Affordable Insurance for a Ford Expedition in Jacksonville

Sad but true, most auto insurance policyholders have been with the same company for four years or more, and nearly half have never compared rates from other carriers. With the average premium in Florida being $2,158, drivers could cut their rates by nearly 55% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don’t know the actual amount they would save if they bought a different policy.

If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get low-cost auto insurance rates is to do an annual price comparison from different companies who can sell car insurance in Jacksonville. Price quotes can be compared by following these steps.

First, spend a few minutes and learn about how auto insurance works and the factors you can control to keep rates low. Many factors that result in higher prices like tickets, at-fault accidents, and a less-than-favorable credit score can be remedied by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Continue reading for instructions to find cheap prices and get additional discounts.

Second, request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple companies.

Third, compare the quotes to your existing rates to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

Fourth, provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new agent or company. Immediately upon receiving it, place the new certificate of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.

The key thing to remember is to try to use similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to get rates from as many different insurance providers as possible. This enables an accurate price comparison and a thorough price selection.

This information will help educate you on how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. If you currently have auto insurance, you will be able to get lower rates using the concepts covered in this article. Shoppers only have to learn the tricks to get comparison quotes instantly.

Insurance analysis for a Ford Expedition

The information displayed next highlights different insurance coverage prices for Ford Expedition models. Being more informed about how insurance policy premiums are formulated can help customers make smart choices when comparing insurance rates.

Price data assumes married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in specific zip code location which can decrease or increase rates considerably.

Rate comparison for different deductibles

The hardest decision when buying coverage is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The following tables sum up the premium difference when you select higher and lower deductibles. The first pricing table uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second set of rates uses a $500 deductible.

Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in your specific Jacksonville location which can lower or raise premiums noticeably.

Based on these figures, using a $250 deductible costs approximately $18 more each month or $216 a year than quoting the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally go at a minimum 14 months between claims, you would most likely save money by selecting a higher deductible.

Ford Expedition full coverage rates compared to liability only

The information below compares Ford Expedition premium costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in Florida. The premiums assume no accidents or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to stop buying physical damage coverage

There is no set guideline of when to eliminate physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Ford Expedition claim settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $2,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $200 a year for full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not a good idea. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not remove full coverage.

Decisions You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Prices

The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at a few of the rating criteria that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

• Drive fewer miles and save – The more miles you rack up on your Ford each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most insurance companies calculate rates partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos that have low annual miles cost less to insure compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy reflects the correct driver usage. Improper usage on your Expedition may be costing you higher rates.
• How much liability insurance do you need? – The liability section of your policy provides coverage in the event that you are ruled to be at fault for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. It provides legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. It is affordable coverage compared to other policy coverages, so do not cut corners here.
• High credit scores equal low costs – Having a bad credit history can be a huge factor in calculating your premium rate. If your credit rating could use some work, you could be paying less to insure your Ford Expedition by improving your rating. People that have high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with poor credit scores.

• Gals tend to be lower risk – Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. The data does not necessarily mean that males are worse at driving than females. Women and men have fender benders at about the same rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving.

  The information below illustrates the difference between Ford Expedition auto insurance costs for male and female drivers. Data assumes no violations or claims, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

• Low stress employer equals lower prices – Occupations like lawyers, airline pilots, and medical professionals generally pay the highest rates attributed to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent away from family. On the flip side, jobs like farmers, athletes and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.

• Loss probability for a Ford Expedition – Companies use data from past claims to calculate a price that will offset losses. Models that tend to have a higher amount or frequency of claims will cost more for coverage. The next table illustrates the historical loss data for Ford Expedition vehicles.

  For each policy coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles averaged together is a value of 100. Percentage numbers below 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while values that are above 100 indicate frequent claims or an increased chance of a larger loss.

  
  

  Auto Insurance Loss Data for Ford Expedition Models

  Make and Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Ford Expedition 4dr 2WD	67	88	82	55	45	70
  Ford Expedition 4dr 4WD	70	98	90	54	62	56
  Ford Expedition EL 4dr 2WD	74	104	97	52
  Ford Expedition EL 4dr 4WD	88	96	110	63	60	96

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
  Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years

Shop smart and save

More affordable auto insurance in Jacksonville can be sourced online and from local agencies, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer internet price quotes and these small insurance companies work with independent insurance agents.

When buying insurance coverage, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best possible price, but do not skimp to save money.

More detailed auto insurance information can be read in these articles:

• Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
• How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for Immigrants in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for a GMC Sierra in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Jacksonville Car Insurance for College Graduates? (FAQ)
• How to shop for a safer car (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)
• How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)
• What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)