Compare Ford Explorer Insurance Quotes in San Jose

It’s a known fact that car insurance companies don’t want you quoting rates from other companies. Drivers who shop around for cheaper prices will, in all likelihood, switch companies because there is a significant possibility of finding more affordable rates. A recent survey found that drivers who faithfully checked for cheaper rates saved on average $850 each year as compared to drivers who never compared prices.

If saving the most money on Ford Explorer insurance is the reason you’re reading this, learning how to get free comparison quotes and analyze insurance coverage can help make the process easier.

It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find the cheapest price for car insurance rates in San Jose is to start doing an annual price comparison from different companies who sell insurance in California.

First, learn about coverages and the measures you can control to drop your rates. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as getting speeding tickets and a negative credit history can be controlled by paying attention to minor details. Read the full article for tips to lower rates and find discounts that you may qualify for.

Second, request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can quote prices for a wide range of insurance providers.

Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage and determine if there is any savings. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.

Fourth, give notification to your agent or company to cancel your current policy. Submit a down payment and signed policy application to your new agent or company. Once received, place your new certificate of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.

The most important part of this process is to use identical limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get quotes from as many car insurance companies as possible. This provides an accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.

If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, use these cost-cutting techniques to find better prices without sacrificing coverage. Finding the cheapest auto insurance coverage in San Jose is not that difficult. Smart buyers just have to learn the tricks to compare prices online.

First Step: Get free Ford Explorer insurance quotes

The companies in the list below are our best choices to provide price quotes in California. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you visit several of them to get the best price comparison.

Coverage analysis

The rate information below showcases estimates of insurance rates for Ford Explorer models. Having a better understanding of how insurance premiums are established can help you make smart choices when buying a car insurance policy.

Table data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Price information does not factor in zip code location which can lower or raise insurance rates considerably.

Deductible analysis

When shopping for auto insurance, a common question is how low should you set your deductibles. The following tables may help to conceptualize the cost difference between low and high policy deductibles. The first table uses a $100 deductible and the second pricing table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate quotes do not factor in San Jose location which can impact rates significantly.

Based on this data, we can arrive at the conclusion that using a $100 deductible will cost you approximately $43 more each month or $516 for a full year than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $900 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average at least 21 months between claims, you would probably be better off going with the higher deductible. The table below shows how you can make this decision for your own policy.

An important sidenote is that raising deductibles means you will have to pay more of your own money if you have a claim. That will force you to have some funds available in the event you need to pay more for the deductible.

The information below demonstrates how deductible levels and can change Ford Explorer annual premium costs for different ages of insureds. The data is based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied.

Gender-based auto insurance premiums in San Jose

The diagram below compares Ford Explorer insurance costs for male and female drivers. The costs are based on no claims, a clean driving record, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.

Price comparison of only insuring for liability

The information below shows the difference between Ford Explorer premium costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The rate quotes are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $250 deductibles, single status, and no policy discounts are applied.

Should you pay for full coverage?

There is no definitive formula to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than about 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

For example, let’s assume your Ford Explorer book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, you would only receive $4,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying over $400 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.

There are some conditions where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not buy liability only.

Why Smart Buyers Pay Less for Ford Explorer Insurance

When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand a few of the rating criteria that go into determining your premiums. When you understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that can help you get lower premium levels. Lots of factors are part of the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable like a motor vehicle report, but other factors are more transparent such as your credit history or how safe your car is.

Shown below are some of the factors used by companies to determine rates.

Credit score impacts premium prices – Your credit history is likely to be a major factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit is low, you may save money insuring your Ford Explorer by repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than those with bad credit.

Car features that lower auto insurance rates – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.

Save money by raising deductibles – Insurance for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, is used to repair damage to your Ford. Examples of some claims that would be covered could be a dented fender, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are willing to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. The more of the claim you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.

Insurance companies don’t like frequent claims – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you shouldn’t be surprised to get either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance companies in California award the best rates to insureds that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your insurance policy is intended for larger claims.

Getting married pays dividends – Having a spouse may save some money when shopping for auto insurance. It translates into being more financially stable and it’s proven that being married results in fewer claims.

Your employer is a factor – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as doctors, architects, and stock brokers tend to pay higher rates than the rest of us due to high stress levels and long work hours. On the other hand, jobs such as professors, historians and retirees generally pay rates lower than average.

The type of vehicle makes a difference – The make and model of the car, truck or SUV you own makes a significant difference in your rates. Lower cost passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.

The next chart uses these variables: single female driver age 50, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It illustrates Ford Explorer rates compared to other models of vehicles that have a range of performance risks.

Liability insurance risk factors – The liability section of your policy is the protection if ever a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides you with a defense in court to defend your case. Liability insurance is pretty cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.

Insurance loss statistics a Ford Explorer – Companies analyze past claim statistics to help set a rate to offset losses. Models that the statistics show to have higher prevalence or dollar amount of losses will be charged more to insure.

The next table illustrates the loss history for Ford Explorer vehicles. For each policy coverage, the claim probability for all vehicles averaged together is a value of 100. Percentages below 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while percentages above 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or larger claims.

Car insurance does more than just protect your car

Despite the high cost, car insurance may not be optional for several reasons.

• The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require a minimum amount of liability in order to drive the car. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you took out a loan on your vehicle, almost all lenders will make it mandatory that you have physical damage coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank will be required to insure your Ford at a much higher premium rate and force you to reimburse them the higher price.
• Car insurance protects not only your Ford but also your assets. It will also reimburse you for most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you in the event you are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of buying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. The average driver in California is wasting up to $820 a year so compare rates at every renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.