Ford Flex Insurance Rate Quotes in San Jose

Unbelievably, the vast majority of consumers have bought car insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and just short of a majority have never even compared quotes to find cheaper rates. Consumers in San Jose could save as much as 35% every year, but they just assume it’s a time-consuming process to find cheaper insurance by shopping around.

If you want to save money, the best way to get cheaper car insurance rates in San Jose is to do a yearly price comparison from providers that insure vehicles in California.

First, learn about how insurance works and the measures you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that are responsible for high rates like high-risk driving behaviors and an unacceptable credit score can be improved by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Keep reading for more details to keep prices down and find discounts that may have been missed.

Second, compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for a wide range of companies.

Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates and see if there is a cheaper rate in San Jose. If you find better rates and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.

One tip to remember is that you’ll want to compare identical coverage information on every quote request and and to get prices from every company you can. Doing this guarantees the most accurate price comparison and the best price selection.

Rates and statistics

The rate information below covers a range of coverage costs for Ford Flex models. Understanding more about how auto insurance premiums are formulated can be of help when making decisions on the best policy to buy.

Prices based on single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can decrease or increase coverage prices noticeably.

Comparison of policy deductibles

One of the most common auto insurance questions is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The premium rates below can help you understand the rate differences between low and high physical damage coverage deductibles. The first rate table uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price chart uses a $500 deductible.

Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and safe-driver. Price information does not factor in San Jose location which can decrease or increase rates considerably.

We can derive from the above data that using a $100 deductible costs approximately $33 more each month or $396 a year than selecting the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $400 more if you turn in a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you normally go at a minimum 12 months between claim filings, you would more than likely save some money if you choose the higher deductible.

Accidents and violations increase rates

The chart below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents impact Ford Flex insurance costs for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, full coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Ford Flex full coverage rates compared to liability only

The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Ford Flex insurance rates with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The price estimates are based on no claims or driving violations, $100 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.

When to drop comprehensive and collision

There is no clear-cut formula of when to phase out physical damage coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Ford Flex settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $4,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $400 annually for physical damage coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.

There are some circumstances where eliminating full coverage is not financially feasible. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

How do Insurance Companies Determine Ford Flex Insurance Rates?

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that come into play when calculating your insurance rates. When consumers understand what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get cheaper rates.

Liability insurance is important – Liability coverage is the protection in the event that you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. This coverage is relatively inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.

Better credit means lower premiums – Having a bad credit score can be a huge factor in determining your rates. Consumers who have good credit tend to file fewer claims than drivers who have lower ratings. Therefore, if your credit is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your Ford Flex by improving your credit score.

Men pay more for auto insurance – Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. It does not mean males are worse at driving than females. Males and females get in fender benders in similar percentages, but males get into accidents with more damage. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.

The diagram below shows the difference between Ford Flex yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no violations or claims, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Mileage impacts costs – The more you drive each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most companies charge rates based upon how much you drive. Autos that do not get driven very much cost less to insure than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Flex can cost quite a bit. Verify your declarations sheet correctly shows the correct driver usage, because it can save money.

Getting married is a good thing – Your spouse actually saves money on insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more stable financially and statistics prove married couples file fewer claims.

Insurance rates and your vocation – Occupations such as military personnel, airline pilots, and emergency personnel generally pay higher premiums than the average policyholder attributed to intense work-related stress and lengthy work days. Conversely, careers such as scientists, athletes and retirees have the lowest average rates.

Small coverages can add up – Policies have additional extra coverages you can purchase on your insurance policy. Coverages like rental car coverage, death and dismemberment, and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may sound like good ideas when talking to your agent, but if you’ve never needed them in the past eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Prevent theft and save – Choosing to buy a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you some money. Anti-theft features like OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems help track and prevent auto theft and help lower rates.

Ford Flex claim probability – Insurance companies factor in insurance loss information when they file their rates in each state. Vehicles that are shown to have higher losses will have higher premium rates. The next table shows the insurance loss data for Ford Flex vehicles.

For each policy coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is equal to 100. Values below 100 represent a good loss history, while numbers that are greater than 100 point to more losses or an increased chance of a larger loss.

Lower rates by being persistent

As you quote San Jose car insurance, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped collision coverage only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.

You just read many ways to compare Ford Flex insurance premium rates in San Jose. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the best price on auto insurance is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower prices on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.

More resources

• Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• How Much is Auto Insurance for a Company Car in San Jose? (FAQ)
• How to Avoid Staged Accidents (State Farm)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Insuring a Leased Car (Insurance Information Institute)
• Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)