How To Guide to Finding Auto Insurance for a Mercury Mountaineer

How To Guide to Finding Auto Insurance for a Mercury Mountaineer

Overpriced Mercury Mountaineer insurance can take a big chunk out of your savings account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is a smart way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. You have so many insurers to pick from, and although it’s nice to have a choice, too many choices makes it more difficult to locate the cheapest rates.

Lesser-known factors impacting Mercury Mountaineer insurance rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Your occupation can affect rates – Jobs such as real estate brokers, business owners and accountants tend to have higher rates than average attributed to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations like scientists, athletes and the unemployed receive lower rates for Mountaineer coverage.
  • Small claims can cost you – Companies give lower rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
  • Having a spouse can save you money – Getting married can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other means you’re more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment – Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your car from being stolen.
  • Big city or small town – Being located in a rural area is a positive aspect when talking about auto insurance. Lower population means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers who live in large cities have more traffic problems and longer commute times. More time commuting translates into higher accident risk.
  • Bundling policies can get discounts – Most insurance companies will give a discount to customers who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can add up to 10 percent or more. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s in your best interest to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal.
  • No coverage gaps is important – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a sure-fire way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
  • Liability coverage protects you – Liability coverage will protect you if you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.

How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance

Performing a rate comparison can be a lot of work if you don’t understand the fastest way to get free quotes. You can waste a few hours (or days) discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get rates in a matter of minutes.

Most major companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each participating company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This system prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.

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The one disadvantage to using this type of system is you cannot specify the companies to get pricing from. If you would rather choose individual companies to compare rates, we have a listing of low cost auto insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.

Which method you use is up to you, but be sure to compare apples-to-apples information for each comparison quote. If you have unequal deductibles or liability limits then you won’t be able to find the best deal for your Mercury Mountaineer.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Consumers can’t get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all make an identical promise that you’ll save big after switching your policy.

But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a preferred risk could possibly be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who are not a match for these standards must pay a higher premium and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s why companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This illustrates why you absolutely need to compare many company’s rates. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Don’t miss these discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.

  • Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
  • Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
  • Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education in school.
  • Senior Discount – Older drivers can possibly qualify for better auto insurance rates for Mountaineer coverage.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
  • Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
  • Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
  • Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.

It’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will help reduce the cost of coverage.

Mercury Mountaineer insurance rates

For a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts, click this link.

In the end, you save

Cost effective Mercury Mountaineer insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

In this article, we presented some good ideas how to get a better price on Mercury Mountaineer insurance. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. They often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.