Best Rate Quotes for Ford Explorer Insurance in Indianapolis

Really, the only way to get affordable Ford Explorer insurance in Indianapolis is to compare prices at least once a year from providers who sell auto insurance in Indiana.

1. Learn about how car insurance works and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price like high-risk driving behaviors and an unacceptable credit history can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
2. Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. View rates
3. Compare the new quotes to your current policy premium and determine if cheaper Explorer coverage is available in Indianapolis. If you find a better price and buy the policy, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
4. Notify your company or agent of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to the newly selected company. Make sure you store the proof of insurance certificate in your vehicle.

The most important part of shopping around is to try to use the same liability limits and deductibles on each price quote and and to get price estimates from every insurance company. This provides an accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.

It’s easy to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Drivers who get comparison quotes once a year will most likely move their business because of the good chance of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A recent survey revealed that people who compared rate quotes regularly saved on average $850 each year compared to people who never shopped around for cheaper prices.

If saving the most money on Ford Explorer insurance is your ultimate target, knowing the best way to compare insurance rates can help make the process easier.

When comparing insurance rates, know that comparing more quotes provides better odds of finding better pricing.

The companies in the list below can provide free rate quotes in Indiana. If several companies are displayed, we suggest you get price quotes from several of them to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.

Car insurance rates and discounts

Some insurers don’t necessarily list their entire list of discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of a few of the more well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Indianapolis auto insurance online.

• Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles could qualify for substantially lower premium rates.
• Accident Waiver – This one isn’t a discount, but a few companies such as Allstate, Progressive, and GEICO will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
• Memberships – Belonging to qualifying employment or professional organizations could qualify you for a break when getting a Indianapolis auto insurance quote.
• Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
• Multi-line Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get lower rates if you buy life insurance.
• Defensive Driver – Participating in a class that teaches defensive driver techniques could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
• Smart Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount well after school through age 25.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you can bundle your home and auto insurance and place coverage with the same company you may earn at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
• Safe Driver Discount – Insureds who avoid accidents can save up to 40% or more on their Indianapolis auto insurance quote compared to accident prone drivers.

As is typical with insurance, most discounts do not apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

The chart below visualizes the comparison of Ford Explorer auto insurance rates with and without discounts applied. The information is based on a male driver, no accidents or driving violations, Indiana state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-car, safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, and marriage discounts applied.

Popular car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are outlined below.

• Farm Bureau policyholders can earn discounts including multi-vehicle, renewal discount, 55 and retired, safe driver, youthful driver, driver training, and good student.
• Liberty Mutual offers discounts including exclusive group savings, multi-policy, new move discount, teen driver discount, and hybrid vehicle.
• State Farm may offer discounts for defensive driving training, multiple autos, good student, safe vehicle, passive restraint, and accident-free.
• Auto-Owners Insurance may have discounts that include anti-lock brakes, paperless, paid in full, air bags, student away at school, multi-policy, and safe vehicle.
• GEICO offers premium reductions for defensive driver, daytime running lights, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, five-year accident-free, and seat belt use.
• SAFECO discounts include homeowner, accident prevention training, drive less, bundle discounts, multi-car, anti-lock brakes, and teen safety rewards.

When comparing rates, check with every insurance company how you can save money. Some credits may not apply everywhere. To locate insurers that offer discounts in Indiana, click here to view.

Rate information and statistics

The coverage table displayed next covers estimates of coverage costs for Ford Explorer models. Understanding how policy rates are formulated can help you make smart choices when buying a car insurance policy.

Cost estimates assume single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Indiana minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in specific Indianapolis garaging location which can influence insurance rates significantly.

Deductible comparison

When shopping for insurance, a common question is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The rates shown below highlight the rate fluctuation when you buy lower versus higher physical damage coverage deductibles. The first rate comparisons uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second rate chart uses a $1,000 deductible.

Data rating is based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Indiana minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can revise premiums noticeably.

Based on these figures, using a $250 deductible costs roughly $19 more each month or $228 each year than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would pay $750 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to go more than 39 months between claims, you would probably be better off by going with a higher deductible.

The illustration below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can impact Ford Explorer insurance prices for each age group. The rate quotes are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Insurance premiums based on gender

The example below illustrates the difference between Ford Explorer insurance prices for male and female drivers. Data assumes no accidents or driving violations, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Should you buy full coverage?

The chart below compares Ford Explorer insurance premiums with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The premiums assume no accidents or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to stop paying for full coverage

There is no set rule for excluding physical damage insurance, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of comprehensive 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 pretend your Ford Explorer book value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, you would only receive $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $500 annually for physical damage coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are some conditions where dropping physical damage coverage is not advised. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.

Shop online but buy locally

Some people would prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and that can be a smart move A good thing about getting online price quotes is you may find lower car insurance rates and also buy local.

Once you complete this quick form, your coverage information is sent to companies in Indianapolis who will return price quotes to get your business. You won’t even need to find an agent on your own since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance provider, just go to their quote page and fill out their quote form.

Picking an insurance company is decision based upon more than just a low price. The following questions are important to ask.

• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• Does the company have a local claim office in Indianapolis?
• Do they offer accident forgiveness?
• Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Indiana?
• Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• When do they do a full risk review?

Below are Indianapolis insurance companies that are able to give comparison quotes for Ford Explorer insurance in Indianapolis.

More insurance agents

Why Your Insurance Prices might be higher

When buying car insurance it’s important to understand the factors that help determine car insurance rates. If you have a feel for what impacts premium levels, this enables informed choices that could help you find lower rates.

The list below includes just a few of the factors companies use to determine your premiums.

Low mileage costs less – Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Most companies calculate rates partially by how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting can be on a lower rate level than cars that get driven a lot. Double check that your policy correctly shows how each vehicle is driven. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Explorer is throwing money out the window.

You may save more by combining policies – Most larger insurers allow better rates to insureds that have more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even with this discount, you still need to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still find a better deal by buying from different companies

Occupation and insurance rates – Careers like real estate brokers, social workers, and financial analysts tend to pay higher rates than the rest of us because of high stress levels and lots of time spent away from family. On the flip side, jobs such as professors, historians and performers generally pay rates lower than average.

Liability coverage risk factors – Liability coverage is the protection in the event that you are responsible for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides legal defense starting from day one. Liability insurance is pretty cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.

Being married reduces risk – Being married actually saves money on your policy. Having a significant other means you’re less irresponsible and insurance companies like that being married results in fewer claims.

Rural vs Urban Areas – Having an address in a small town may provide you with better prices if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer drivers corresponds to lower accident rates. Residents of big cities tend to have more road rage incidents and longer commutes to work. Longer commute distances can result in more accidents.

High credit saves on car insurance – An insured’s credit history is a large factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Consumers who have excellent credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores. So if your credit can be improved, you could potentially save money when insuring your Ford Explorer by improving your credit score.

Loss probability for a Ford Explorer – Insurers include the past claim trends for vehicles to calculate a price that will offset any claims. Vehicles that the data determines to have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will cost more for coverage. The table below demonstrates the loss history for Ford Explorer vehicles.

For each insurance policy coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of make or model, is a value of 100. Values that are under 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while values over 100 point to more claims or tendency to have higher losses.

Best reasons to buy auto insurance in Indiana

Despite the high cost, auto insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.

First, just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability insurance coverage if you want to drive legally. In Indiana these limits are 25/50/10 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.

Second, if you have a loan on your car, it’s most likely the lender will stipulate that you have full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank may insure your Ford at a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them the higher price.

Third, insurance safeguards both your Ford and your assets. Insurance will pay for many types of medical costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers legal expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially when you need to use it. The average driver in Indiana is overpaying more than $820 a year so smart consumers compare quotes once a year at a minimum to make sure the price is not too high.

You can find cheap coverage

We just covered a lot of tips how to compare Ford Explorer insurance prices in Indianapolis. The key thing to remember is the more you quote Indianapolis auto insurance, the better chance you’ll have of finding the cheapest Ford Explorer rate quotes. Consumers may even find the best prices are with a small local company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as GEICO and State Farm.

Lower-priced insurance in Indianapolis can be found online in addition to many Indianapolis insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies may not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.

For more information, take a look at these articles:

• State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
• How Much are Indianapolis Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Mileage Drivers? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Indianapolis Car Insurance Quotes for College Graduates? (FAQ)
• Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
• Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)