No normal person looks forward to buying auto insurance, especially when they could find better rates elsewhere. Online insurance companies like Progressive, GEICO and Farmers Insurance continually hit you with advertising and it is difficult to see through the deception and take the time to shop coverage around.
Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can be a lot of work if you don’t understand the easiest way. You could waste time talking about coverages with agents in Dallas, or you can utilize the web to get prices fast.
Many companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to complete one form, and each participating company then gives them pricing. This system prevents you from having to do quotation requests to each company.
To participate in this free quote system, click to open in new window.
The only drawback to using this type of form is you can’t choose which companies to get quotes from. If you would rather choose individual companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of auto insurance companies in Texas. Click to view list.
However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use the exact same information for every company. If you compare different values for each quote it will be impossible to make a fair comparison for your Ford Explorer in Dallas.
Five discounts to earn lower Dallas auto insurance rates
Car insurance can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts that you may not even know about. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but a few must be inquired about prior to getting the savings.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one is not really a discount per se, but a handful of insurance companies may permit one accident before they charge you more for coverage if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles on your Ford could qualify for slightly better rates than normal.
- Anti-theft System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen with less frequency and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Memberships – Joining a civic or occupational organization in Dallas is a good way to get lower rates when getting a .
- Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may reduce rates when you on Explorer coverage with a few auto insurance companies.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. If you do the math and it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.
If you would like to view companies who offer free auto insurance quotes in Dallas, follow this link.
When to get advice from an agent
Many people would prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and that is just fine! Insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing auto insurance online is the fact that you can find cheap rate quotes and also buy local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, the quote information is submitted to agents in your area that provide and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no reason to search for an agent since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. If for some reason you want to compare prices for a specific company, you would need to search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Finding a good provider needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Before buying a policy, get answers to these questions.
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
- How long have they been in business?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- Is there a local claims center in Dallas?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
To make it easy to view a list of agents in Dallas to contact, here is a list of Dallas Texas insurance agents.
What is the best auto insurance coverage?
When buying proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions may help highlight if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- What happens if I owe more than my Ford Explorer is worth?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Do I need higher deductibles?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Is there deception in advertising?
Texas consumers can’t get away from all the ads that promise big savings by companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. They all seem to make the point that people will save if you just switch your policy.
That’s great but how can every company cost less than your current company?
Insurance providers have specific criteria for the type of customer that will add to their bottom line. For instance, this type of driver may be between the ages of 30 and 50, has a clean driving record, and insures a new vehicle. A customer that meets those criteria may get the lowest premium rates in Dallas and have a good chance to save when they switch companies.
Insureds who don’t meet these stringent criteria will be charged more expensive rates and this can result in the customer not purchasing. The ad wording is “drivers that switch” not “all people who quote” save that much when switching. That is how companies can make claims that they all have the best premium rates. Because each company has a different risk profile, you really should compare price quotes frequently. Because you cannot predict which company will provide the lowest car insurance rates.
Auto insurance coverage basics
Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance aids in choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are the normal coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Liability coverages
This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability can pay for claims like pain and suffering, loss of income and medical services. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as much as you can afford. Texas state law requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/25,000 but you should consider buying more coverage.
Comprehensive auto coverage
This coverage 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 coverage pays for claims like hitting a deer, falling objects, fire damage and hail damage. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many Texas drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (30/60/25 in Texas), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Explorer caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for things like hitting a parking meter, damaging your car on a curb and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses like chiropractic care, nursing services, X-ray expenses and surgery. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Final considerations
We just presented a lot of information how to get a better price on Ford Explorer insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest prices come from the smaller companies. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the lowest possible cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Even more information is located at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can report car insurance fraud, read industry bulletins, find out industry alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.
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