Save on 1997 Ford Explorer Insurance Rates

Having to pay for overpriced insurance can overdraw your checking account and force you to cut corners elsewhere. Doing a rate analysis can lower your rates and help to cut your insurance bill.

With people having so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the lowest cost insurance company.

Discounts to earn lower-cost auto insurance rates

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you might find some hidden discounts that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically at quote time, but occassionally some discounts must be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Good Students Pay Less – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. You can use this discount normally up until you turn 25.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
  • E-sign – Many insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for completing your application over the internet.
  • Homeowners Discount – Owning a home can earn you a little savings since home ownership is proof of financial responsibility.
  • No Claim Discounts – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared with drivers with a long claim history.
  • Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Purchasing coverage when you have all your vehicles on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Driving Data Discount – Insureds who allow data collection to spy on driving patterns by using a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise may see discounts as long as the data is positive.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • Include Life Insurance and Save – Some auto insurance companies give a discounted premium rate on car insurance if you buy life insurance from them.
  • College Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, that’s just not realistic.

Large auto insurance companies and a selection of discounts are:

  • State Farm includes discounts for accident-free, anti-theft, defensive driving training, good driver, multiple autos, and multiple policy.
  • Nationwide has savings for defensive driving, easy pay, anti-theft, multi-policy, and Farm Bureau membership.
  • Geico may offer discounts for anti-theft, membership and employees, multi-vehicle, federal employee, five-year accident-free, and good student.
  • AAA has discounts for good student, multi-car, good driver, anti-theft, education and occupation, and multi-policy.
  • 21st Century may have discounts that include anti-lock brakes, automatic seat belts, early bird, theft prevention, teen driver, driver training, and good student.
  • The Hartford offers discounts for good student, vehicle fuel type, air bag, defensive driver, and driver training.

When getting free insurance coverage quotes, it’s a good idea to each company or agent how you can save money. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policyholders everywhere. To see providers with discount rates, follow this link.

Tailor your insurance coverage coverage to you

When choosing adequate coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions may help you determine whether or not you could use an agent’s help.

  • Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
  • At what point should I drop full coverage?
  • Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
  • How can I find cheaper teen driver insurance?
  • Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
  • Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
  • Should I buy full coverage?
  • If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?

If you’re not sure about 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, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Auto insurance coverage options for a 1997 Ford Explorer

Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find the normal coverages available from auto insurance companies.

Auto liability

This protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 25/50/25 that means you have a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage protects against things such as court costs, repair costs for stationary objects, loss of income, emergency aid and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverage

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, vandalism and falling objects. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills like dental work, doctor visits, hospital visits, ambulance fees and X-ray expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision coverage

Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things such as hitting a parking meter, damaging your car on a curb, colliding with a tree, driving through your garage door and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

This gives you protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Stretch your dollar

More affordable auto insurance can be found online and with local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer rates over the internet and most of the time these smaller companies prefer to sell through independent agents.

When getting insurance coverage quotes online, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your objective should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the lowest possible cost, not the least amount of coverage.

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