Compare 1998 Ford Explorer Insurance Rates

Looking for the cheapest auto insurance rates for your Ford Explorer? Cutting costs on auto insurance may be challenging for drivers not familiar with online insurance quotes. With so many options of companies in the marketplace, it can easily be hard work to find cheaper coverage rates.

Smart consumers take time to compare premium rates as often as possible because prices trend upward over time. Even if you think you had the lowest rates on Explorer coverage a few years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate one of the quickest ways to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.

Earn discounts to get lower-cost insurance rates

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before they will apply.

  • No Claim Discounts – Drivers who don’t have accidents get the best insurance rates compared to drivers with a long claim history.
  • Early Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can avoid the installment charge.
  • College Student – Youth drivers who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not take a car to college may qualify for this discount.
  • Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to buckle up can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on medical payment and PIP coverage.
  • Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
  • Telematics Devices – Drivers that enable their insurance company to look at vehicle usage by installing a telematics device such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may see discounts if they have good driving habits.
  • Auto/Life Discount – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn lower prices if you buy a life policy as well.
  • Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can save up to 40% or more on their car insurance quote on Explorer coverage than their less cautious counterparts.

You should keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way.

To view insurance companies with discount rates, follow this link.

Insurance cost influencing factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help calculate your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what determines premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower rates. Lots of things are taken into consideration when you quote your car insurance policy. Most are fairly basic such as your driving record, although others are less apparent such as whether you are married or your financial responsibility.

The factors shown below are most of the major factors companies use to determine rates.

  • Driving citations can increase premiums – Being a careful driver impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even a single chargable violation may cause rates to rise by as much as thirty percent. Careful drivers pay less for auto insurance compared to bad drivers. Drivers unfortunate enough to have license-revoking tickets like DUI or willful reckless driving might be required by their state to complete a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Good credit equals lower rates – Having a good credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better risks to insure than drivers who have poor credit. Therefore, if your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your 1998 Ford Explorer by spending a little time repairing your credit.
  • Insure your auto and home with one company – The majority of companies apply a discount to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even fifteen percent. If you currently are using one company, drivers will still want to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.There is a good possibility that you can find lower rates even if you have your coverage with different companies
  • Married people drive safer – Having a significant other may earn you lower rates on your auto insurance policy. Marriage generally demonstrates drivers are more mature and responsible and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
  • Rates impacted by vehicle usage – The more you drive your Ford every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies calculate rates based on their usage. Autos that do not get driven very much get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. It’s a smart idea to ensure your auto insurance declarations sheet correctly shows the right rating data. A policy that improperly rates your Explorer can result in significantly higher rates.
  • Urban areas may pay more – Being located in a small town may provide you with better prices when insuring your vehicles. Less people means less chance of accidents in addition to fewer liability claims. Drivers in populated areas regularly have much more traffic and longer commutes to work. The longer drive time means more chances of being involved in an auto accident.
  • Never allow your policy to lapse – Not maintaining insurance is illegal and any future policy may cost more because you let your coverage have a gap. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you fines and jail time.
  • Premiums drop with age – Teen drivers are known to be careless and easily distracted in a vehicle and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher. If you’ve ever had to add a teen driver to your auto insurance policy can be very expensive. Older, more experienced drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, file fewer claims , and are generally more financially stable.

Tailor your auto insurance coverage to you

When buying the best auto insurance coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For instance, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
  • Do I need higher collision deductibles?
  • Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
  • Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
  • Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
  • Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
  • What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • What is UM/UIM insurance?
  • Is my 1998 Ford Explorer covered for flood damage?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.

Auto insurance 101

Learning about specific coverages 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.

Liability auto insurance

This protects you from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property by causing an accident. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and property damage coverage for $100,000.

Liability coverage protects against things such as repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees, structural damage and bail bonds. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

UM/UIM Coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your Ford Explorer.

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

Auto collision coverage

Collision insurance pays for damage to your Explorer from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers claims like crashing into a ditch, damaging your car on a curb and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

This coverage pays for 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 things like fire damage, rock chips in glass, falling objects and vandalism. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Medical costs insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses like X-ray expenses, prosthetic devices, EMT expenses and dental work. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

In conclusion

When getting car insurance quotes online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced collision coverage only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate.

We just covered many ideas to shop for 1998 Ford Explorer insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable car insurance. You may even discover the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.

People switch companies for a number of reasons such as high rates after DUI convictions, policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and policy non-renewal. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new company can be easier than you think.

To read more, take a look at the following helpful articles: