How to Get the Absolute Cheapest Rates When Buying Insurance for a Ford Contour

Having to pay for overpriced Ford Contour insurance can empty your personal savings and put a big crunch on your finances. Shopping your coverage around is free and is an excellent way to lower your monthly bill. Popular companies such as GEICO, Farmers Insurance and State Farm promote their brand names with advertising and consumers find it hard to see past the geckos and flying pigs and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

You need to get comparison quotes before your policy renews because rates change regularly. Even if you think you had the best price on Contour insurance six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. You can find a lot of wrong information about auto insurance online, so with this article, you’re going to get a lot of great tips on how to stop overpaying for insurance.

If you are insured now or are looking for a new policy, you can use this information to cut your premiums while maintaining coverages. Choosing the best insurance company for you is quite easy. Vehicle owners just need to understand the proper methods to get comparison quotes online.

Parts of the Ford Contour rate equation

It’s important that you understand the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get big savings.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine your rates.

• The type of vehicle makes a difference – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a big difference in the rate you pay. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger models, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors. Since the Ford Contour is a passenger car, rates will be similar in price or lower when compared to the average rates.
• Poor credit can mean higher rates – A driver’s credit rating is a large factor in your rate calculation. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores. If your credit can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your Ford Contour by improving your rating.
• Your location affects your rates – Being located in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate.
• Bundling policies can get discounts – Some auto insurance companies provide better rates to insureds who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money. Drivers may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Auto insurance companies don’t list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you are throwing money away.

• 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a discount up to 10% on Contour insurance.
• Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class in school.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off on Contour insurance with certain companies.
• Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
• Organization Discounts – Belonging to certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates on your policy on Contour insurance.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.

To see a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts, click here.

Neighborhood insurance agents

Certain consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! Insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and give you peace of mind. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find better rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will compete for your insurance coverage. You never need to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address. How cool is that?!

Picking an insurance company requires more thought than just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
• Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Will your rates increase after a single accident?
• How long has their agency been in business?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?

Choose the right insurance agency

When searching for a local agent, there are two types of agencies that you can select. Agencies can either be independent or captive. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning how they differ since it can impact your agent selection.

Captive Agents

Captive insurance agents can only write with one company and examples are Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. Captive agencies are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, it’s recommended you contact multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.

To view a complete directory of auto insurance agents, click here.

Once you have received answers to your satisfaction and a good coverage price, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.

Is there deception in advertising?

Consumers can’t get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. They all have a common claim that you can save if you switch to their company.

How do they all make almost identical claims?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a preferred risk could be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be charged higher premiums and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That’s the way companies can truthfully make those claims. That is why drivers should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

Keep this in mind

In this article, we presented many tips how you can shop for Ford Contour insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest premiums are with a smaller regional carrier. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate or State Farm.

As you prepare to switch companies, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

The cheapest Ford Contour insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide online quoting and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.