Save Money on Ford Flex Insurance in Sacramento

Trying to find the cheapest insurance for a Ford Flex in California could be an all-consuming task, but you can follow our insurance buying tips to find lower rates. There is a right way and a wrong way to compare insurance rates and you need to know the absolute fastest way to price shop coverage for your Ford and get the lowest price.

Smart consumers take time to quote other rates before your policy renews since insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you think you had the best deal on Ford Flex insurance in Sacramento six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate quote today. You can find a lot of information about Flex insurance on the web, but in this article, you’re going to get some proven techniques to reduce your insurance bill.

Find More Affordable Car Insurance with These Tips

One of the most helpful ways to save on car insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the elements that are used to determine the level of your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better car insurance rates. Multiple criteria are taken into consideration when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving record, although some other factors are not as apparent such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.

Low physical damage deductibles mean high premiums – Deductibles for physical damage state the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if a claim is determined to be covered. Insurance for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are rear-ending another vehicle, damage from fire, and damage caused by road hazards. The more damage repair cost you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.

Rental and towing coverage may not be needed – There are many extra add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you don’t pay attention. Add-on coverages like coverage for rental cars, towing, and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. They may sound like good ideas when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money think about removing them and cutting costs.

Youthful drivers pay higher premiums – More mature drivers are more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and are generally more financially stable. Teen drivers are proven to be more careless in a vehicle so car insurance rates are higher.

The chart below uses these assumptions: single driver, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

Rates may be higher where you live – Residing in smaller towns and rural areas of the country can be a good thing when shopping for auto insurance. Urban drivers regularly have more road rage incidents and more severe claims. Less people translates into fewer accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.

Get better rates if married – Having a spouse can actually save you money when buying car insurance. It usually means you are less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because married couples file fewer claims.

Get a ticket, pay higher prices – Having a clean driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Only having one driving citation can increase the cost of insurance by as much as twenty percent. Attentive drivers pay lower auto insurance prices as compared to careless drivers. Drivers with severe violations like reckless driving or DUI might be required by their state to prove financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to continue driving.

The illustration below shows how violations and accident claims can impact Ford Flex insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The information is based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.

Better premiums for continuous coverage – Driving with no insurance is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a fine, jail time, or a revoked license.

Ford Flex statistical loss data – Car insurance companies analyze the history of losses to determine a rate that will be profitable for them. Vehicles that are shown to have increased losses will have increased rates. The data below shows the insurance loss data for Ford Flex vehicles.

For each type of coverage, the claim probability for all vehicles averaged together is equal to 100. Percentage values below 100 suggest a positive loss record, while percentages above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or tendency to have larger claims.

The best way to compare rate quotes for Ford Flex insurance in Sacramento is to know the trick car insurance companies allow for online access to provide you with a free rate quote. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is provide a little information including driver ages, how much coverage you want, the type of vehicles you drive, and if you have a valid license. Your information is submitted instantly to insurance companies and you will receive price estimates within a short period of time.

If you would like to start a quote now, click here and see if a lower rate is available in Sacramento.

The companies shown below can provide comparison quotes in California. To get the best auto insurance in California, we recommend you get rates from several of them in order to find the most competitive rates.

Premium rates and analysis

The data table shown next outlines different insurance prices for Ford Flex models. Being aware of how rate quotes are formulated can assist in making decisions on the best policy to buy.

Data based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can change price quotes considerably.

Higher deductibles save money

When buying car insurance, a common question is which deductibles should you choose. The rates shown below approximate the cost difference when you select higher and lower coverage deductibles. The first rate table uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second set of rates uses a $500 deductible.

Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can impact prices considerably.

Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $100 deductible costs roughly $33 more each month or $396 annually than opting for 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 12 months between claim filings, you would probably save some money if you opt for a higher deductible.

One important note is that increasing deductibles to lower your rates results in more money out-of-pocket when you do file a claim. That will force you to have some money saved in the event you need to pay the deductible to have repairs made.

Men versus women drivers and insurance cost

The chart below compares Ford Flex yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The rates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.

Full coverage rates vs. liability-only in Sacramento

The chart below shows the difference between Ford Flex insurance premiums with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The premiums assume a clean driving record, no claims, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied.

When to stop buying physical damage coverage

There is no set rule to stop paying for comp and collision coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Ford Flex claim settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $6,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying in excess of $600 annually for physical damage coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.

There are some circumstances where dropping full coverage is not financially feasible. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should maintain full coverage.

Car insurance just makes sense

Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in Sacramento, insuring your vehicle may be required and benefits you in several ways.

• The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 have a loan on your vehicle, almost all lenders will stipulate that you have full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Ford for a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them the higher premium.
• Insurance protects not only your Ford Flex but also your financial assets. Insurance will also pay for medical bills for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage will also pay attorney fees if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of insuring your Flex outweigh the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver is wasting up to $830 a year so you should quote rates at every policy renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Some insurance providers don’t necessarily list the complete list of policy discounts very well, so the following list contains some of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that you can use to lower your rates.

• Professional Memberships – Having an affiliation with qualifying clubs or civic groups is a simple method to lower premiums on car insurance.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may get savings of 20 to 30 percent.
• Theft Deterrent Discount – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles have a lower chance of being stolen and that can save you a little bit as well.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles on your Ford can qualify you for slightly better car insurance rates than normal.
• Claim Free – Sacramento drivers who stay claim-free are rewarded with significantly better rates on Sacramento auto insurance quote when compared to policyholders that have many claims.
• Savings for New Vehicles – Buying insurance on a new vehicle can get you a discount because new vehicles keep occupants safer.
• Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
• Military Deployment Discount – Having a deployed family member can result in better premium rates.
• Home Ownership Discount – Owning a house in Sacramento may earn you a small savings since owning and maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.

You can save money using discounts, but some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will help lower the cost of your policy.

The illustration below shows the comparison of Ford Flex auto insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the premium. The rate quotes are based on a male driver, no claims or violations, California 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 multi-policy, marriage, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-car, and claim-free discounts applied.

If you would like to see a list of companies who offer cheap Ford Flex insurance quotes in Sacramento in California, click this link.

Local Sacramento auto insurance agents

Many people just prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that is OK! Experienced insurance agents can help you build your policy and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of comparing car insurance online is you can get cheap car insurance rates and still have a local agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Sacramento who will give you quotes for your business. You won’t need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. If you have a need to get a price quote from a specific company, you can always jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.

Deciding on a insurer shouldn’t rely on just the quoted price. A good agent in Sacramento will have answers to these questions.

• Are they actively involved in the community?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
• How are they compensated?
• What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
• How would your car be valued if totaled?
• Is working in the agency their full-time job?

Exclusive and independent Sacramento car insurance agents

If you prefer to buy car insurance from local Sacramento agents, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Sacramento are considered either exclusive agents or independent agents. Either one can sell car insurance policies, but it’s a good idea to understand why they differ since it may influence the selection process.

Exclusive Agencies

These agents are contracted to one company such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. These agents are trained well in insurance sales and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Some insured continue to choose to use a exclusive agent mainly due to the prominent brand name and strong financial ratings.

Shown below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Sacramento that can give you price quotes.

• Lori McCarter Curry – State Farm Insurance Agent
  451 Park Fair Dr #2 – Sacramento, CA 95864 – (916) 487-5151 – View Map
• Sig Lindley – State Farm Insurance Agent
  8110 Pocket Rd #201 – Sacramento, CA 95831 – (916) 428-7370 – View Map
• Barbara Etrick – State Farm Insurance Agent
  6332 Florin Rd – Sacramento, CA 95823 – (916) 822-5110 – View Map

More insurance agents

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they can switch companies in-house without you having to go to a different agency.

When comparing rate quotes, it’s a good idea to get insurance quotes from at a minimum one independent agency so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. They often place coverage with less well-known companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.

Shown below is a list of independent agents in Sacramento who can help you get rate quotes.

• Ice Insurance Agency
  813 F St – Sacramento, CA 95814 – (916) 387-6800 – View Map
• Foster and Parker Insurance Agency
  2020 Hurley Way – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (916) 481-0689 – View Map
• The United Brokers Insurance Agency Inc
  7750 College Town Dr #101 – Sacramento, CA 95826 – (877) 223-4437 – View Map

More insurance agents

After you get acceptable answers to any questions you may have and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that will service your policy. Keep in mind it’s your coverage and you can cancel a policy whenever you wish so never assume you are locked into a policy with no way out.

Sacramento car insurance companies ranked

Insuring your vehicle with the highest-rated insurer can be challenging considering how many choices there are in Sacramento. The company information below could help you select which auto insurance companies to look at to insure your vehicles.

Top 10 Sacramento Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction

1. Titan Insurance – 95%
2. USAA – 94%
3. AAA of Southern California – 92%
4. AAA Insurance – 91%
5. Nationwide – 90%
6. State Farm – 90%
7. The Hartford – 89%
8. GEICO – 89%
9. The General – 88%
10. 21st Century – 88%

Top 10 Sacramento Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service

1. AAA of Southern California
2. State Farm
3. Esurance
4. AAA Insurance
5. Progressive
6. Liberty Mutual
7. GEICO
8. Allstate
9. Titan Insurance
10. The Hartford

When in doubt talk to an agent

Always remember that when buying your policy for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique.

For instance, these questions could help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

• What are the best liability limits?
• Am I covered if I hit my neighbor’s mailbox?
• Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
• I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
• Does every company file a SR-22 automatically?
• Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

Auto insurance savings summarized

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the best cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.

Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, not issuing a premium refund, denial of a claim or even high prices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new auto insurance company is not as hard as you think.

There are still a few companies who may not offer price quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell coverage through local independent agencies. The cheapest Ford Flex insurance in Sacramento can be sourced on the web in addition to many Sacramento insurance agents, so you need to compare both to have the best selection.

Steps to finding more affordable Ford Flex insurance in Sacramento

The preferred way to find the cheapest price for Ford Flex insurance is to begin comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers in Sacramento.

Step 1: Take a few minutes and learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the changes you can make to lower rates. Many risk factors that drive up the price such as accidents, traffic violations, and an imperfect credit rating can be controlled by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.

Step 2: Compare rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can provide price quotes from multiple sources.

Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates and see if there is a cheaper rate. If you find a lower rate and change companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.

Step 4: Notify your company or agent of your intention to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a signed application and payment to your new carrier. Be sure to keep the new certificate of insurance along with the vehicle’s registration papers.

An important note is to try to use the same amount of coverage on each quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many different companies as possible. Doing this enables an accurate price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.

More information is available at the links below

• Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Credit Scores in Sacramento? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for a 20 Year Old Female in Sacramento? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for High Mileage Drivers in Sacramento? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Sacramento Auto Insurance for Seniors? (FAQ)
• What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)