Cheaper 2000 Mercury Cougar Insurance Rates

No one looks forward to buying insurance, particularly when their premiums are through the roof. With so many companies to choose from, it can be impossible to choose the best provider.

Why you might be paying too much to insure your Mercury Cougar

It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for insurance coverage. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Traffic violations increase rates – A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even one ticket can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. If you have severe violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • With age comes lower rates – Young drivers are statistically proven to get distracted easily in a vehicle so insurance coverage rates are higher. Mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
  • Better credit scores mean better rates – Your credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than those with lower ratings. Therefore, if your credit score can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your 2000 Mercury Cougar by spending a little time repairing your credit.
  • Optional equipment can affect rates – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Always keep insurance in force – Driving without insurance can get your license suspended and insurance coverage companies will penalize you for letting your coverage lapse. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time.Then you may be required to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with your state DMV.
  • Claim-free discounts can add up – Insurance companies provide cheaper rates to drivers who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Where you live – Residing in a small town is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents. City drivers regularly have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times translates into higher accident risk.
  • Do you need those extra coverages? – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can buy when buying insurance coverage. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and term life insurance are some examples. These coverages may sound good at first, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.

Discounts to lower 2000 Mercury Cougar insurance rates

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you can get discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but some must be requested specifically before they will apply. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Drivers Education – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
  • Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 15% off your medical payments premium.
  • Employee of Federal Government – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% on Cougar insurance depending on your company.
  • Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
  • Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay much less when compared with frequent claim filers.
  • Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Good Students Pay Less – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
  • Theft Prevention System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles on your Mercury could qualify for a substantially lower rate.
  • More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your premiums.

A partial list of companies that may have some of the above discounts are:

Check with each insurance company what discounts are available to you. Discounts might not be offered in your state.

Can you really save $409 a year?

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings from the likes of State Farm and Allstate. All the companies make the same claim that you’ll save big if you move your coverage to them.

How do they all make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Drivers who do not match the requirements will be charged a higher premium and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can advertise the savings.

That is why you should get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings on Mercury Cougar insurance.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying the right insurance coverage, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether you would benefit from professional advice.

  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Is my 2000 Mercury Cougar covered for flood damage?
  • Do I need an umbrella policy?
  • Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
  • Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
  • Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Coverages available on your auto insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the usual coverages available from auto insurance companies.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for bills for things like pain medications, nursing services, prosthetic devices and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Comprehensive coverage – This will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as hail damage, damage from flooding, a broken windshield, hitting a bird and rock chips in glass. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.

Liability insurance – Liability coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see policy limits of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for claims like funeral expenses, attorney fees, medical expenses and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Cougar resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision insurance covers things like sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also raise the deductible to bring the cost down.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Mercury Cougar.

Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Most of the time these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Shop Smart and Save

Throughout this article, we presented many ideas to shop for 2000 Mercury Cougar insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the best price on insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate and Progressive.

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

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