Best Insurance for a Ford Flex in Oakland

Regrettably, about 70% of customers have been with the same company for over three years, and just under half have never quoted insurance rates at all. California consumers could save roughly 35% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they assume it’s a waste of time to compare other rate quotes.

It takes a little time, but the best way to get low-cost auto insurance rates in Oakland is to do a yearly price comparison from insurance carriers in California. You can compare rates by completing these steps.

First, take a little time to learn about how insurance works and the things you can control to keep rates low. Many risk factors that result in higher prices such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and an imperfect credit score can be remedied by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover additional ideas to prevent high rates and find additional discounts.

Second, request price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agents can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers. Get quotes now

Third, compare the quotes to the price on your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you can save some money and decide to switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

Fourth, notify your company or agent of your intent to cancel your existing policy. Submit the signed application along with the required initial payment to your new carrier. Immediately upon receiving it, place the new proof of insurance certificate in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.

An important part of this process is to make sure you’re comparing identical coverage information on each quote request and and to get prices from as many different insurance providers as possible. This guarantees a fair rate comparison and a better comparison of the market.

If you already have coverage or just want cheaper coverage, you can use these tips to save money without sacrificing coverage. Finding the cheapest coverage in Oakland is not rocket science. Consumers only need an understanding of the best way to compare insurance rates online.

The fastest way that we advise to compare car insurance company rates for Ford Flex insurance in Oakland is to know the fact car insurance companies will pay a fee to provide you with a free rate quote. To get started, all you need to do is provide details such as whether you are married, the ages of drivers, which vehicles you own, and how many miles driven. Your rating data is automatically sent to many of the top insurers and you should receive rate quotes immediately.

To compare rates for your Ford Flex now, click here and find out if lower rates are available in Oakland.

The companies shown below can provide free quotes in California. In order to find the cheapest car insurance in Oakland, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them to get the most competitive price.

Rates and detailed analysis

The rate table shown below outlines detailed analysis of insurance prices for Ford Flex models. Having a better understanding of how rate quotes are determined can be useful when making smart choices when purchasing an auto insurance policy.

Data based on married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Rate quotes do not factor in vehicle location which can influence insurance rates substantially.

Higher deductibles save money

One of the most common car insurance questions is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The data tables below can help you visualize the price difference when you buy lower versus higher policy deductibles. The first data set uses a $250 physical damage deductible and the second set of prices 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 safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in specific zip code location which can influence premium rates noticeably.

Based on these figures, using a $250 deductible would cost the average driver about $19 more each month or $228 for a full year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Because you would pay $250 more if you turn in a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have at least 13 months between claims, you would more than likely save some money going with the higher deductible.

One important caveat is that raising deductibles to get cheaper rates means you pay more out-of-pocket if you have a claim. You must have some funds available in the event you have to pay more for the deductible.

The diagram below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can affect Ford Flex insurance costs for each age group. Data assumes a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.

Driving violations and accidents

The diagram below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault collisions can affect Ford Flex auto insurance rates for different categories of driver ages. The data assumes a married male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Ford Flex insurance costs by age and gender

The diagram below illustrates the difference between Ford Flex insurance prices for male and female drivers. The rate quotes are based on no claims or violations, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Three main reasons to buy insurance

Despite the potentially high cost of Ford Flex insurance, maintaining insurance serves a purpose in several ways.

• Just about all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability insurance coverage in order to license the vehicle. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a loan on your Ford Flex, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Ford at an extremely high rate and make you pay the higher premium.
• Insurance preserves both your Ford Flex and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for medical transport and hospital expenses that are the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you have damage to your Ford as the result of the weather or an accident, your insurance policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. But the average American driver overpays as much as $830 a year so shop around at every renewal to save money.

Car insurance policy specifics

Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages found on most car insurance policies.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as hitting a bird, a broken windshield, theft and fire damage. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This coverage provides protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 15/30/5), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Usually the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Liability coverages – This can cover damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see values of 15/30/5 which stand for $15,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage pays for things like medical services, pain and suffering, loss of income, structural damage and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but you should buy higher limits if possible. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should consider buying higher limits.

The next chart demonstrates why buying low liability limits may not be enough.

Insurance for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for bills for things like prosthetic devices, dental work, nursing services, chiropractic care and doctor visits. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and may carry a deductible

Collision – This coverage pays for damage to your Flex resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for things like driving through your garage door, sideswiping another vehicle, rolling your car, hitting a parking meter and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible on your Flex to get cheaper collision coverage.