Cheaper 2012 Ford Explorer Insurance Cost

Sick and tired of paying out the nose to buy car insurance? You are in the same boat as many other drivers.

Many insurance companies vie for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the best coverage at the best rates possible.

It’s a good habit to compare prices once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you think you had the lowest price for Explorer insurance a few years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad information regarding car insurance on the web, but I’m going to show you the best ways to buy car insurance cheaper.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. Finding affordable coverage is quite easy. But vehicle owners need to have an understanding of the way insurance companies market on the web and apply this information to your search.

The most recommended method to compare rate quotes is to understand most larger insurance companies pay for the opportunity to give you rate quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is provide a little information such as if a SR-22 is required, your occupation, if your license is active, and driver ages. Your rating data is then submitted to insurance carriers in your area and they provide comparison quotes almost instantly.

To compare multiple company rates now, click here and find out if lower rates are available.

Save big with these discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. Most are applied at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be asked for in order for you to get them.

  • Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off for Explorer insurance with certain companies.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home may trigger a insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Multi-car Discount – Buying coverage for more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
  • Sign Online – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
  • Good Student – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.

It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your premiums.

Car insurance companies that possibly offer some of the above discounts may include but are not limited to:

It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. Some discounts may not be available in every state.

Impacting insurance rates for a Ford Explorer

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates. If your Ford Explorer has ratings of a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it is probably cheaper to insure.
  • Liability coverage is cheap – Your policy’s liability coverage will protect you when you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Many insurance companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it’s in your best interest to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find better rates by buying car insurance from a different company.
  • Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder car theft.
  • Never let your coverage lapse – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a guaranteed way to increase your car insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine.
  • Marriage pays dividends – Being married helps lower the price on your policy. It usually means you are more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.

But I don’t know anything about car insurance

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can help discover whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
  • What is the minimum liability in my state?
  • Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
  • Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
  • Is upholstery damage covered by car insurance?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Buyer beware of car insurance advertising tricks

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing that you can save if you move your coverage to them. How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. A driver who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Consumers who don’t qualify for the requirements will have to pay a higher premium and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That is how companies can claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict the company that will have the lowest Ford Explorer insurance rates.

Car insurance specifics

Understanding the coverages of a car insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.

Collision coverage – Collision insurance covers damage to your Explorer resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for things such as colliding with another moving vehicle, scraping a guard rail, crashing into a ditch, sideswiping another vehicle and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Auto liability insurance – Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. It does not 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 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability can pay for claims such as legal defense fees, repair costs for stationary objects and medical services. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive protection – Comprehensive insurance coverage 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 protects against claims such as rock chips in glass, hitting a bird, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and hail damage. The most your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Ford Explorer.

Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Usually these limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical expense coverage – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses such as rehabilitation expenses, ambulance fees, chiropractic care and pain medications. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Smart consumers save more

Budget-conscious 2012 Ford Explorer insurance is possible both online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers may not provide online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just presented a lot of information how to shop for insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a small local company. These companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Allstate, Geico and Progressive.

When buying insurance coverage, do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped full coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Additional information