Locating the cheapest insurance for your Ford Explorer in Texas can normally be an all-consuming task, but you can learn our car insurance buying tips and make it easy. There are both good and bad ways to compare car insurance rates so you’re going to learn the proper way to price shop coverage for your Ford and find the lowest price either online or from Houston insurance agents.
It’s important to take a look at other company’s rates before your policy renews because prices change quite often. Even if you think you had the best price for Explorer insurance a year ago there may be better deals available now. You can find a lot of information about car insurance on the web, but I’m going to show you the best ways to quit paying high car insurance rates.
Buy Ford Explorer Insurance Cheaper
Multiple criteria are part of the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving history, but other factors are less obvious such as whether you are married or how financially stable you are.
- Low stress occupation equals lower prices – Jobs such as judges, executives and accountants have higher rates than the rest of us due to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Other jobs like actors, historians and performers generally pay rates lower than average for Explorer insurance.
- Prevent theft and save – Owning a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Systems that thwart theives like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent car theft.
- Minor frequent insurance claims are not good – Companies in Texas generally give the lowest premiums to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
- Don’t let your policy lapse – Driving with no insurance can get you a ticket and any future policy may cost more because you let your insurance lapse for non-payment. In addition to paying higher premiums, the inability to provide proof of insurance can result in a license revocation or jail time.
- Drive a safer car and pay less – Cars with high safety ratings cost less to insure. Safe vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and reduced instances of injuries translates directly to fewer claims and thus lower rates.
Car insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Some companies don’t always advertise every discount they offer very well, so the below list has a few of the more common as well as the least known credits available to bring down your rates.
- Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a course that instructs on driving safety could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more for Explorer insurance than drivers with accidents.
- Telematics Devices – Policyholders that allow driving data collection to analyze driving patterns by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may get a rate reduction if their driving habits are good.
- College Student Discount – Older children who live away from home to go to college and do not have access to a covered vehicle could qualify for this discount.
- New Car Discount – Buying a new car model is cheaper because new model year vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, it’s just not the way it works.
A partial list of companies that possibly offer most of these discounts may include but are not limited to:
Before purchasing a policy, check with every prospective company which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policies in your state. To choose providers with the best car insurance discounts in Houston, follow this link.
Drivers who switch save $472 a year? Really?
Well-known car insurance companies like Allstate and Progressive endlessly run television, radio, and online ads. They all advertise claims that drivers will save a bundle if you just switch your policy. It sounds good, but how can they all sell you cheaper insurance coverage? Here is how they do it.
Insurance providers have an ideal profile for a prospective insured that earns them the most money. One example of a profitable risk profile might be a married female, has no driving citations, and drives newer vehicles. Any person that fits those parameters will get low premium rates and will most likely pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Insureds who do not meet the requirements must pay a more expensive rate which leads to the customer not buying. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “drivers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that much. This is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, you really need to get a wide range of price quotes. Because without a comparison, you cannot know the company that will provide the lowest auto insurance rates.
Insurance agents can help
When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different.
For example, these questions might point out whether you may require specific advice.
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my Ford Explorer is totaled?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- Who is covered by my policy?
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
More tips and info about car insurance can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Consumers can get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, discover disciplinary actions, and read industry bulletins.
Other related articles:
- Find the Secrets to Saving Money on Houston Texas Auto Insurance
- Car Insurance in Houston Texas 5 Tricks to Lower Rates
- Proven Ways for Comparing Cheaper Houston Car Insurance
Persistent drivers can save
Cheaper car insurance can be found on the web in addition to local insurance agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not have online quoting and these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
People switch companies for any number of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, not issuing a premium refund, poor customer service and delays in paying claims. No matter why you want to switch, finding a great new company can be pretty painless.
When buying insurance coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped physical damage coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.