Did you make the mistake of buying overpriced Ford Five Hundred insurance in Anchorage? Believe me when I say there are lots of Anchorage residents who feel the same.
Anyone knows that auto insurance companies want to keep you from comparing prices. People who compare other prices are inclined to move their business because there is a good chance of finding a cheaper policy. A recent survey discovered that drivers who faithfully checked for cheaper rates saved on average $865 annually compared to policyholders who never compared prices.
If finding the cheapest price on insurance in Anchorage is the reason for your visit, then learning a little about the best way to compare auto insurance can make it easier to find better rates.
Steps to finding low-cost Ford Five Hundred insurance in Anchorage
The best way we recommend to find affordable quotes for Ford Five Hundred insurance is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from different companies who sell insurance in Anchorage.
- Step 1: Spend some time learning about the coverage provided by your policy and the things you can change to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates like at-fault accidents and poor credit history can be improved by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Read the full article for additional tips to lower rates and find overlooked discounts.
- Step 2: Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can give quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Compare rates
- Step 3: Compare the quotes to your existing coverage to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Step 4: Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your current policy. Submit the application along with any required down payment to your new agent or company. As soon as coverage is bound, place the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle.
One thing to point out is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and and to get prices from as many companies as you can. This guarantees a fair price comparison and maximum price selection.
Insurance companies such as GEICO, Farmers Insurance and State Farm persitently shower you with ads and it is challenging if not impossible to see through the deception and take the time to shop coverage around.
How Your Five Hundred Insurance Costs are Determined
Many things are considered when pricing auto insurance. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, although others are less obvious such as whether you are married or your financial responsibility.
Never go without insurance – Not maintaining insurance can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance expire. In addition to paying higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance may earn you fines and jail time.
More performance means higher premiums – The make and model of the vehicle you own makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. The lowest rates are usually found on lower cost passenger models, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
The higher your credit rating the lower your premiums – Credit score factor in determining what you pay. People that have good credit tend to be more responsible than those with poor credit scores. If your credit is not that good, you could pay less to insure your Ford Five Hundred if you improve your credit rating.
Infrequent drivers can save – The more you drive your Ford in a year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most companies apply a rate based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles left parked in the garage cost less to insure than vehicles that have high annual mileage. It’s always a good idea to double check that your vehicle rating is rated on the proper vehicle usage. Having the wrong rating on your Five Hundred can result in significantly higher rates.
Save money with higher physical damage deductibles – Deductibles for physical damage state the amount of money you are willing to pay before your insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, aka comp and collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of some claims that would be covered are colliding with a stationary object, damage from fire, and having a roll-over accident. The larger the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the better rate you will receive.
Do thieves like your car? – Choosing to buy a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you some money. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
Cheaper rates by bundling – Lots of companies provide lower prices to policyholders who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s in your best interest to get quotes from other companies to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
With age comes lower prices – Teenage drivers in Alaska have been known to be more careless when driving with friends therefore insurance rates are much higher. Adding a teen driver onto your insurance can increase premiums substantially. Older, more experienced drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.
It’s important to know that comparing a wide range of rates increases the chance that you will find the best price. Some companies don’t provide price estimates online, so it’s necessary to compare quotes on coverage from those companies, too.
The companies shown below are ready to provide free rate quotes in Anchorage, AK. If you wish to find the cheapest auto insurance in Anchorage, AK, it’s a good idea that you click on several of them to get the best price comparison.
Three good reasons to insure your vehicle
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Ford in Anchorage, insuring your vehicle may be required and benefits you in several ways.
First, almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability in order to license the vehicle. In Alaska these limits are 50/100/25 which means you must have $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if your Ford Five Hundred has a lienholder, almost every bank will make it mandatory that you have insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Ford at a much higher rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
Third, insurance protects not only your Ford but also your assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense in the event you are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially when you need to use it. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is overpaying more than $850 per year so it’s important to compare rates every year to save money.
Don’t neglect these discounts
Car insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you may qualify for discounts that may help make it more affordable. Most are applied at the time you complete a quote, but some must be asked for before being credited.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being on active deployment in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Maintaining low annual mileage could earn substantially lower prices.
- Early Switch Discount – Select larger companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current Five Hundred insurance policy expiring. You could save around 10% when you buy Anchorage car insurance online.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Just being a homeowner can earn you a little savings because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
- Senior Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 can get a small discount on rates.
Don’t be shocked that some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
Some of the larger companies that have many of the previously listed discounts include:
If you are trying to find the cheapest Ford Five Hundred rate quotes, ask each company or agent what discounts are available to you. Savings may not be available in Anchorage.
Comparing rates from local Anchorage auto insurance agents
Some consumers would rather talk to an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. A nice benefit of getting free rate quotes online is that you can find the best rates and still buy from a local agent.
By using this short form, the coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Anchorage who will give competitive quotes for your auto insurance coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to your email. It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby. If you wish to quote rates from a specific auto insurance provider, you can always find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
Choosing a insurance company should include more criteria than just the bottom line cost. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- How long has the business existed?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
What types of car insurance agents are in Anchorage?
When narrowing the list to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they function. Agents can be categorized as either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
These agents have only one company to place business with like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Exclusive agencies are unable to give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Shown below are exclusive agencies in Anchorage willing to provide comparison quotes.
Allstate Insurance: Ronald Samber
1731 Bragaw St – Anchorage, AK 99508 – (907) 333-4566 – View Map
Amanda Juliussen – State Farm Insurance Agent
5600 Debarr Road Ste 140 – Anchorage, AK 99504 – (907) 333-4131 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Babette Miller
3304 Spenard Rd – Anchorage, AK 99503 – (907) 561-7671 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Independent insurance agents are not limited to a single company so they have the ability to put coverage through lots of different companies and find the cheapest rate. If your premiums go up, your agent can just switch to a different company without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparison shopping, we highly recommend that you get some free quotes from a couple of independent agencies to maximize your price options.
Below is a short list of independent agencies in Anchorage that can give you comparison quotes.
Associated Insurance Services
7125 Old Seward Hwy #203 – Anchorage, AK 99518 – (907) 349-2229 – View Map
Horace Mann Insurance Co
7926 Old Seward Hwy – Anchorage, AK 99518 – (907) 561-1393 – View Map
The Wilson Agency
3000 A St #400 – Anchorage, AK 99503 – (907) 277-1616 – View Map
Once you have received positive feedback to any questions you have as well as a price you’re happy with, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that meets the requirements to insure your vehicles. Just keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can cancel your coverage when you choose so don’t think you’re contractually obligated to any specific agency for the entire policy term.
Frequent quotes can save
You just learned a lot of ways to shop for Ford Five Hundred insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from the smaller companies. They may often insure only within specific states and give better rates than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.
Budget-conscious Ford Five Hundred insurance is possible online as well as from insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent agencies.
Steps to saving on Ford Five Hundred insurance in Anchorage
Truthfully, the best way to find more affordable Ford Five Hundred insurance is to start comparing prices regularly from providers that sell auto insurance in Anchorage.
- Step 1: Spend some time learning about the different coverages in a policy and the measures you can control to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a negative credit history can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Quote rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give rate quotes from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agents can provide price quotes from multiple insurance companies.
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy premium and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Notify your current company to cancel your current policy and submit a down payment and signed policy application for your new coverage. Once the application is submitted, store the certificate verifying coverage along with your vehicle registration.
One tip to remember is to make sure you enter identical deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get rates from as many carriers as you can. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.
For more information, take a look at the articles below:
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Veterans in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Inexperienced Drivers in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Camry in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Anchorage Car Insurance Quotes for High Risk Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Under 25 in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)
- Rental Reimbursement Coverage (Allstate)
- Higher speed limits cause more fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)