Cheaper 1997 Ford E-250 Insurance Quotes

Saving money on insurance coverage is nearly impossible for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. People have so many options that it can turn into a lot of work to find the best price.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. Finding more affordable car insurance can be fairly easy. But drivers should learn the methods companies use to sell online.

Comparison of Car Insurance

When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways to compare rate quotes from local car insurance companies. The simplest method to compare 1997 Ford E-250 insurance prices consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be done in several different ways.

  • The easiest and least time consuming way to find the lowest comparison rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This method eliminates the need for separate quote forms for every car insurance company. One quote request gets rate comparisons from car insurance companies with the best prices.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
  • Another way to analyze rates is to manually visit the website of each company to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll pretend you want rates from Geico, Farmers and GMAC. To get each rate you have to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.
  • The hardest method to compare rates is driving around to different agent offices. The internet makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the trained guidance only provided by licensed agents. Drivers can get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area.

However you get your quotes, make sure you use identical coverages and limits for every company. If you enter different limits and deductibles on each one you will not be able to truly determine the lowest rate. Slightly different coverages may result in a large different in cost. It’s important to know that more quotes provides better odds of finding a lower rate.

Buyer beware of insurance coverage advertising tricks

Insurance coverage companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save after switching to their company. How do they all make almost identical claims?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer could be over the age of 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any driver who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Most are applied at quote time, but a few need to be asked for before you will receive the discount.

  • Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts up to 30%.
  • Military Rewards – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
  • No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
  • More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks with the same company qualifies for this discount.
  • Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
  • Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down on your Ford could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more for E-250 coverage than drivers with accident claims.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.

Car insurance companies who might offer these money-saving discounts include:

Check with each company what discounts are available to you. Discounts might not apply everywhere.

You may need specialized coverage

When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s needs are different.

For example, these questions can help discover if your situation might need professional guidance.

  • Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
  • Am I covered when driving a rental car?
  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
  • Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
  • Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
  • Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
  • Do I need replacement cost coverage on my 1997 Ford E-250?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

The coverage is in the details

Having a good grasp of car insurance can help you determine the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Liability insurance

Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 25/50/25 that means you have a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability insurance covers things like court costs, legal defense fees, structural damage and repair costs for stationary objects. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

Comprehensive auto coverage

Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as rock chips in glass, damage from a tornado or hurricane, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and fire damage. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Collision insurance

This pays for damage to your E-250 from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things such as colliding with a tree, damaging your car on a curb and hitting a parking meter. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses for things like prosthetic devices, ambulance fees, EMT expenses, nursing services and surgery. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Due to the fact that many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Save your cold hard cash

In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can lower your 1997 Ford E-250 insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

The cheapest insurance can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

People switch companies for a variety of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, extreme rates for teen drivers, denial of a claim or even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

More detailed insurance coverage information is available in these articles: