Cheap Insurance for a Mercury Mountaineer in San Diego

No car owner gets a kick out of paying for insurance, especially when the prices are way too high.

A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that a large majority of drivers kept their policy with the same company for four years or more, and about 40% of consumers have never compared rate quotes at all. San Diego drivers can save up to 35% each year by just comparing quotes, but they don’t understand how simple it is to compare rate quotes online.

Many insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute lowest price on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in San Diego.

It’s a great practice to shop coverage around before your policy renews because prices are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you got the best price on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in San Diego on your last policy there may be better deals available now. Ignore everything you know about insurance because we’re going to demonstrate one of the best ways to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to buy cheaper car insurance using the techniques covered below. Locating the best rates in San Diego is not that difficult. Although California car owners can benefit by having an understanding of the methods companies use to set your policy premium because rates fluctuate considerably.

To find the best insurance quotes, there are several ways to get quotes from many available insurance companies in California. The best way to lower the rate you pay for Mercury Mountaineer insurance consists of obtaining rate quotes online.

Comparison shopping rate quotes online is easy and it takes the place of having to drive to different agent offices. Quoting and buying Mercury Mountaineer insurance online has made agencies unnecessary unless you have a complicated situation and need the trained advice that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. Although, it is possible obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent.

When comparison shopping, comparing a wide range of rates gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate.

The companies shown below have been selected to offer free rate quotes in San Diego, CA. If several companies are displayed, it’s a good idea that you get rate quotes from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Prices based on single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can decrease or increase price quotes considerably.

Does it make sense to buy full coverage?

The example below shows the difference between Mercury Mountaineer yearly insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The rate quotes are based on no claims or driving violations, $250 deductibles, married female driver, and no discounts are factored in.

Should you buy full coverage or liability only?

There is no definitive guideline to stop paying for full coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it might be time to buy liability only.

For example, let’s say your Mercury Mountaineer replacement cost is $9,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company would pay you is $8,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If premiums are more than $800 annually to have full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not a good idea. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.

Raise deductibles and save

The diagram below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can affect Mercury Mountaineer insurance costs for different age categories. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, full coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.

Raise deductibles and save

When shopping for auto insurance, a common question is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The comparisons below outline the costs and benefits when you choose different physical damage deductibles. The first rate comparisons uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second rate chart 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 claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Rates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can revise price quotes considerably.

Based on these figures, using a $250 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $18 more each month or $216 each year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $250 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you go at a minimum 14 months between claims, you would probably come out ahead if you elect the higher deductible. Here’s how this determination is made.

An important sidenote is that raising deductibles to save money means you will have to pay more when you do file a claim. You need to make sure you have a higher level of savings in the event you have to pay the deductible for vehicle repair.

Discount San Diego car insurance quotes

Companies don’t necessarily list all discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the below list has a few of the more common and the harder-to-find credits available to lower your premiums when you buy San Diego auto insurance online.

• Senior Citizen Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 can get reduced rates.
• Buy New and Save – Putting coverage on a new Mountaineer is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Defensive Driver Discount – Taking part in a course that instructs on driving safety could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
• Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
• Discount for Low Mileage – Low mileage vehicles could earn lower prices due to less chance of an accident.
• Distant Student – Children who are attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
• Theft Deterrent – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To see insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in San Diego, follow this link.

Local insurance agents

Certain consumers still prefer to have an agent’s advice and that is recommended in a lot of cases A nice benefit of getting free rate quotes online is you may find lower rates and still buy from a local agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to companies in San Diego that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent on your own due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. You can find better rates without requiring a lot of work. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, just visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.

Deciding on an provider needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. A good agent in San Diego will have answers to these questions.

• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
• How many years have they been established?
• How will an accident affect your rates?
• Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?

Compare rates from both independent and exclusive car insurance agents

If you need to find a reliable insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of agencies and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Auto insurance agents may be either independent or exclusive.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Agents in the exclusive channel have only one company to place business with and examples are AAA, Allstate, and State Farm. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agencies are highly trained on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.

Listed below are San Diego exclusive agents that can give you comparison quotes.

View more agents

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by any specific company so as a result can place your coverage through lots of different companies and find the cheapest auto insurance rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier which requires no work on your part.

When comparing rates, you will want to include price quotes from a couple of independent agencies to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in San Diego willing to provide comparison quotes.

View more agents

Learn How to Lower Your Insurance Costs

Lots of factors are part of the calculation when you get a price on insurance. Some are obvious like your driving record, but other criteria are more obscure like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.

The factors shown below are some of the items car insurance companies consider when setting prices.

• Credit history impacts premium premiums – An insured’s credit history can be a huge factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Therefore, if your credit score can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your Mercury Mountaineer if you improve your credit rating. Insureds with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims than drivers with worse credit.
• Gender and insurance – Over time, data shows women are more cautious behind the wheel. This data doesn’t prove that females are better drivers. Women and men are responsible for fender benders in similar percentages, but guys tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Males from age 16 to 21 tend to get in the most accidents so they pay the highest premiums.
• Annual mileage impacts costs – The more miles you rack up on your Mercury each year the higher your rate. The majority of insurers charge rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Mountaineer may be costing you higher rates. Verify your policy is rated on the right rating data.
• Getting married can save you money – Walking down the aisle helps lower the price on your policy. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature and statistics prove married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
• Why do you need liability? – Your policy’s liability coverage will protect you if ever a jury decides you are liable for damages caused by your negligence. This coverage provides legal defense coverage to defend your case. Liability insurance is pretty cheap compared to comp and collision, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
• Stress out and pay more – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations like lawyers, police officers, and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates attributed to job stress and long work days. On the flip side, jobs such as professors, athletes and performers have the lowest average rates.

Auto insurance just makes sense

Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Mercury Mountaineer in San Diego, insuring your vehicle is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.

• Most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 took out a loan on your Mercury, almost every bank will stipulate that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may insure your Mercury for a much higher rate and require you to pay the higher premium.
• Auto insurance preserves not only your Mercury Mountaineer but also your financial assets. Insurance will also pay for many types of medical costs incurred in an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit in the event you are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.

The benefits of buying enough insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly for liability claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver overpays as much as $855 a year so you should quote rates at every policy renewal to ensure rates are inline.

Quote often and quote early

When buying insurance coverage, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where an insured cut liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best possible price while still protecting your assets.

Some auto insurance companies may not offer price quotes online and usually these regional carriers provide coverage only through local independent agents. Cost effective Mercury Mountaineer insurance can be purchased both online as well as from independent agents in San Diego, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis.

Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to shop for Mercury Mountaineer insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting affordable San Diego auto insurance quotes. You may even find the lowest premium rates are with the smaller companies. They may often insure only within specific states and give better rates compared to the large companies like Progressive or GEICO.

Additional information is located on the following sites:

• Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for 4×4 Vehicles in San Diego? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Under 25 in San Diego? (FAQ)
• How Much is Auto Insurance for Single Moms in San Diego? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable San Diego Car Insurance for Low Credit Scores? (FAQ)
• Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)
• Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)