Are you overwhelmed by the crazy number of insurance coverage companies? Many other consumers are too. Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can be a ton of work to find lower rates.
It’s a great practice to price shop coverage yearly because prices are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best rates on Explorer insurance a year ago there may be better deals available now. So just ignore everything you know about insurance coverage because I’m going to teach you how to use online quotes to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can take hours if you don’t know the most efficient way. You can spend your afternoon discussing policy coverages with agents in your area, or you could use the internet to get prices fast.
The majority of car insurance companies belong to a marketplace where insurance shoppers submit their information once, and at least one company then returns a price quote based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for quotation requests for each company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here to start a free quote.
The one disadvantage to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify which providers to receive prices from. If you would rather choose specific providers to compare prices, we have assembled a list of low cost auto insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.
However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you compare unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be very difficult to truly determine the lowest rate. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits could mean much higher rates. Keep in mind that comparing more company’s prices helps you find lower pricing.
Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched both the well known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.
Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Car insurance companies that may have some of the above discounts are:
Before buying, ask all companies you are considering what discounts are available to you. Discounts might not be offered in your state.
When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
These are some specific questions could help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
Understanding the coverages of insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Coverage for liability
This protects you from damage that occurs to a person or their property. It protects you from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for things like loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy higher limits if possible.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like rock chips in glass, fire damage and vandalism. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision protection
Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Explorer from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include 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 should not be overlooked.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for prosthetic devices, hospital visits and nursing services. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
You just learned quite a bit of information on how to lower your 1991 Ford Explorer insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.
When buying insurance coverage, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Cost effective insurance is attainable both online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance coverage companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
Even more information is available in the articles below: