rock chip repairs covered?
• Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
• Will filing a claim cost me more?
• Am I covered if I hit a deer?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to 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.

Auto insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of a insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the normal coverages available from insurance companies.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as theft, a broken windshield, hitting a bird, hail damage and hitting a deer. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Medical expense insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for expenses like X-ray expenses, pain medications, doctor visits, rehabilitation expenses and surgery. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your 2002 Ford Focus.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Coverage for liability

This coverage can cover damage that occurs to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 50/100/50 that means you have a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Alternatively, you may have a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as medical expenses, loss of income, funeral expenses and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but consider buying higher limits if possible.

Collision coverage

Collision coverage pays for damage to your Focus resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims like driving through your garage door, hitting a parking meter, sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Quote more, save more

When searching for cheaper auto insurance quotes, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost, but do not skimp to save money.

Budget-conscious 2002 Ford Focus insurance is available from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not have internet price quotes and many times these small, regional companies sell through local independent agents.

More resources

• Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
• Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• How to Avoid Staged Accidents (State Farm)
• Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)