Cheap 2012 Ford Flex Insurance Quotes

Frustrated by the crazy number of insurance coverage companies in your area? You have so many companies to choose from that it can easily turn into a burden to find the best premium rates.

Consumers should take time to shop coverage around before your next renewal because prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you had the best price for Flex coverage on your last policy you can probably find a better rate quote now. There is too much inaccurate information about insurance coverage on the internet, but you can learn some excellent ideas to save money.

How to get cheap car insurance

When shopping for low cost insurance coverage quotes, there are a couple of ways to obtain and compare prices from different insurance companies. The fastest way to find competitive 2012 Ford Flex insurance rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. It’s really quite simple and can be done in a couple minutes as outlined below.

• The best way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This method eliminates the need for separate quotation requests for every company. Filling out one form will return price quotes from multiple low-cost companies. This is by far the quickest method.
• A more time consuming way to analyze rates requires you to visit each company website and complete a new quote form. For instance, let’s assume you are doing a rate comparison from USAA, 21st Century and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time going to each site individually and repeatedly type in your coverage information, which is not fast way to get rate quotes. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.

It’s up to you which method you use, but be sure you’re using the same coverages and limits with every price quote. If you are comparing different deductibles it’s impossible to determine the best price for your Ford Flex. Even a minor difference in limits can make a big difference in price. And when quoting car insurance, remember that comparing all the rates in your area helps improve the odds of finding a lower rate than you’re paying now. Not every company allows you to get online price quotes, so it’s important to also get price quotes from them as well.

Can you really save that much by switching?

Respected companies like State Farm and Allstate regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing that people will save if you switch your coverage to them. How is it plausible that every one can charge you a lower premium? It’s all in the words they use.

Insurance companies require specific criteria for the type of driver that will be a good risk. For instance, this type of risk profile may be married and over the age of 30, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. Someone who fits that profile will get very good premium rates and will save a lot if they switch.

People who are not a match for this stringent profile will probably be forced to pay higher rates and this can result in business going elsewhere. The trick is to say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. This is how companies can claim big savings.

This illustrates why it is so important to compare rate quotes every year. You cannot predict which company will fit you best based on your risk profile.

Save a ton with these discounts

Some companies do not advertise every possible discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using when you buy insurance coverage online.

• Telematics Discount – Insureds that choose to allow companies to scrutinize driving patterns through the use of a telematics system such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive could possibly reduce rates if they have good driving habits.
• Driver’s Education for Students – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them sucessfully take a drivers education course if it’s offered in school.
• Defensive Driver Discounts – Successfully completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill and easily pay for the cost of the class.
• Accident Forgiveness Coverage – but some companies like State Farm, Progressive and Geico will forgive one accident before your rates go up if you have no claims for a specific time period.
• Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10% off your insurance coverage quote.
• Life Insurance Discount – Some insurance carriers give a break if you buy some life insurance too.
• Switch and Save Discount – Some insurance companies reward drivers for renewing your policy early. Ten percent is about the average savings.

You can save money using discounts, but many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

A list of companies and their possible discounts include:

• Geico discounts include multi-policy, defensive driver, seat belt use, federal employee, daytime running lights, driver training, and good student.
• SAFECO may offer discounts for teen safety rewards, teen safe driver, anti-theft, drive less, safe driver, and accident prevention training.
• State Farm offers premium reductions for multiple autos, multiple policy, student away at school, safe vehicle, anti-theft, and Drive Safe & Save.
• MetLife has savings for good driver, claim-free, accident-free, good student, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
• 21st Century offers discounts for driver training, theft prevention, 55 and older, homeowners, and air bags.
• Progressive includes discounts for online quote discount, continuous coverage, online signing, multi-vehicle, and good student.

Before buying, ask all the companies the best way to save money. Some discounts may not be offered in your area.

Car insurance can be complex

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different.

These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether you might need an agent’s assistance.

• When should I not file a claim?
• Am I covered if I break a side mirror?
• Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in my state?
• Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• How do I buy GAP insurance?
• Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
• Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
• If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.

Insurance specifics

Having a good grasp of your insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays for damage to your Flex caused by collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers things like colliding with another moving vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car and crashing into a ditch. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Ford Flex.

Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time these limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like damage from flooding, vandalism, hail damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and theft. The maximum amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for bills like prosthetic devices, surgery, dental work, X-ray expenses and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers you and your occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability insurance – Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Coverage consists of three different limits, 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 which stand for a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage pays for claims like funeral expenses, medical expenses and legal defense fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Quote more, save more

Drivers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as high rates after DUI convictions, policy cancellation, extreme rates for teen drivers or an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.

As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to find out that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.

Lower-priced insurance is possible from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not provide rate quotes online and these small, regional companies only sell through local independent agencies.

More information

• When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
• Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
• Collision Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
• Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
• Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Insitute)