Being forced to pay for overpriced auto insurance premiums can deplete your family’s budget and put a big crunch on your finances.
Many insurers vie for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare car insurance companies to find the absolute cheapest price
Consumers should take time to do rate comparisons at least once a year because auto insurance prices fluctuate regularly. Just because you found the lowest price on Flex insurance six months ago you can probably find a lower rate today. There is too much inaccurate information about auto insurance out there, but I’m going to show you the easiest ways to save money.
There are a lot of ways to shop for car insurance, but one way is more efficient than others. You could waste a few hours talking about coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get the quickest rates.
Most of the larger companies take part in a program that enables customers to send in one quote, and every company can give them a price. This saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions to each company.
To get comparison pricing now click here to open in new window.
The one downside to comparing rates this way is you don’t know exactly the insurers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to compare, we put together a list of car insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
Compare rates however you want, just make absolute certain that you use equivalent coverage limits on every price quote you get. If you use different coverage information it will be next to impossible to determine the best price for your Ford Flex. Just slight variations in limits could skew the results. And when quoting car insurance, remember that having more price comparisons helps you find a lower rate. Not every company does prices over the internet, so it’s necessary to compare price estimates from them as well.
Insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but there could be available discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Some trigger automatically at the time of quoting, but some need to be specifically requested before you will receive the discount. If you don’t get every credit available, you are throwing money away.
Remember that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free insurance policy, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
A few popular companies and a selection of discounts are:
It’s a good idea to ask every company which discounts they offer. Some discounts listed above may not be available in your area.
When choosing adequate coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions might point out whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
State Farm, Allstate and Geico constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all seem to tend to make the same promise that you’ll save big if you change your policy. It sounds good, but how can they all claim to save you money? It’s all in the wording.
Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of this type of risk profile might be over the age of 50, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. Anyone who meets those qualifications will most likely get cheap car insurance rates and have a good chance to save when switching.
Consumers who cannot meet the requirements may be required to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. If you pay attention, the ads say “drivers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. That is why it’s extremely important to get as many free car insurance quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which company will have the best rates.
Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the normal coverages available from insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like rock chips in glass, fire damage, falling objects and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance covers damage to your Flex caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle and damaging your car on a curb. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for expenses such as chiropractic care, funeral costs and prosthetic devices. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Liability car insurance – This coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property that is your fault. It protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 50/100/50 that means you have a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage pays for things like funeral expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and court costs. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
You just learned a lot of information how to get a better price on 2011 Ford Flex insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable car insurance. You may even discover the best price on insurance is with a small mutual company. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower premium rates compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, an insured cut physical damage coverage only to find out that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Additional information can be found on the following sites:
Edyth William
Cheap is relative. Checking in from West Valley City, UT. Got car insurance quotes from AIG Insurance, Mercury, and a few others for my Flex and saved just over $490 a year. I have several vehicles insured with them.
Yon Little
I’m looking for cheaper coverage. I’m in the north part of Miami, Florida. Compared rates from a lot of places. Saved darn near $40 a month. Progressive was the cheapest option for me.
Jannet Flynn
Cheaper not always better. I live just to the north of Denver, Colorado. Compared quite a few companies. Saved roughly $40 a month. GEICO was the cheapest option for me. I have a teen driver too.
Boyce Monroe
Anyone know of any company in San Jose, California that will insure high risk drivers?
Micaela Shaw
If you have a good history and are close to Baton Rouge, LA, check out Allstate. They seem to be cheaper. Insured with GMAC before.
Jean Bates
Does Progressive insure at replacement cost?
Tish Burks
What are minimum liability limits required in Arkansas?
Myrle Carr
Corporate greed I’m telling you. Got a quote with Eastwood for my Ford and saved around $190 a year. I increased coverages a little too.
Carmine Aguilar
I’m just east of Miami, FL. Got car insurance rates from Sentry, Encompass, State Farm, and AIG Insurance for my 2011 Ford Flex and cut my rates about $190 a year. Left Western Auto Insurance to switch. I increased coverages a little too. They have free quotes online.
Humberto Villarreal
I live in a small town just outside of Salem, OR. Got car insurance rates from AAA, Mercury, and a few others for my Flex and saved $488 a year. I have several vehicles insured with them. Just go online and compare their rates.