Save Money on Mercury Mountaineer Insurance in Tampa

It’s safe to conclude that auto insurance companies don’t want you to look at other companies. People who shop around once a year are highly likely to switch to a new company because they have good chances of finding lower prices. A recent survey found that consumers who routinely compared quotes saved about $860 a year compared to people who never shopped around.

If finding the cheapest price on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Tampa is your objective, then having an understanding of how to shop for insurance can make it simple to find affordable coverage.

The preferred way to find cheaper quotes for Mercury Mountaineer insurance is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from companies in Tampa. Drivers can shop around by following these steps.

• Step 1: It will benefit you to learn about what is in your policy and the factors you can control to drop your rates. Many risk factors that result in higher rates like traffic violations and an unacceptable credit rating can be eliminated by making minor changes to your lifestyle. Read the full article for additional ideas to find cheap prices and find more discounts that you may not know about.
• Step 2: Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agents can give you price quotes from many different companies. Find a Tampa insurance agent
• Step 3: Compare the new rates to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you can save money, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
• Step 4: Notify your current company of your intention to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a completed application and payment to the new insurer. Immediately upon receiving it, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your glove compartment.

One bit of advice is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical coverage information on every price quote and and to get prices from as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and and a good selection of different prices.

Companies offering Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Tampa

The providers in the list below are ready to provide free quotes in Florida. To buy the cheapest car insurance in Florida, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to get the cheapest price.

Mercury Mountaineer insurance rate analysis

The table displayed below highlights estimates of insurance premium costs for Mercury Mountaineer models. Learning how auto insurance premiums are determined can aid in making informed decisions.

Above prices assume single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in vehicle location which can modify insurance rates greatly.

Men versus women drivers and insurance cost

The chart below visualizes the comparison of Mercury Mountaineer car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The price estimates are based on no violations or claims, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no policy discounts are applied.

How much more does full coverage cost in Tampa?

The diagram below compares Mercury Mountaineer insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in Florida. The rate quotes are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.

When to drop full coverage

There is no written rule to exclude full coverage on your policy, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of having full coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

For example, let’s say your Mercury Mountaineer replacement cost is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $8,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $800 annually for physical damage coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.

There are a few cases where only buying liability is not a good plan. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you are required to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not remove full coverage.

Get discounts on Tampa auto insurance

Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list every discount they offer in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Tampa auto insurance online.

• Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Safe drivers may receive a discount up to 45% compared to accident prone drivers.
• Pay Early and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
• Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles with the same auto insurance company can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle up may be able to save a few bucks off the medical payments premium.
• Discounts for Government Workers – Active or former government employment may reduce rates when you quote Tampa auto insurance depending on your company.
• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a course that instructs on driving safety can save you 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.

The information below compares Mercury Mountaineer premium costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. Data assumes a female driver, no claims or violations, Florida state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, homeowner, multi-car, marriage, multi-policy, and safe-driver discounts applied.

The best auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are outlined below.

• GEICO may include discounts for anti-lock brakes, seat belt use, daytime running lights, federal employee, air bags, and anti-theft.
• USAA policyholders can earn discounts including new vehicle, good student, multi-vehicle, safe driver, family discount, and driver training.
• Progressive has discounts for multi-policy, online signing, continuous coverage, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
• American Family offers discounts including good student, multi-vehicle, good driver, Steer into Savings, and accident-free.
• Esurance discounts include anti-theft, emergency road assistance, paid-in-full, claim free, and good driver.
• Farmers Insurance may have discounts that include alternative fuel, early shopping, homeowner, multi-car, electronic funds transfer, and distant student.
• State Farm may offer discounts for defensive driving training, driver’s education, safe vehicle, good driver, and passive restraint.

When comparing rates, check with every insurance company which discounts they offer. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered on policies in every state. To locate providers who offer cheap Mercury Mountaineer insurance quotes in Tampa, click here.

When to get professional advice

When choosing the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
• Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?
• What does PIP insurance cover?
• Which companies are cheaper for teen drivers?
• What if I total my Mercury Mountaineer and owe more than it’s worth?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
• Are there any extra discounts I can get?
• How high should deductibles be on a Mercury Mountaineer?

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

Auto insurance agents near you

Some consumers still prefer to go talk to an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find cheap insurance quotes but also keep your business local.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is sent to agents in your area that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. You can find lower rates AND an agent nearby. In the event you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, you just need to navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.

Deciding on an company requires more thought than just a cheap price quote. Any agent in Tampa should have no problem answering these questions:

• Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
• Do they assist clients in filing claims?
• Where would glass claims be handled in Tampa?
• If independent agents, which companies do they recommend?
• Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
• Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
• What discounts might you be missing?
• When do they do policy reviews?

If you are wanting to purchase insurance from a reliable agent, it helps to know the two different types of agencies to choose from. Agents in Tampa are considered either exclusive or independent.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Agents that choose to be exclusive have only one company to place business with and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agencies are well schooled on what they offer and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.

The following is a short list of exclusive agencies in Tampa willing to provide rate quotes.

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Independent Agents

These type of agents do not have single company limitations so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and find you cheaper rates. If prices rise, an independent agent can move your coverage which requires no work on your part. If you are comparing rate quotes, you definitely need to get quotes from multiple independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison.

The following are Tampa independent insurance agencies that are able to give comparison quotes.

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Parts of your car insurance policy

Understanding the coverages of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers

This coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Mercury Mountaineer.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 10/20/10), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.

Comprehensive car insurance

Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as rock chips in glass, fire damage, damage from getting keyed, hitting a bird and theft. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Auto collision coverage

Collision insurance covers damage to your Mountaineer caused by collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for things such as crashing into a building, rolling your car, backing into a parked car and hitting a parking meter. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to choose a higher deductible on your Mountaineer to get cheaper collision coverage.

Liability car insurance

Liability insurance can cover damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people, and 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. As an example, you may have limits of 10/20/10 that translate to $10,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $20,000, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things like bail bonds, loss of income, funeral expenses, structural damage and medical expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Florida state law requires minimum liability limits of 10/20/10 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.

The next chart demonstrates why buying low liability limits may not be enough.

Coverage for medical expenses

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for bills like rehabilitation expenses, EMT expenses, X-ray expenses and nursing services. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

In Summary

Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, being labeled a high risk driver, poor customer service and denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies can be less work than you think.

As you quote Tampa auto insurance, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost, but do not skimp to save money.

More affordable insurance in Tampa is available on the web in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies only sell through independent agencies.

Helpful learning opportunities

• What is Covered by GAP Insurance? (Allstate)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Nissan Rogue in Tampa? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a Learners Permit in Tampa? (FAQ)
• How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
• Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)