Cheap Insurance for a Ford Explorer in Austin

How long has it been since you compared more competitive Ford Explorer insurance in Austin? Nobody enjoys paying for auto insurance, particularly when they could find lower prices if they just compared rates.

Regrettably, a large majority of consumers kept their policy with the same company for a minimum of four years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never taken the time to shop around. The average driver in Austin can save $1,766 each year by just comparing quotes, but they don’t know the large savings they would see if they bought a different policy.

You have multiple insurers to pick from, and even though it’s nice to be able to choose, having more insurers makes it harder to compare rates and cut insurance costs.

Consumers should take time to price shop coverage once or twice a year because rates change quite often. Even if you think you had the best rate on Ford Explorer insurance in Austin at your last renewal there is a good chance you can find better prices now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you the fastest way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

Cheap Austin auto insurance rates with discounts

Auto insurance can be pricey, but there may be some discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but occasionally some discounts must be asked about before being credited.

• Theft Prevention Discount – Cars and trucks equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
• Sign Online – Some of the larger companies will give a small break for buying your policy over the internet.
• Life Insurance Discount – Larger insurance carriers have better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
• Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment may qualify for a discount when you quote Austin car insurance but check with your company.
• Seat Belt Discounts – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the PIP or medical payment premium.

You can save money using discounts, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce your policy premium.

The best auto insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are outlined below.

• State Farm may offer discounts for accident-free, passive restraint, student away at school, safe vehicle, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, and multiple autos.
• GEICO offers premium reductions for membership and employees, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, emergency military deployment, and anti-theft.
• SAFECO discounts include anti-theft, teen safe driver, drive less, anti-lock brakes, safe driver, and accident prevention training.
• Farmers Insurance includes discounts for distant student, alternative fuel, teen driver, business and professional, electronic funds transfer, mature driver, and pay in full.
• AAA may include discounts for good student, pay-in-full, anti-theft, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.
• USAA has savings for driver training, multi-policy, military installation, loyalty savings, and annual mileage.

If you need low cost Austin car insurance quotes, ask all the companies to apply every possible discount. A few discounts might not be offered on policies in Austin. If you would like to choose from a list of insurance companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in Texas, click here to view.

The best way we recommend to compare insurance rates in your area is to understand almost all companies participate in a system to give you rate quotes. All you need to do is give them rating details such as if you are currently licensed, what you do for a living, any included safety features, and your education level. That rating data is instantly submitted to all major companies and you will receive price estimates with very little delay.

To get price quotes for your car now, click here and complete the quick form.

The providers in the list below provide free rate quotes in Texas. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you get prices from several of them to get the best price comparison.

Data based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, and safe-driver. Price information does not factor in specific location information which can alter prices greatly.

Physical damage deductible comparison

The hardest decision when buying coverage is how low should you set your deductibles. The tables below can help you visualize the differences in price between low and high policy deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $250 deductible for comp and collision and the second rate chart uses a $500 deductible.

Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and safe-driver. Estimates do not factor in your specific Austin location which can affect rates greatly.

Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $250 deductible will cost you roughly $15 more each month or $180 every year than quoting the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $250 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally average at a minimum 17 months between claim filings, you would more than likely save some money going with the higher deductible.

Auto insurance premiums based on gender

The information below shows the comparison of Ford Explorer insurance costs for male and female drivers. The price estimates are based on no violations or accidents, full coverage, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage

The information below illustrates the difference between Ford Explorer insurance costs with full coverage and liability only. Data assumes no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, married female driver, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to stop buying physical damage coverage

There is no specific rule to exclude physical damage insurance, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost of full coverage is 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Ford Explorer book value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $2,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying in excess of $200 a year for physical damage coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.

There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not remove full coverage.

Everyone needs different insurance coverages

When it comes to coverage online or from an agent, there really isn’t a “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are unique to you so this has to be addressed.
These are some specific questions may help highlight whether or not you may require specific advice.

• How do I buy GAP insurance?
• Am I covered if I hit someone who is not insured?
• Are rock-chip repairs free?
• What are the financial responsibility laws in my state?
• Should I have a commercial auto policy?
• What is UM/UIM insurance?
• How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
• Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Independent versus exclusive insurance agencies

Many drivers prefer to talk to a local agent and we recommend doing that The best thing about price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get cheap auto insurance rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important particularly in Austin.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the quote information gets sent to local insurance agents in Austin that give free quotes for your coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. Get lower rates AND an agent nearby. If you need to get a price quote for a specific company, you can always find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.

When searching for a local insurance agency, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents and how they can quote your rates. Agents are classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents are not restricted to one company so as a result can place your coverage through lots of different companies and get the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, your policy is moved internally and you don’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rate quotes, you should always check rates from a few independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison.

Listed below is a short list of independent agencies in Austin that may be able to provide free rate quotes.

More Austin agents

Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents

Agents in the exclusive channel work for only one company such as Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are trained well on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price.

Below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Austin that can give you rate quotes.

More Austin agents

Choosing the best car insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the price. These are some questions your agent should answer.

• What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
• Are they actively involved in the community?
• What company do they have the most business with?
• What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Does the company use OEM repair parts?
• Will they make sure you get an adequate claim settlement?
• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?

Insurance coverages 101

Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on most insurance policies.

Auto liability insurance

Liability insurance will cover damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 30/60/25 which means a $30,000 limit per person for injuries, $60,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability can pay for things like medical services, court costs and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Texas state law requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/25 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

This pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as falling objects, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, fire damage and hail damage. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Medical costs insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses like nursing services, surgery, funeral costs, chiropractic care and pain medications. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision coverage protection

This will pay to fix damage to your Explorer resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against claims like hitting a parking meter, backing into a parked car and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible on your Explorer in order to get cheaper collision rates.

UM/UIM Coverage

This provides protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (Texas limits are 30/60/25), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Normally the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liability limits.

One last thing about your coverage

We just presented a lot of tips how to get a better price on Ford Explorer insurance in Austin. The key thing to remember is the more you quote Austin car insurance, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest premium rates are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.

Budget-conscious Ford Explorer insurance can be bought online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some companies may not offer online quoting and most of the time these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent agencies.

Helpful resources

• Pickups fall short in headlight tests (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota RAV4 in Austin? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Low Credit Scores in Austin? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota Highlander in Austin? (FAQ)
• How Much are Austin Auto Insurance Rates for Real Estate Agents? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for Veterans in Austin? (FAQ)
• Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
• How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)