How Much Does 2008 Ford Escape Car Insurance Cost?

Having to pay for overpriced insurance coverage can dwindle your checking account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a great way to lower your monthly bill. Many insurers compete for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurance companies to discover the definitive lowest rate possible.

You should make it a habit to check insurance coverage prices before your policy renews since insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the lowest rates on Escape coverage a year ago you may be paying too much now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding insurance coverage online but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some excellent ideas to save money.

If you are insured now or are just looking to switch companies, you can learn to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Finding the best rates is easy if you know what you’re doing. Consumers only need an understanding of the tricks to shop for auto insurance on the web.

Insurance Coverage Prices

Lowering your 2008 Ford Escape insurance coverage rates is actually quite simple. All that’s required is to spend a few minutes on the computer comparing rate quotes from different insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in several different ways.

  • The most efficient way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry to each individual insurance coverage company. One form submission gets you price quotes from multiple companies.
  • A more difficult way to get comparison quotes consists of visiting the website of each company and request a quote. For example, we’ll assume you want to compare State Farm, Liberty Mutual and Progressive. To get each rate you have to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.
  • The least efficient method to get comparison rates is driving around to and from local insurance agencies. Buying insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the professional guidance that only a license agent can provide. Drivers can comparison shop your insurance online but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll touch on that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you’re using apples-to-apples coverage information for each price quote. If you compare higher or lower deductibles it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best.

Pay less for 2008 Ford Escape insurance

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there are discounts available to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before you get the savings. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Life Insurance Discount – Larger companies have lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
  • Good Student Discount – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply until age 25.
  • E-sign – A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
  • No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies permit an accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
  • Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Save over 55 – Mature drivers may receive a discount up to 10% on Escape coverage.
  • No Accidents – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less when compared to frequent claim filers.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free insurance coverage policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your premiums.

Car insurance companies who might offer some of the above discounts include:

Before buying, ask all companies you are considering what discounts are available to you. Discounts may not apply in every state.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions might help in determining if you would benefit from professional advice.

  • Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
  • What is no-fault insurance?
  • Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
  • When should I drop full coverage on my 2008 Ford Escape?
  • Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
  • What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
  • Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
  • Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
  • When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
  • What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of insurance coverage companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

Ford Escape premiums are determined by many factors

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that come into play when calculating insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower insurance prices.

The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” used by your company to calculate prices.

  • Frequent insurance claims increase rates – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Companies award cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Increase deductibles and save – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend before your insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. The more you’re willing to pay, the less your insurance will be on Escape coverage.
  • Protect yourself with liability coverage – Your policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Women pay lower rates – Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Both sexes cause accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore have the most expensive insurance rates.
  • Younger drivers pay higher rates – Older drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Teenage drivers have a tendency to get distracted easily behind the wheel and because of this, their insurance rates are much higher.
  • Having a spouse can save you money – Being married helps lower the price when buying insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more responsible and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Traffic violations increase rates – Your driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even a single citation may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less – Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you. If the Ford Escape is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov it may be receiving lower rates.

Buyer beware of insurance advertising tricks

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies have a common claim that you’ll save big if you change to their company.

How does each company claim to save you money?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as a mature driver, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A driver who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Potential insureds who don’t meet the “perfect” profile will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can make the claims of big savings.

This emphasizes why you absolutely need to compare as many rates as you can. You cannot predict which insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Car insurance coverages for a 2008 Ford Escape

Learning about specific coverages of your insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Insurance terms can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the usual coverages found on most insurance policies.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Ford Escape.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Liability

This coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show values of 100/300/100 which stand for a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability can pay for things like structural damage, medical services and attorney fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as large an amount as possible.

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from getting keyed, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a deer, fire damage and hail damage. The most a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Collision coverage

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims like rolling your car, scraping a guard rail, crashing into a building and hitting a mailbox. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for expenses like EMT expenses, chiropractic care, X-ray expenses, rehabilitation expenses and doctor visits. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

More quotes mean more savings

Throughout this article, we presented many ways to compare 2008 Ford Escape insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best price on insurance is with the least-expected company. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

Budget-conscious insurance can be sourced from both online companies as well as from independent agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers don’t offer online price quotes and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

When shopping online for insurance, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced full coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford.

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