Lower Your 2004 Mercury Mountaineer Insurance Quotes

I can’t think of anyone who likes buying auto insurance, especially knowing the prices are way too high. Companies like State Farm, Geico and Farmers Insurance increase brand awareness with advertising and consumers find it hard to ignore the flashy ads and find the best price available.

It’s a good idea to compare premium rates occasionally because auto insurance prices change regularly. Even if you think you had the lowest rates for Mountaineer coverage a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower premium rate today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the quickest way to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Compare free insurance coverage price quotes

Lowering your 2004 Mercury Mountaineer insurance coverage rates isn’t really that difficult. All that’s required is to take a couple of minutes to get quotes to find out which insurance company has the cheapest car insurance quotes. Price comparisons can be done in a couple of different ways.

  1. The fastest way to find the lowest comparison rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This style of form prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company. A single form gets coverage cost estimates from multiple companies.
  2. A slightly less efficient method to find lower rates requires you to visit each company website and fill out a new quote form. For example, let’s assume you are doing a rate comparison from Geico, 21st Century and American Family. You would need to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, which can get old fast.

    For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.

It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you’re using the same coverage data for each price quote. If you have different liability limits it’s impossible to decipher which rate is best.

Car insurance companies offer many types of discounts

Companies do not list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the more common and the harder-to-find credits that may apply to you.

  • Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Insureds without accidents can save up to 40% or more on their car insurance quote for Mountaineer coverage than their less cautious counterparts.
  • Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model can save you some money since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
  • Homeowners Savings – Owning a house can help you save on car insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof of financial responsibility.
  • Good Grades Discount – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount up to age 25.
  • Full Payment Discount – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
  • Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can stop better under adverse conditions and will save you 10% or more.

As a sidenote, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, nobody gets a free ride. But all discounts will positively reduce the cost of coverage.

Large car insurance companies and the discounts they provide can be found below.

  • State Farm offers discounts including student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, safe vehicle, driver’s education, good student, and good driver.
  • Farmers Insurance has savings for good student, alternative fuel, pay in full, switch companies, multi-car, and mature driver.
  • Progressive has discounts for online signing, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and good student.
  • Geico policyholders can earn discounts including anti-theft, federal employee, air bags, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, and daytime running lights.
  • Auto-Owners Insurance offers premium reductions for safe driver, paid in full, student away at school, safe vehicle, good student, mature driver, and multi-policy.
  • The Hartford offers discounts for defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, bundle, driver training, and good student.
  • Farm Bureau may include discounts for driver training, multi-policy, renewal discount, 55 and retired, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, and safe driver.
  • USAA discounts include defensive driver, multi-policy, safe driver, multi-vehicle, and good student.

When getting a coverage quote, ask all the companies which discounts you may be entitled to. Discounts may not apply to policyholders everywhere.

How insurers calculate Mercury Mountaineer insurance premiums

Lots of things are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable like an MVR report, but others are less obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are.

  • Where you live is a factor – Residing in a small town has definite advantages when shopping for auto insurance. Fewer drivers on the road translates into fewer accidents. City drivers regularly have much more traffic and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances means more chances of being involved in an auto accident.
  • Mileage impacts costs – The more you drive annually the more it will cost to insure it. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Autos that have low annual miles receive better premium rates than cars that get driven a lot. An incorrectly rated Mountaineer can cost quite a bit. Double check that your vehicle rating states the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
  • Do you really need to file that policy claims? – Car insurance companies generally give lower rates to people who are claim-free. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for claims that pose a financial burden.
  • Always keep your car insurance in place – Driving without insurance coverage in place is against the law and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance coverage expire. In addition to paying higher rates, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you fines and jail time. You will then be forced to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with your state motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
  • Add-on coverages that may not be needed – Policies have extra add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your 2004 Mountaineer policy. Coverages like coverage for rental cars, towing coverage, and extra equipment coverage are probably not needed. They may sound like good ideas when buying your policy, but now you might not need them so think about removing them and cutting costs.
  • Vehicle features can affect rates – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all help stop auto theft and help lower rates.
  • Low deductibles can be expensive – Insurance for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, hail damage, and damage from a fallen tree branch. The deductibles are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be for Mountaineer coverage.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.

  • Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
  • Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
  • Is motorclub coverage worth it?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?
  • Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Consumers can’t escape the ads that promise big savings for switching by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the companies advertise claims about saving some big amount after switching your policy.

Is it even possible that every company can have lower policy pricing? Here is how they do it.

Insurance providers give the best rates for the type of customer they prefer to insure. One example of a preferred risk might have to be a married male, has a clean driving record, and drives a safe vehicle. Any driver who meets those qualifications will get a cheap rate quote and is almost guaranteed to save a lot if they switch.

People who fall outside these stringent criteria will have to pay higher prices which leads to business not being written. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save the amount stated. That’s why insurance companies can state the savings. This emphasizes why you should get car insurance quotes as often as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will be your best fit.

Detailed coverages of your auto insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the usual coverages available from auto insurance companies.

Collision coverage protection

Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Mountaineer from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as colliding with another moving vehicle, rolling your car and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like vandalism, hail damage, rock chips in glass, hitting a bird and a broken windshield. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Medical expense insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for bills for pain medications, X-ray expenses, prosthetic devices, funeral costs and nursing services. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Mercury Mountaineer.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Liability car insurance

Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 50/100/50 which means a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability insurance covers things such as medical expenses, loss of income, funeral expenses, legal defense fees and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible.

Pennies from heaven

When searching for cheap car insurance quotes, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many cases, an insured dropped full coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost while still protecting your assets.

We’ve covered a lot of information how to save on 2004 Mercury Mountaineer insurance. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of getting inexpensive car insurance. Consumers may even find the lowest rates are with a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies often have lower car insurance rates on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.

Some companies don’t offer online rate quotes and many times these smaller providers provide coverage only through local independent agencies. Cheaper 2004 Mercury Mountaineer insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.

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