Save Money on Ford Explorer Sport Trac Insurance in Greensboro

The preferred way to get affordable Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance in Greensboro is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurance carriers that sell auto insurance in North Carolina.

1. Get an understanding of auto insurance and the steps you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that result in higher prices like traffic violations and bad credit can be eliminated by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover information to lower rates and find additional discounts you may qualify for.
2. Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers.
3. Compare the new rates to your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you can save money and buy the policy, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
4. Notify your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment and a completed application for the new policy. Once received, put the new proof of insurance paperwork in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.

A good tip to remember is to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get quotes from as many different insurance providers as possible. This ensures a fair price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.

It’s an obvious conclusion that auto insurance companies don’t want you quoting rates from other companies. People who shop around for the cheapest price are highly likely to buy a different policy because they have a good chance of finding a more affordable policy. A recent survey revealed that consumers who regularly compared price quotes saved as much as $865 annually as compared to drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.

If finding the cheapest price for auto insurance in Greensboro is why you’re reading this, then learning about how to shop and compare insurance coverage can make the process more efficient.

If you have coverage now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce premiums using these techniques. These tips will familiarize you with how auto insurance companies operate and also pocket some savings Nevertheless, North Carolina vehicle owners must know the way companies set your policy premium and use it to your advantage.

Check for these six discounts on Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance in Greensboro

Car insurance is not inexpensive, but you may be missing some discounts to reduce the price significantly. Most are applied when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you deserve, you are not getting the best rate possible.

• Low Mileage Discounts – Maintaining low annual mileage could earn slightly better prices than normal.
• Driver Safety – Completing a defensive driver course can save you 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.
• Waiver for an Accident – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a few companies such as Progressive, Allstate, and GEICO will let one accident slide before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a certain period of time.
• Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could qualify you for better car insurance rates.
• Early Switch Discount – Select car insurance companies give a discount for switching policies early. You could save around 10% when you buy Greensboro car insurance online.
• College Student – Any of your kids who are attending college and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.

While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Ford Explorer Sport Trac car insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The premiums assume a female driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, marriage, claim-free, and multi-car discounts applied.

A few of the larger companies and their possible discounts can be read below.

• State Farm may have discounts that include Steer Clear safe driver discount, anti-theft, student away at school, passive restraint, driver’s education, good student, and defensive driving training.
• Progressive has discounts for good student, homeowner, continuous coverage, online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, and multi-policy.
• Travelers may offer discounts for payment discounts, save driver, IntelliDrive, hybrid/electric vehicle, continuous insurance, good student, and home ownership.
• American Family offers premium reductions for good student, good driver, early bird, Steer into Savings, air bags, and TimeAway discount.
• Liberty Mutual has savings for newly married, new graduate, safety features, new move discount, good student, preferred payment discount, and teen driver discount.

When comparing rates, check with every prospective company which discounts they offer. Some discounts listed above may not be offered everywhere. To see insurers with the best discounts in Greensboro, click this link.

When shopping for Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance in Greensboro there are multiple ways to compare prices from insurance companies in your area. The best method to find affordable Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies helps improve the odds of finding a lower rate. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide price estimates online, so it’s important to compare price estimates on coverage from those companies, too.

The providers in the list below provide price comparisons in Greensboro, NC. If your goal is to find the best car insurance in NC, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Car insurance statistics for a Ford Explorer Sport Trac

The premium information displayed below outlines a range of insurance premium costs for Ford Explorer Sport Trac models. Having a better idea how insurance prices are figured can aid in making smart choices when comparing insurance rates.

Data rating is based on married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can impact auto insurance rates greatly.

How high should deductibles be?

One of the more difficult decisions when buying car insurance is how high should your deductibles be. The rates shown below may aid in understanding the difference in cost when you buy lower versus higher deductibles. The first rate comparisons uses a $100 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second price grid uses a $500 deductible.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, and safe-driver. Rate quotes do not factor in your specific Greensboro location which can modify prices considerably.

Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible would cost the average driver about $17 more each month or $204 every year than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $400 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at least 24 months between claims, you would probably be better off if you choose the higher deductible. The illustration below shows the way you can do this calculation yourself.

An important sidenote is that raising deductibles to save money means you pay more out-of-pocket if you have a claim. It will be required that you have enough money put aside in the event you have to pay the deductible.

How violations and accidents impact rates

The diagram below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault accidents increase Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance rates for different age groups of insureds. The data is based on a married male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.

Ford Explorer Sport Trac liability-only versus full coverage

The diagram below shows the difference between Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance prices with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in North Carolina. The prices are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to drop comprehensive and collision

There is no set guideline for phasing out physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of having full coverage is 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

For example, let’s say your Ford Explorer Sport Trac settlement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would receive is $8,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying over $800 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

There are some situations where dropping full coverage is not advised. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to keep full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not buy liability only.

When to get professional advice

Always keep in mind that when comparing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really isn’t a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

For example, these questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• What if an uninsured driver hits me?
• How much coverage applies to personal belongings?
• Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
• I have a DUI can I still get coverage?
• Do I need higher collision deductibles?
• How do I buy GAP insurance?
• Is water damage covered by my policy?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form.

Insurance agencies near you

Certain consumers would rather have an agent’s advice and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of comparing auto insurance online is that drivers can save money and get cheap auto insurance quotes and still choose a local agent. And providing support for neighborhood insurance agencies is especially important in Greensboro.

For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your insurance data is emailed to agents in your area who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to you. You’ll get the best rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. In the event you want to compare rates from a particular provider, just go to their quote page and complete a quote there.

Choose the right car insurance agent

When searching for a reliable agent, it helps to know the two types of insurance agents to choose from. Auto insurance policy providers are either exclusive or independent.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Agents that elect to be independent are not employed by any specific company and that gives them the ability to insure with an assortment of companies and find you the best rates. If you want to switch companies, your policy is moved internally and the insured can keep the same agent.

When comparison shopping, you will want to compare prices from a few independent agents in order to compare the most rates. Most also write with companies that do not advertise much who may have lower rates.

Listed below are Greensboro independent agencies that may be able to provide rate quotes.

• Hix Insurance Center
  924 E Bessemer Ave – Greensboro, NC 27405 – (336) 272-7168 – View Map
• Piedmont Triad Insurance, Inc.
  7 Battleground Ct Ste. 224 – Greensboro, NC 27408 – (336) 282-5555 – View Map
• Gladwell Insurance Agency
  5709 W Friendly Ave – Greensboro, NC 27410 – (336) 299-5185 – View Map

More insurance agents

Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents

Exclusive agencies can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive insurance agents are highly trained on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers frequently buy from the same agent for years partially due to the brand name and solid financial strength.

Shown below are exclusive agencies in Greensboro that can give you price quotes.

• Jim Young – State Farm Insurance Agent
  1308 Wendover Ave E – Greensboro, NC 27405 – (336) 379-1040 – View Map
• Allstate Insurance: John L. Palmer
  445 Dolley Madison Rd a – Greensboro, NC 27410 – (336) 852-8800 – View Map
• Drew Baker – State Farm Insurance Agent
  608 Pisgah Church Rd – Greensboro, NC 27455 – (336) 288-8802 – View Map

More insurance agents

Picking an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. You should also get answers to these questions.

• Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
• Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
• Can you get a list of referrals?
• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
• Are there any discounts for paying up front?
• Does the company use OEM repair parts?
• Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?

Car insurance in North Carolina serves several purposes

Despite the high cost, buying car insurance is mandatory in North Carolina but it also protects more than you think.

• Just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires specific minimum amounts of liability insurance in order to drive the car legally. In North Carolina these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a lien on your vehicle, it’s guaranteed your bank will require that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may buy a policy for your Ford at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
• Insurance protects both your car and your assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay to defend you if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.

The benefits of having car insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially with large liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is currently overpaying as much as $869 every year so compare rate quotes each time the policy renews to make sure the price is not too high.

Car insurance policy coverages for a Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Ford Explorer Sport Trac.

Since many North Carolina drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (30/60/25 in North Carolina), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Frequently these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Comprehensive protection

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as vandalism, theft and fire damage. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for immediate expenses such as rehabilitation expenses, prosthetic devices and chiropractic care. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible

Auto liability insurance

Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show values of 30/60/25 that translate to $30,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $60,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for claims such as legal defense fees, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects, bail bonds and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. North Carolina requires drivers to carry at least 30/60/25 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.

The illustration below demonstrates why low liability limits may not be enough.

Collision coverage protection

This coverage pays for damage to your Explorer Sport Trac caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage pays for things such as hitting a mailbox, backing into a parked car, damaging your car on a curb and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible on your Explorer Sport Trac to bring the cost down.

Persistence is the key to affordable rates

A few companies do not provide rates over the internet and usually these small insurance companies sell through local independent agents. Budget-friendly auto insurance in Greensboro can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Greensboro agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection.

In this article, we presented many tips how you can get a better price on Ford Explorer Sport Trac insurance in Greensboro. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest car insurance rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

Consumers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, delays in paying claims, poor customer service or policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new company can be pretty painless.

More learning opportunities

• Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)
• How Much is Auto Insurance for a Ford Escape in Greensboro? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Greensboro Car Insurance for Drivers Over Age 60? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for a Toyota Highlander in Greensboro? (FAQ)
• Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)
• Five Tips to Save on Auto Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
• Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)