Affordable Insurance for a Ford Taurus in Fresno

If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to get low-cost car insurance rates in Fresno is to compare quotes once a year from insurance carriers in California. Rate comparisons can be done by following these guidelines.

Step 1: Try to learn a little about how car insurance works and the modifications you can make to keep rates low. Many risk factors that result in higher prices like accidents, traffic tickets, and an imperfect credit rating can be controlled by paying attention to minor details. Keep reading for tips to find cheap rates and get bigger discounts.

Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple insurance companies.

Step 3: Compare the quotes to your existing policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find better rates, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.

Step 4: Notify your current company of your intent to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit the signed application along with the required initial payment to the newly selected company. As soon as coverage is bound, safely store the proof of insurance paperwork in your vehicle.

The most important part of shopping around is to compare similar coverage information on each price quote and to quote with as many companies as feasibly possible. This enables an accurate price comparison and the best price selection.

A recent study showed that over 70% of drivers kept their policy with the same company for at least four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. Many drivers in California can save about 35% each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t want to spend time to compare rate quotes online.

Car insurance providers offering competitive rate quotes in California

The following companies have been selected to offer comparison quotes in California. To find the cheapest car insurance in Fresno, CA, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the lowest price.

Insurance rate breakdown

The table displayed below highlights detailed analysis of policy rates for Ford Taurus models. Having knowledge of how insurance policy rates are calculated can assist in making informed purchases.

Data based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Prices do not factor in specific garaging location which can raise or lower coverage rates significantly.

Comparison of policy deductibles

One of the most common auto insurance questions is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The following tables determine the premium difference when you choose different policy deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in specific location information which can influence premium rates substantially.

Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $250 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $20 more each month or $240 annually averaged for all Taurus models than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average more than 13 months between claim filings, you would more than likely save some money going with the higher deductible.

The example below highlights how deductible selection and can raise or lower Ford Taurus insurance costs for different age groups. The premiums assume a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.

Drive safe and save

The illustration below shows how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents can increase Ford Taurus annual premium costs for different age categories. The premiums assume a single female driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Male drivers versus female drivers

The chart below shows the difference between Ford Taurus insurance prices for male and female drivers. The premium estimates are based on no violations or claims, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.

Comparison of full coverage and liability-only policies

The diagram below compares Ford Taurus auto insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premiums assume a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Should you pay for full coverage?

There is no exact rule that is best for determining when to drop full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Ford Taurus replacement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $6,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying over $600 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are a few situations where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have 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 event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.

Learn How to Quote Auto Insurance Cheaper

One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of the factors that help calculate the rates you pay for auto insurance. When consumers understand what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make good choices that could help you find lower premium levels. Lots of things are part of the equation when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, although some other factors are more obscure like your vehicle usage or your vehicle rating.

• Cars with good safety ratings lower premiums – Safe vehicles tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means your insurance company pays less and cheaper rates on your policy.
• Prevent theft and lower prices – Choosing to buy a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all help prevent car theft.
• Eliminate extra policy coverages – There are quite a few add-on coverages that can add up if you aren’t careful. Insurance for things like rental car reimbursement, high-cost glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships may be wasting your money. They may sound like good ideas at first, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so remove them and pocket the money.

• Auto insurance rates and age – Drivers with little experience are statistically proven to get distracted easily in a vehicle therefore auto insurance rates are much higher. Older people are shown to be more cautious, are lower risk to insure, and usually have better credit.

  The next chart uses these variables: single driver, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

• File claims and pay more – If you tend to file frequent claims, you should expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in California award better rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for more catastrophic claims.
• Liability limits should be high – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you if ever you are ruled to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides for a legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.

• High performance equals high costs – The make and model of the car you need insurance for makes a big difference in your premium level. The lowest premiums are usually found on economy passenger models, but your final cost has many other factors.

  The data below assumes a single male driver age 50, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It illustrates Ford Taurus insurance rates compared to other models of vehicles that have a range of risk factors.

• Insurance rates in urban areas – Choosing to live in areas with lower population is a good thing when buying auto insurance. Fewer drivers corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to fewer liability claims. Drivers who live in large California cities tend to have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. More time commuting means higher likelihood of an accident.

• Insurance loss data for Ford Taurus vehicles – Companies use data from past claims to help determine rates. Vehicles that statistically have a trend towards higher claims will have higher premium rates. The data below shows the insurance loss data used by companies for Ford Taurus vehicles.

  For each coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles averaged together equals 100. Values that are under 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while values over 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or statistically larger losses.

  
  

  Ford Taurus Insurance Claim Statistics

  Specific Ford Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Ford Taurus 2WD	109	88	134	115	115	101
  Ford Taurus 4WD	120	78	141	124
  Ford Taurus SHO 4WD	143	96	185	84	103

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
  Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years

These discounts can lower Ford Taurus insurance rates

Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list the entire discount list very well, so the list below contains both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Fresno car insurance online.

• One Accident Forgiven – This one is not really a discount per se, but a few companies such as Allstate and GEICO will turn a blind eye to one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear prior to being involved in the accident.
• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill and easily pay for the cost of the class.
• No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents get the best car insurance rates in comparison to accident-prone drivers.
• Payment Method – By making one initial payment instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
• Active Service Discounts – Having a deployed family member may lower your car insurance rates slightly.

Don’t be shocked that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, nobody gets a free ride.

The diagram below illustrates the difference between Ford Taurus insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The costs are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-car, homeowner, marriage, and claim-free discounts applied.

Large car insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts can be found below.

• State Farm includes discounts for good driver, multiple policy, driver’s education, safe vehicle, anti-theft, and multiple autos.
• GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including good student, five-year accident-free, multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, and driver training.
• SAFECO may offer discounts for homeowner, accident prevention training, teen safe driver, multi-car, anti-theft, drive less, and safe driver.
• Farmers Insurance has discounts for electronic funds transfer, multi-car, pay in full, youthful driver, bundle discounts, and early shopping.
• AAA offers discounts including good driver, AAA membership discount, anti-theft, multi-car, good student, and education and occupation.
• USAA may include discounts for loyalty savings, multi-policy, good student, annual mileage, and safe driver.

If you are trying to find affordable Fresno car insurance quotes, ask every company which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policyholders in your area. If you would like to view insurance companies with discount rates in Fresno, click here.

Local Fresno insurance agencies

A lot of people would prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a smart move Most agents can help you build your policy and help you file claims. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is that drivers can save money and get cheap auto insurance rates and still have an agent to talk to.

By using this quick form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to agents in your area that provide free Fresno car insurance quotes to get your business. There is no need to drive around since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. If you wish to get a price quote from a specific company, feel free to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.

Picking the best insurer should include more criteria than just a low price. You should also get answers to these questions.

• Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
• Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
• Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
• Will the agent help in case of a claim?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?

When looking for a good Fresno insurance agent, it helps to know the two types of insurance agents that you can choose from. Agents in Fresno may be either independent or exclusive. Either type can handle auto insurance, but it is important to understand how they are different because it can impact which type of agent you select.

Exclusive Agencies

Agents in the exclusive channel can only write with one company such as American Family, State Farm, and AAA. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agents are trained well on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.

Shown below are Fresno exclusive agents who may provide you with comparison quotes.

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Independent Auto Insurance Agencies

Agents that choose to be independent do not work for one specific company so they can quote policies with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a lower price, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to do anything.

If you are trying to find cheaper rates, it’s a good idea to get some free quotes from a few independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.

Below is a short list of independent agencies in Fresno that can give you price quote information.

View more agents

Upon getting good answers to any questions you have as well as a price you’re happy with, you may have just found a car insurance agent that is reliable enough to adequately provide auto insurance.

Insurance agents can help

When buying coverage online or from an agent, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Your situation is unique.

For example, these questions might help in determining if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
• Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
• Is my trailer covered?
• How can I force my company to pay a claim?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• Does coverage follow the driver or the vehicle?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.

You can lower your insurance rates

Some companies may not provide rate quotes online and these small insurance companies sell through independent agents. Lower-priced Ford Taurus insurance in Fresno is possible both online in addition to many Fresno insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of tips how to lower your Ford Taurus insurance rates in Fresno. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the best price on insurance is with an unexpected company.

When searching for low cost Fresno car insurance quotes, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost and still be able to protect your assets.

For more information, link through to the following helpful articles:

• Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has Cheap Fresno Auto Insurance Rates for a Honda CR-V? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 50 in Fresno? (FAQ)
• Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)
• Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)