2002 Ford Escort Insurance Cost

Are you a victim of an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say you’re not the only one.

Numerous car insurance companies battle for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare auto insurance companies to find the absolute cheapest price

It’s a great practice to take a look at other company’s rates quite often because insurance rates fluctuate regularly. Even if you got the lowest rates on Escort coverage last year you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of wrong information about car insurance on the internet, so by reading this article, you’re going to learn some proven techniques to find affordable car insurance.

Insurance Comparison Rates

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from different insurance companies. The easiest way to find the lowest 2002 Ford Escort rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  1. The easiest and least time consuming way to find low rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This form keeps you from doing multiple quote forms to each individual insurance company. In just a few minutes this one form gets you price quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
  2. A less efficient way to find lower rates is to take the time to go to the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Progressive, Liberty Mutual and GMAC. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker.

    For a list of links to companies insuring cars in your area, click here.

  3. The least recommended way of getting rate comparisons is to waste gas driving to local insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the professional advice that only a license agent can provide. However, consumers can obtain prices from the web but still have the advice of a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.

Whichever way you use, make sure you use the exact same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If your comparisons have unequal deductibles or liability limits it’s not possible to determine the lowest rate for your Ford Escort. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may result in a large different in cost. Keep in mind that more quotes will improve the odds of getting the best price.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Car insurance companies don’t list every discount very well, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the more hidden insurance savings.

  • Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance from them.
  • Student in College – Children who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
  • Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Club Memberships – Belonging to certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying insurance on Escort coverage.
  • Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
  • Driver’s Ed – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
  • Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may qualify for a small decrease in premiums on Escort coverage.
  • Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
  • Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky.

Companies that may offer these discounts are:

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

You may need specialized coverage

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions might point out whether you will benefit from professional help.

  • Should I buy full coverage?
  • Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
  • What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
  • Do I need more liability coverage?
  • Where can I get insurance after a DUI in my state?
  • Do I need motorclub coverage?
  • When can I cancel my policy?
  • How many claims can I have before being cancelled?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Factors that can influence insurance rates for a Ford Escort

It’s important that you understand 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 allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

  • Traffic violations increase rates – Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Only having one speeding ticket may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have dangerous citations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Low deductibles can be expensive – The deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be on Escort coverage.
  • With age comes lower rates – More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets. Teen drivers are statistically proven to get distracted easily when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
  • Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability coverage will protect you when a jury decides you are liable for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Occupation reflects on rates – Occupations like judges, executives and accountants tend to have higher rates than average in part from job stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, occupations like scientists, athletes and retirees receive lower rates on Escort coverage.
  • Safer occupants lowers premiums – Safer cars get lower rates. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you. If the Ford Escort is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov you are probably receiving a discount.

Save $391 a year. For real?

Insurance providers like Allstate and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. They all say the same thing of big savings after switching to their company. How do they all make almost identical claims?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that makes them money. For instance, a preferred risk could be over the age of 50, has no driving citations, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements must pay more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. This is how companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s impossible to know which company will give you the biggest savings on Ford Escort insurance.

Insurance coverages 101

Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are the normal coverages available from insurance companies.

Comprehensive protection

This coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like damage from flooding, hitting a deer, falling objects, vandalism and theft. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like hospital visits, prosthetic devices, doctor visits and nursing services. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision protection

This will pay to fix damage to your Escort resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision insurance covers claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with another moving vehicle and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Auto liability

Liability insurance can cover damage that occurs to people or other property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and property damage coverage for $100,000.

Liability insurance covers things like structural damage, loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, funeral expenses and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford.

Stretch your dollar

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Discount 2002 Ford Escort insurance can be sourced online in addition to many insurance agents, so compare prices from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

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