Lower Your 2000 Ford Contour SVT Car Insurance Rates

Want lower insurance coverage rates for your Ford Contour SVT? Think you have overpriced insurance coverage? You’re in good company because there are many drivers thinking the same thing.

You have multiple auto insurance companies to pick from, and though it is a good thing to have multiple companies, having more insurance companies makes it harder to compare company pricing.

Consumers should take time to do price comparisons before your next renewal because rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you found the best premium rates on Contour SVT insurance a few years ago you can probably find a better price now. Block out anything you think you know about insurance coverage because you’re going to get a crash course in the things you must know in order to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

The purpose of this post is to tell you the most effective way to quote insurance and some tricks to saving. If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using these tips. Nevertheless, consumers must know the way companies price insurance differently because it can help you find the best coverage.

Lower the price of car insurance with these tips

Many different elements are considered when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, but some are more obscure such as your marital status or how financially stable you are.When buying car insurance it’s important to understand some of the elements that are used to determine the price you pay for car insurance. When consumers understand what influences your rates, this enables you to make decisions that may reward you with cheaper rates.

Listed below are most of the major factors used by companies to determine your rates.

  • Men are more aggressive – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women have at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but guys have costlier accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Young men ages 16 to 20 have the highest risk to insure so it costs more to insure them.
  • Cautious drivers pay less – Even one ticket can increase the cost of insurance by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers unfortunate enough to have multiple violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to complete a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Marriage pays dividends – Having a significant other can get you a discount compared to being single. Having a spouse may mean you are more responsible and statistics prove drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
  • Car and home together may be cheaper – Many insurance companies afford better rates for people that buy multiple policies, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even with this discount, it’s still a good idea to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still save even more than the discount by splitting coverages up.
  • Liability is cheap – The liability coverage on your policy kicks in if ever you are responsible for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can cost a lot. It is affordable coverage compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.

Low cost insurance quotes

There are a lot of ways you can shop for insurance and some are more efficient than others. You can spend your afternoon discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you could save time and use the web to get the quickest rates.

All the larger companies take part in a program that enables customers to send in one quote, and each company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for form submissions for each company. To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The one downside to doing it this way is that consumers can’t choose the insurers you want to price. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of companies who write insurance in your area. View list of insurance companies.

You can choose any of those ways to find more affodable coverage, but be sure to compare nearly identical quote information for each quote you get. If each company quotes differing limits it will be impossible to truly determine the lowest rate. Slightly different limits may result in a large different in cost. Just keep in mind that comparing more quotes increases the change that you will find more affordable insurance.

Find discounts on insurance

Some companies don’t always publicize all possible discounts very clearly, so the list below contains some of the more common and also the more inconspicuous savings tricks you should be using when you buy insurance coverage online. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you could be saving more on your insurance.

  • Responsible Drivers – Drivers without accidents may save up to 50% more on Contour SVT insurance than drivers with accident claims.
  • Discount for Passive Restraints – Factory air bags could see savings of 20 to 30 percent.
  • Accident Free – Drivers who stay claim-free are rewarded with significantly better rates on insurance coverage quote compared to policyholders that have many claims.
  • Anti-theft System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
  • Government Employee Discount – Employees or retirees of the government could provide a small rate reduction on Contour SVT insurance depending on your insurance provider.
  • Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
  • Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you may have a lower total premium amount.

Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way.

A list of insurance companies and their offered discounts are shown below.

  • Geico has discounts for membership and employees, multi-policy, daytime running lights, five-year accident-free, good student, and multi-vehicle.
  • SAFECO may offer discounts for safe driver, homeowner, accident prevention training, teen safety rewards, multi-car, bundle discounts, and anti-theft.
  • State Farm discounts include driver’s education, safe vehicle, good student, Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, defensive driving training, and accident-free.
  • MetLife offers discounts for multi-policy, good student, accident-free, good driver, defensive driver, and claim-free.
  • 21st Century offers premium reductions for air bags, homeowners, automatic seat belts, teen driver, early bird, and anti-lock brakes.
  • Progressive may have discounts that include continuous coverage, online quote discount, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and good student.

If you want cheap insurance coverage quotes, ask each company or agent how many discounts you can get. A few discounts may not apply in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of providers that offer discounts, click here.

Tailor your car insurance coverage to you

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

  • What is the minimum liability in my state?
  • Does coverage extend to Mexico or Canada?
  • What is roadside assistance coverage?
  • I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
  • What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
  • Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in my state?
  • Is pleasure use cheaper than using my 2000 Ford Contour SVT to commute?
  • What is no-fault insurance?

If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Insurance coverage considerations

Having a good grasp of insurance helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverage types offered by insurance companies.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Coverage for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses for chiropractic care, X-ray expenses and funeral costs. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance program 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 coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive coverages

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as hail damage, hitting a deer and vandalism. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Collision coverage protection

This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Contour SVT resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage pays for claims like hitting a parking meter, sustaining damage from a pot hole, scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Liability

Liability coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for claims like court costs, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, structural damage and medical expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

One last thing

As you prepare to switch companies, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate but still have enough coverage for asset protection.

More affordable auto insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents, and you should compare rates from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies do not provide online rate quotes and these smaller companies work with independent insurance agencies.

More tips and info about auto insurance is located in these articles: