How to Save on Raleigh Ford Flex Insurance

A recent study showed that a large majority of consumers renewed their policy with the same company for four years or more, and virtually 40% of consumers have never even compared rates from other companies. Raleigh consumers could save almost 10% each year, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to shop their coverage around.

If saving the most money is your goal, then the best way to find affordable Ford Flex insurance is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from companies that sell auto insurance in Raleigh. Rates can be compared by following these guidelines.

1. Try to comprehend how your policy works and the changes you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic tickets, fender benders, and poor credit can be controlled by paying attention to minor details. Continue reading for additional tips to help reduce prices and find additional discounts.
2. Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies. Start a quote
3. Compare the new rates to your existing rates to see if cheaper Flex coverage is available in Raleigh. If you can save money, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
4. Provide notification to your current company to cancel your current policy and submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application for your new policy. As soon as you have the new policy, place your new proof of insurance paperwork in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.

One piece of advice is to compare similar deductibles and liability limits on each price quote and and to get rates from every company you can. Doing this helps ensure a level playing field and the best rate selection.

Just remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate.

The companies in the list below are ready to provide price comparisons in Raleigh, NC. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get a more complete price comparison.

These discounts can lower Ford Flex insurance rates

Insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but you can get discounts that can help lower your rates. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be specially asked for in order for you to get them. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, you are paying more than you should be.

• Active Military Service – Being on active duty in the military can result in better premium rates.
• Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less compared to accident prone drivers.
• Full Payment Discount – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Select larger companies give a discount for signing up prior to your current Flex insurance policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
• Defensive Driver – Taking a course in safe driver could cut 5% off your bill and make you a better driver.
• Distant Student Discount – College-age children who attend college more than 100 miles from Raleigh and leave their car at home may qualify for this discount.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS braking systems or traction control have fewer accidents and will save you 10% or more on Flex insurance in Raleigh.

As is typical with insurance, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, it’s just not the way it works. Any amount of discount will help lower the cost of coverage.

The information below illustrates the difference between Ford Flex insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The data assumes a female driver, no claims or driving violations, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, 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, claim-free, multi-car, marriage, and homeowner discounts applied.

Large insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be read below.

• 21st Century may offer discounts for air bags, 55 and older, automatic seat belts, good student, and teen driver.
• State Farm includes discounts for passive restraint, anti-theft, student away at school, good student, and safe vehicle.
• AAA offers discounts including multi-policy, good student, anti-theft, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.
• Liberty Mutual has discounts for new move discount, multi-policy, new graduate, teen driver discount, new vehicle discount, multi-car, and newly retired.
• Progressive may have discounts that include online quote discount, online signing, multi-policy, good student, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, and homeowner.

When getting a coverage quote, ask each company how many discounts you can get. Some credits might not be offered in Raleigh. If you would like to view providers who offer discounts in North Carolina, click this link.

Rate information and statistics

The table below highlights detailed analysis of coverage prices for Ford Flex models. Being aware of how insurance policy rates are calculated can aid in making informed coverage decisions.

Prices above based on single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and safe-driver. Rates do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can raise or lower premiums substantially.

Physical damage deductibles: Should you raise them?

When buying car insurance, a common question is how high should your deductibles be. The rates below sum up the rate differences when you buy lower versus higher coverage deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rates do not factor in garaging location in Raleigh which can influence coverage rates considerably.

Based on the figures above, using a $250 deductible costs about $11 more each month or $132 a year across all Ford Flex models than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more to settle a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you go at least 23 months between claims, you would probably be better off if you choose the higher deductible.

One important issue to know is that increasing deductibles to lower your rates means you will have to pay more of your own money if you have a claim. That will require enough disposable savings in the event you have to pay the deductible to have repairs made.

How to find a good North Carolina auto insurance company

Ending up with the highest-rated insurance provider is difficult considering how many companies provide coverage in North Carolina. The ranking data below could help you select which auto insurers you want to consider purchasing a policy from.

Top 10 Raleigh Car Insurance Companies Overall

1. Travelers
2. USAA
3. Mercury Insurance
4. AAA Insurance
5. Nationwide
6. Allstate
7. State Farm
8. The Hartford
9. Safeco Insurance
10. Progressive

Four Tips to Get Cheaper Raleigh Insurance Premiums

Lots of factors are used in the calculation when you get a price on insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, but other factors are not quite as obvious such as whether you are married or your vehicle rating.

The factors shown below are a few of the “ingredients” utilized by car insurance companies to help set your prices.

• Good drivers pay better prices – Your driving citation history impacts premiums far more than you think. Getting just one chargeable violation may cause rates to rise by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. People who have severe violations such as reckless driving or DUI are required to prove financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to legally drive a vehicle.

  The diagram below shows how speeding tickets and at-fault claims can influence Ford Flex insurance premiums for each different age category. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

• Cheaper rates after marriage – Having a spouse helps lower the price on your policy. It may mean you are more stable financially and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
• Alarm systems save money – Owning a car with advanced anti-theft systems can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft and help bring rates down.

• Drive a fast vehicle and pay more – The make and model of the car you need to insure makes a significant difference in your car insurance bill. The lowest base rates will generally be found on lower cost passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.

  The following data assumes a married female driver age 30, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It compares Ford Flex policy rates compared to other vehicles that have a range of performance risks.

• Insurance loss data for a Ford Flex – Companies study historical loss data to help determine the rate you pay. Models that the data shows to have higher claim frequency or loss amount will have a higher cost to insure.

  The next table illustrates the actual insurance loss data for Ford Flex vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is a value of 100. Values that are below 100 represent a good loss history, while values that are above 100 show a trend for more claims or an increased chance of larger losses than average.

  
  

  Insurance Loss Ratings for Ford Flex Vehicles

  Vehicle Make and Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Ford Flex 4dr 2WD	89	84	107	91	100	87
  Ford Flex 4dr 4WD	105	84	119	77	79	75

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years