Lower Your 2007 Ford Explorer Insurance Quotes

Have you had enough of sacrificing to make your insurance payment? You have the same problem as many other people.

Due to the increasing number of options when it comes to insurance, it’s nearly impossible to choose the cheapest insurance provider.

It’s a great practice to compare rates as often as possible because insurance prices change quite often. Even if you think you had the best deal on Explorer coverage two years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. There is a lot of wrong information about insurance on the web, but by reading this article, you’re going to learn the easiest ways to save money.

Ways to get insurance coverage quotes

To find the best insurance coverage quotes, there are several ways of comparing price quotes from companies that offer insurance coverage in your state. The best way to compare rates consists of shopping online. It’s really quite simple and can be done in several different ways.

If you’re in a hurry, the quickest way to find low rates is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This method eliminates the need for boring form submissions for every company. A single form will get you price quotes from many national carriers.

A more time consuming way to analyze rates requires a visit to each company website and complete a new quote form. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want to compare USAA, 21st Century and State Farm. You would have to spend time on each company’s site and type in your information over and over, which can get old fast. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.

It’s up to you which method you use, but be certain you are entering the same quote information on every price quote you get. If you have different liability limits it’s not possible to determine which rate is truly the best. Even a minor difference in insurance coverages could skew the results. Just remember that having more price comparisons helps you find a lower rate than you’re paying now.

Smart buyers can slash their insurance prices

One of the most helpful ways to save on insurance coverage is to to have a grasp of the different types of things that are used to determine your premiums. If you know what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make good choices that may result in lower premium levels. Many factors are considered when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, although some other factors are more transparent like where you live or how safe your car is.

The items below are some of the things companies use to determine rates.

• Your car’s features help determine prices – Choosing a vehicle with advanced anti-theft systems can get you a discount on your insurance coverage. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can thwart car theft and help bring rates down.
• Bad credit will cost you – An insured’s credit rating can be an important factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have very good credit scores tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than those with lower credit scores. So if your credit rating is not that good, you could pay less to insure your 2007 Ford Explorer by spending a little time repairing your credit.
• Liability coverage – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if a jury decides you are liable for damages caused by your negligence. Your liability coverage provides you with a defense in court which can cost a lot. Liability is cheap compared to comp and collision, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
• How’s your driving record? – Your driving citation history influences premium rates substantially. Only having one speeding ticket or other violation may cause rates to rise twenty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better prices compared to drivers with tickets. People who have multiple violations like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may find they need to complete a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
• See if your company offers a multi-policy discount – Most insurance companies apply a discount to buyers who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. The amount of the discounts can be ten percent or more. Even if you already get this discount, it’s in your best interest to shop around to ensure the best deal.There is a chance you can find better rates even if you insure with multiple companies
• Decrease prices by maintaining coverage – Not having insurance is illegal and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage have a gap. Not only will you pay higher rates, getting caught without coverage could result in fines or a revoked license.
• Discounts for married couples – Having a spouse may cut your premiums when shopping for insurance coverage. Marriage may mean you are less irresponsible and insurance companies like that married couples file fewer claims.

Do you qualify for discount insurance coverage?

Companies don’t necessarily list their entire list of discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the list below gives a summary of some of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious ways to save on insurance coverage. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you could be paying more than you need to.

• Military Deployment Discount – Having a deployed family member could trigger a small discount.
• Paperwork-free – A few larger companies provide a small discount for signing up on their website.
• Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Purchasing coverage when you have more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Larger insurance companies have a discounted insurance coverage rate on car insurance if you buy auto and life insurance together.
• Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
• Student Discount for Driver Training – Teen drivers should take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.

Discounts save money, but please remember that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it’s just not the way it works.

Popular insurance coverage companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are outlined below.

• Progressive may include discounts for multi-vehicle, homeowner, good student, continuous coverage, and online quote discount.
• Farmers Insurance discounts include alternative fuel, youthful driver, business and professional, distant student, and homeowner.
• Farm Bureau offers discounts for renewal discount, driver training, multi-vehicle, safe driver, and good student.
• State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including passive restraint, defensive driving training, driver’s education, accident-free, multiple autos, anti-theft, and safe vehicle.
• Geico may offer discounts for driver training, multi-vehicle, military active duty, emergency military deployment, multi-policy, and air bags.
• SAFECO may have discounts that include drive less, bundle discounts, accident prevention training, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, and teen safe driver.
• Liberty Mutual offers premium reductions for hybrid vehicle, new vehicle discount, safety features, new move discount, preferred payment discount, multi-car, and good student.

Check with all the companies which discounts they offer. A few discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area. For a list of insurance coverage companies that offer the discounts shown above, click here to view.

What insurance coverages do I need?

When buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions might point out whether or not you could use an agent’s help.

• How do I insure my teen driver?
• Should I buy additional glass protection?
• How much liability coverage do I need in my state?
• Where can I find DUI or SR-22 insurance?
• Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
• What can I do if my company denied a claim?
• If my 2007 Ford Explorer is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
• Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
• Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?

If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Specifics of your car insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of car insurance can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverage types offered by car insurance companies.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This coverage pays for 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 coverage protects against claims like hail damage, damage from getting keyed and fire damage. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Coverage for collisions

This covers damage to your Explorer from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against things such as scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as 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 important protection for you and your family. Normally the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Coverage for liability

This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 which means a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability can pay for claims like bail bonds, court costs, medical services and pain and suffering. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.

Medical expense insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as EMT expenses, chiropractic care and surgery. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Buy online or local, you save

In this article, we presented a lot of tips how to shop for 2007 Ford Explorer insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting affordable insurance coverage. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies. These companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.

When getting insurance coverage quotes online, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.

Even more information can be found in these articles:

• Senior Drivers (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)
• Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)
• Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)