It’s an obvious assumption that insurance companies don’t want you to look for cheaper rates. Drivers who shop around for cheaper rates will most likely move their business because of the good chance of finding lower rate quotes. A recent survey revealed that consumers who faithfully checked for cheaper rates saved about $72 a month as compared to drivers who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding the cheapest price on insurance in Dallas is your intention, then learning a little about the best way to shop and compare cheaper coverage can make it easier to shop your coverage around.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to quote cheaper Ford Freestyle insurance is to compare prices at least once a year from insurers in Dallas.
- Step 1: Try to learn about coverages and the things you can control to drop your rates. Many risk factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic citations and a substandard credit history can be eliminated by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. This article gives more details to help prevent expensive coverage and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Step 2: Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can give you price quotes from multiple companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you can save some money and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
The most important part of shopping around is to use similar coverage information on every price quote and to quote with as many car insurance companies as possible. This guarantees an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete price analysis.
Ford Freestyle Insurance Cost Factors
Lots of things are used in the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. A few of the factors are predictable like an MVR report, although others are less obvious such as your marital status and annual miles driven. A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the rating factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower premium levels.
The list below includes a few of the things used by companies to determine premiums.
- Gaps in coverage mean higher rates – Not having insurance is not a good idea and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance lapse. In addition to paying higher rates, getting caught without coverage could earn you a license revocation or jail time.
- High premiums for youthful drivers – More experienced drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims, and are generally more financially stable. Inexperience drivers are proven to be inattentive when driving so car insurance rates are higher.
- Multiple policies with one company can save – Lots of companies will award a discount to insureds that purchase more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you already get this discount, drivers will still want to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
- Save money with high credit – Having a good credit rating can be an important factor in your rate calculation. People that have excellent credit tend to file fewer claims than those with bad credit. If your credit is low, you could pay less to insure your Ford Freestyle if you improve your credit rating.
- Accidents are costly – Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers with clean records pay less for auto insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Having a single moving violation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have gotten flagrant citations such as DUI or reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to legally drive.
When quoting auto insurance, remember that making a lot of price comparisons will increase your chances of finding a lower rate than you’re paying now.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Texas. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit several of them to get the lowest price.
Buying the right Ford Freestyle insurance in Texas is an important decision
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Dallas, buying insurance is mandatory in Texas but it also protects more than you think.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability in order to drive the car. In Texas these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your vehicle has a lienholder, it’s most likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Ford at a more expensive rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance protects your Ford Freestyle and your assets. It will also cover most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit in the event you are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly when you have a large claim. An average driver in America is overpaying over $825 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.
Affordable Ford Freestyle insurance in Dallas
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but there may be some discounts that may help make it more affordable. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some must be manually applied prior to receiving the credit.
- Federal Government Employee – Having worked for a branch of the government can earn a discount up to 10% but check with your company.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being deployed in the military could mean lower prices.
- Life Insurance – Insurance companies who offer life insurance give a lower rate if you buy life insurance from them.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will qualify for a discount on a Dallas car insurance quote.
- Data Collection Discounts – Dallas drivers who agree to allow their insurance company to track driving patterns by installing a telematics device such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system might see lower rates if they are good drivers.
- Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles may enable drivers to earn substantially lower prices.
Please keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though you would think adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
A few of the larger companies and the discounts they provide are outlined below.
- GEICO has discounts for multi-vehicle, seat belt use, membership and employees, air bags, and defensive driver.
- USAA has savings for driver training, military installation, good student, vehicle storage, and multi-policy.
- Progressive may offer discounts for online signing, good student, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and online quote discount.
- American Family offers discounts including multi-vehicle, early bird, defensive driver, TimeAway discount, and good driver.
- Esurance offers premium reductions for good student, emergency road assistance, good driver, claim free, safety device, and Pac-12 alumni.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include electronic funds transfer, switch companies, multi-car, distant student, and homeowner.
- State Farm includes discounts for defensive driving training, student away at school, good driver, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and multiple policy.
If you need lower rates, check with each insurance company which credits you are entitled to. All car insurance discounts might not apply in your area.
When should I contact an agent?
Certain consumers would rather get advice from a local agent and that is a smart decision One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find lower premium rates and still have a local agent.
After filling out this short form, your insurance data is immediately sent to participating agents in Dallas who will give you bids and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to search for any insurance agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to you. It’s the lowest rates without requiring a lot of work. If for some reason you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, feel free to find their quoting web page and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right insurer shouldn’t rely on just the quoted price. Any agent in Dallas should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Texas?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- How long has the business existed?
- Is the quote a firm price?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
If you want to buy auto insurance from a local Dallas insurance agent, you should know the different types of agents and how they operate. Insurance agencies in Dallas can be categorized as either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Exclusive Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only quote rates from one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Dallas who may provide you with price quotes.
Jim Franco – State Farm Insurance Agent
3720 Walnut Hill Ln #203 – Dallas, TX 75229 – (214) 358-3246 – View Map
Ruth Shannon – State Farm Insurance Agent
18217 Midway Rd #134 – Dallas, TX 75287 – (972) 735-9797 – View Map
Kevin Davis – State Farm Insurance Agent
4801 Frankford Rd #100 – Dallas, TX 75287 – (972) 818-4223 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
These agents are appointed with more than one company and that gives them the ability to insure with multiple insurance companies and find you cheaper rates. If premiums increase, an independent agent can move your coverage and the insured can keep the same agent. If you are comparing auto insurance prices, you need to get some free quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.
Below are independent insurance agencies in Dallas that are able to give price quotes.
Laurence Cole Insurance Agency
6500 Greenville Ave #680 – Dallas, TX 75206 – (214) 823-2653 – View Map
Calema Insurance Agency
3021 Lombardy Ln #101 – Dallas, TX 75220 – (469) 341-7831 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: The Rod Hanks Agency Inc
6300 Samuell Blvd #05 – Dallas, TX 75228 – (214) 275-8372 – View Map
Quote more and you will save more
We just presented a lot of ways to get a better price on Ford Freestyle insurance in Dallas. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the best car insurance rates are with some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies may have significantly lower premium rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like GEICO and State Farm.
More affordable auto insurance in Dallas is definitely available online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not provide the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies sell through independent agencies.
Other information
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- What is the Best Auto Insurance in Dallas, TX? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Dallas Car Insurance Quotes for Business Use? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for a Ford Fusion in Dallas? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a 20 Year Old Male in Dallas? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for a Chevrolet Equinox in Dallas? (FAQ)
- If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)