Cheap 1997 Ford Thunderbird Insurance Rates

Drivers have many options when trying to find the best price on Ford Thunderbird insurance. You can either waste hours driving around to compare prices or utilize the internet to find the lowest rates.

There are both good and bad ways to buy auto insurance and you need to know the absolute fastest way to compare rates for your Ford and obtain the cheapest rates either online or from local insurance agents.

It is always a good idea to price shop coverage on a regular basis since rates are variable and change quite frequently. Just because you found the best rates on Thunderbird insurance six months ago you may be paying too much now. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because we’re going to show you how to quote online to lower your annual insurance bill.

The best way we recommend to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to know the trick auto insurance companies allow for online access to give rate comparisons. To start a quote, the only thing you need to do is give the companies some data like whether or not you need a SR-22, if you have a valid license, if you lease or own, and your education level. Your insurance information gets transmitted to many highly-rated insurers and you receive quotes very quickly.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but less common discounts must be asked for before you get the savings. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break on car insurance on Thunderbird insurance.
Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.
Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
Passive Restraints – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

Companies that may have some of the above discounts include:

Check with each company how you can save money. All car insurance discounts might not be offered in your area.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When it comes to choosing coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s needs are different.

Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.

How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
Am I covered when driving a rental car?
Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
When can I cancel my policy?
Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.

Factors that can influence Ford Thunderbird insurance rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that play a part in calculating insurance coverage rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get big savings.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces insurance coverage companies consider when setting your rates.

Traffic citations inflate rates – Even a single moving violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
An active claims history can cost you – Car insurance companies give lower rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Ford has ratings of a minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website it is probably cheaper to insure.
Lower rates come with age – Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers. Youthful drivers are statistically proven to get distracted easily in a vehicle therefore insurance coverage rates are much higher.
Policy add-ons can waste money – There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying on your Thunderbird policy. Coverages like roadside assistance, accidental death and membership fees are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.

Car insurance coverages for a 1997 Ford Thunderbird

Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Auto insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Collision – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as damaging your car on a curb, colliding with another moving vehicle and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for bills such as hospital visits, rehabilitation expenses, prosthetic devices and doctor visits. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers you and your occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Ford Thunderbird.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Usually the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Liability car insurance – Liability insurance will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property that is your fault. It protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as legal defense fees, emergency aid, bail bonds and funeral expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but consider buying as large an amount as possible.

Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like fire damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a bird and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Coverage on a shoestring budget

When you buy insurance online, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced full coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Budget-conscious 1997 Ford Thunderbird insurance is possible on the web in addition to many insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Consumers leave their current company for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, high prices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or poor customer service. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.