Cheaper 2002 Ford Thunderbird Car Insurance Quotes

Want better car insurance rates for your Ford Thunderbird? Shopping for cheap car insurance online can be problematic for people who are new to online price comaprisons. Since there are so many online companies, how can drivers possibly compare the different rates to find the best price?

You need to take a look at other company’s rates quite often because insurance rates trend upward over time. Just because you found the best deal on Thunderbird coverage six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance online, so I’m going to show you a bunch of ideas how to save money.

Finding more affordable insurance coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. Basically, every driver who has to buy insurance coverage should be able to lower their premiums. But vehicle owners need to have an understanding of the methods companies use to market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Cheap Insurance Coverage Comparisons

There are several ways of comparing price quotes from local insurance coverage companies. The best way to find the lowest 2002 Ford Thunderbird rates consists of shopping online. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This method prevents you from having to do a different quote for every insurance coverage company. One quote request will return price quotes from multiple low-cost companies. It’s definitely the quickest method.

Another way to obtain and compare quotes online requires visiting each company website to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Nationwide, Esurance and Allstate. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.

The most time-consuming method of comparing rate quotes is to waste gas driving to local insurance agencies. Buying insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the trained guidance of a local agent. You can, however, price shop your coverage online and still use a local agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just ensure you’re using the exact same information for every company. If your comparisons have differing limits you can’t possibly determine the lowest rate for your Ford Thunderbird. Just a small difference in coverage limits may result in a large different in cost. Keep in mind that having more price comparisons will enable you to find a lower rate.

Don’t miss these discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that can drop the cost substantially. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before they will apply.

  • Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less on Thunderbird coverage than drivers with accidents.
  • Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Defensive Driver – Taking a course teaching defensive driving skills can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
  • Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off on Thunderbird coverage depending on your company.
  • Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Seat Belts Save – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
  • Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Club Memberships – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance on Thunderbird coverage.

It’s important to understand that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will bring down your overall premium however.

To see a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts, click here.

When might I need help?

When choosing adequate coverage, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you may require specific advice.

  • Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
  • Who is covered when they drive my 2002 Ford Thunderbird?
  • Can I rent a car in Mexico?
  • Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
  • When would I need rental car insurance?
  • How high should deductibles be on a 2002 Ford Thunderbird?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Ford Thunderbird rates are complex

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

  • Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Occupations such as doctors, architects and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the flip side, jobs such as actors, athletes and performers have the lowest average rates on Thunderbird coverage.
  • How’s your driving record? – Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Even a single speeding ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. Drivers who get serious violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • The more you drive the more you pay – The higher the mileage driven in a year’s time the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies apply a rate based on their usage. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Having the wrong rating on your Thunderbird may be wasting your money. Ask your agent if your car insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
  • Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates. If your Ford is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you are probably receiving a discount.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment – Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.

Ads can be misleading

Car insurance providers like State Farm, Geico and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all make an identical promise of big savings after switching your policy. How can each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Different companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a profitable customer could be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t meet this ideal profile will have to pay higher premiums and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That’s why companies can make the claims of big savings.

Because of the profiling, you should compare many company’s rates. Because you never know which company will provide you with the cheapest Ford Thunderbird insurance rates.

Auto insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Medical expense insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for short-term medical expenses for surgery, chiropractic care and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision coverage protection

This coverage pays for damage to your Thunderbird from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as hitting a parking meter, sideswiping another vehicle, scraping a guard rail and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims 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 only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Normally the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like hitting a deer, theft, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, vandalism and falling objects. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Liability coverages

This can cover damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people that is your fault. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see liability limits of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Occasionally you may see a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for claims like emergency aid, structural damage and attorney fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as large an amount as possible.

Don’t throw your cash in the trash

When shopping online for insurance, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to find out that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, questionable increases in premium, high prices or high rates after DUI convictions. No matter why you want to switch, switching companies is easier than you think.

Cheap 2002 Ford Thunderbird insurance is available on the web as well as from independent agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

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