Do you get exhausted from not being able to scrape enough together to keep your car insured? You’re in the same situation as most other vehicle owners.
Companies like Allstate and Progressive continually hit you with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to see past the corporate glitz and do the work needed to find the best deal.
Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but you might find some hidden discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but once in a while a discount must be asked for before you get the savings.
Don’t be surprised that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, nobody gets a free ride. Any amount of discount will positively reduce the amount you pay for coverage.
If you would like to choose from a list of auto insurance companies who offer online auto insurance quotes, click here to view.
When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Learning about specific coverages of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Comprehensive coverages – This will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a deer, hail damage, fire damage, falling objects and rock chips in glass. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Coverage for medical payments – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for bills for things like surgery, prosthetic devices, pain medications, dental work and doctor visits. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Ford Escape.
Since a lot of 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 important protection for you and your family. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays for damage to your Escape resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for things such as scraping a guard rail, hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
Coverage for liability – Liability coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property by causing an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have liability limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers things such as structural damage, medical expenses and medical services. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible.
Budget-conscious 2009 Ford Escape insurance is attainable both online and with local insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide internet price quotes and these regional carriers prefer to sell through local independent agents.
As you quote auto insurance, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
More detailed insurance coverage information can be read in the articles below: