Finding low-cost insurance for a Ford Taurus can be a painful process, but you can follow a few tricks to find lower rates.
There is a right way and a wrong way to compare car insurance rates and we’ll show you the quickest way to compare rates for a new or used Ford and obtain the cheapest rates.
It’s a good idea to shop coverage around on a regular basis because prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you think you had the best rate for Taurus insurance six months ago there is a good chance you can find better premium rates now. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance online, but we’re going to give you a bunch of ideas how to lower your car insurance bill.
Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be challenging if you don’t utilize the most efficient way. You could spend your day discussing policy coverages with agents in your area, or you could save time and use the internet to get prices fast.
Most of the best insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and at least one company then returns a price quote determined by their information. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions for each company.
To access this free quoting program, click here to open in new window.
The one downside to comparing rates this way is you cannot specify the providers you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to pick individual companies to compare prices, we have assembled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.
You can use whichever method you prefer to find lower rates, just ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage data for every company. If you have mixed coverages you will not be able to make an equal comparison.
Consumers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper insurance coverage by Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make the same claim that you’ll save big after switching to them.
How does every company charge less that you’re paying now?
Insurance providers look for specific characteristics for the right customer that earns them the highest profit. For instance, a profitable risk profile could be between 30 and 50, has never had a policy lapse, and does not commute to work. Anyone that fits those parameters will get very good premium rates and will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who cannot meet these standards will get a higher rate with the end result being the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “all people who quote” can save as much as they claim. This is how insurance companies can confidently claim big savings.
Each company has different criteria, so you really should do a price quote comparison at every renewal. It’s not possible to predict which insurance coverage company will have the best car insurance rates for your profile.
Companies do not list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find a few of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts that may be available. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are not getting the best rate possible.
Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky.
Larger insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts include:
If you need lower rates, check with all the companies to apply every possible discount. Some credits may not apply to policyholders in your state. To choose insurance companies who offer discounts, click here.
When it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
For instance, these questions could help you determine whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Having a good grasp of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Ford Taurus.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from flooding, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and rock chips in glass. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage covers damage to your Taurus caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against things such as hitting a parking meter, colliding with another moving vehicle, scraping a guard rail, damaging your car on a curb and hitting a mailbox. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
Liability car insurance – This coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, bail bonds and structural damage. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.
Coverage for medical payments – Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for bills like rehabilitation expenses, surgery, X-ray expenses and hospital visits. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed full coverage and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
A few companies don’t offer internet price quotes and many times these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent insurance agents. More affordable car insurance is definitely available both online and with local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis.
People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in paying claims, lack of trust in their agent or even poor customer service. Whatever your reason, switching companies can be easier than you think.
Much more information about car insurance can be found at these links: