If you are a novice to online insurance shopping, chances are good that you are bewildered because of the huge number of companies all advertising big savings for Ford Freestyle insurance in Philadelphia.
Smart shoppers know that car insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. Consumers who shop around for the cheapest rate will most likely switch companies because there are good odds of finding a more affordable policy. A survey found that drivers who did price comparisons regularly saved as much as $865 annually compared to policyholders who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding low prices for insurance in Philadelphia is your ultimate goal, then having some knowledge of how to find and compare auto insurance can help simplify the process.
You should make it a habit to compare prices every six months because insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rate on Ford Freestyle insurance in Philadelphia two years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about insurance because you’re about to find out the quickest way to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.
When looking for affordable Philadelphia auto insurance quotes, there are a couple ways to obtain and compare prices from many car insurance companies in Pennsylvania. The recommended way to comparison shop is simply to get online rate quotes.
When price shopping your coverage, comparing a large number of companies increases the chance that you will find the best rates. Some companies don’t provide Philadelphia Freestyle insurance quotes online, so you need to compare price estimates on coverage from those companies, too.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer price quotes in Philadelphia, PA. If several companies are displayed, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies to find the most affordable auto insurance rates.
These discounts can lower your auto insurance quotes
Some insurance providers don’t always advertise every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so we break down a few of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that may be available.
- Paperless Signup – Some of the larger companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application on your computer.
- Senior Citizens – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens could receive better auto insurance rates.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having an actively deployed family member could trigger a small discount.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but companies like State Farm and Allstate may permit one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear prior to being involved in the accident.
- Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle up before driving could save 15% off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Low Miles Discount – Maintaining low annual mileage may allow you to get lower auto insurance rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Multiple Cars – Purchasing coverage when you have several vehicles with the same company can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
As a footnote on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you could get a free auto insurance policy, you’re out of luck. But all discounts should help lower the cost of coverage.
Popular auto insurance companies and a selection of discounts are:
- GEICO has savings for good student, seat belt use, military active duty, anti-lock brakes, and federal employee.
- Auto-Owners Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including group or association, company car, student away at school, good student, anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, and anti-theft.
- American Family may offer discounts for early bird, mySafetyValet, multi-vehicle, good driver, air bags, and good student.
- Esurance offers discounts for paid-in-full, DriveSense, safety device, anti-theft, Pac-12 alumni, and online quote.
- Progressive offers discounts including online signing, homeowner, multi-policy, good student, continuous coverage, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm has discounts for anti-theft, accident-free, good student, defensive driving training, student away at school, and passive restraint.
- AAA may include discounts for education and occupation, multi-policy, pay-in-full, good student, AAA membership discount, and good driver.
Double check with each company which discounts you qualify for. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not apply in your area.
Seven factors that affect insurance premiums
Lots of factors are taken into consideration when you get your auto insurance bill. A few of the factors are predictable like an MVR report, but other criteria are not as apparent such as whether you are married or how financially stable you are.
Mature drivers save more – Drivers with little experience tend to be inattentive behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, cost insurance companies less in claims, and get fewer tickets.
Men drivers tend to cost more – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes are in auto accidents at about the same rate, but men get into accidents with more damage. Men also get ticketed for serious violations like DUI and reckless driving.
Drivers with good credit save – Having a good credit score is likely to be a major factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Insureds with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit is low, you may save money insuring your Ford Freestyle if you improve your credit rating.
Costs are impacted by vehicle performance – The performance of the car you drive makes a huge difference in your rates. Lower cost passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but your final cost has many other factors.
Never allow your car insurance policy to lapse – Having a gap between insurance policy dates is a guaranteed way to drive up your policy premiums. In addition to paying higher rates, getting caught without coverage could result in fines or a revoked license. You will then be forced to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Pennsylvania motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Combining policies can get discounts – Most insurers apply discounts to buyers that have more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s in your best interest to compare other company rates to help ensure you have the lowest rates. You may still find a better deal by buying car insurance from a different company.
Your occupation can affect rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupational choices like military personnel, executives, and dentists are shown to have higher premium rates due to intense work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, occupations such as farmers, athletes and performers pay lower than average rates.
Can’t I compare rates from local Philadelphia car insurance agents?
Some consumers would rather get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases One of the best bonuses of comparing rate quotes online is you may find cheap auto insurance rates and still choose a local agent. Buying insurance from local insurance agencies is still important in Philadelphia.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your information is sent to local insurance agents who will give you bids and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to contact any agents due to the fact that quote results will go directly to you. You can most likely find cheaper rates AND an agent nearby. If you want to get a comparison quote from a specific auto insurance provider, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Types of auto insurance agents
If you prefer to buy auto insurance from a good Philadelphia insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different agency structures and how they function. Agencies in Philadelphia are considered either exclusive or independent.
Independent Agents
Agents in the independent channel can quote rates with many companies so as a result can place your coverage with many different companies and find the cheapest auto insurance rates. If your premiums go up, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to do anything.
When comparing auto insurance prices, you definitely need to check rates from several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from. Many independent agencies also insure through companies you’ve never heard of which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agents in Philadelphia that can possibly get you comparison quotes.
- First Rate Insurance
7790 Rockwell Ave Suite 1 – Philadelphia, PA 19111 – (215) 725-6700 – View Map - Nigro Insurance Agency
35 Letitia St – Philadelphia, PA 19106 – (215) 278-9633 – View Map - National Insurance Agency
2414 Rhawn St – Philadelphia, PA 19152 – (215) 332-1100 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
These agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. They usually cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agencies are usually well trained on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often use the same exclusive agent primarily because of loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Philadelphia willing to provide rate quotes.
- Trish Floyd – State Farm Insurance Agent
7706 Castor Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19152 – (215) 725-3000 – View Map - State Farm – Adam Hutcheon
1436 Fairmount Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19130 – (215) 765-2686 – View Map - Wanda Dancy – State Farm Insurance Agent
2805 N 47th St, FL-1 – Philadelphia, PA 19131 – (215) 871-3390 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price quote. Any agent in Philadelphia should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
Once you have received good feedback and the cheapest Ford Freestyle insurance in Philadelphia quotes, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy. Just keep in mind consumers can cancel your coverage for any reason so don’t assume that you are permanently stuck with a specific agent for the full term.
When should I discuss my situation with an agent?
Always remember that when buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. You are unique.
For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving out-of-state?
- How can I force my company to pay a claim?
- Should I pay a claim out-of-pocket?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Why do I need rental car insurance?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.
Don’t give up on cheaper rates
Drivers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, lack of trust in their agent, policy cancellation and even extreme rates for teen drivers. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.
As you quote Philadelphia auto insurance, it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice full coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost and still be able to protect your assets.
Throughout this article, we presented many ways to find cheaper Ford Freestyle insurance in Philadelphia. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote Philadelphia auto insurance, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may even discover the lowest prices come from an unexpected company.
To read more, feel free to browse the following helpful articles:
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Mileage Drivers in Philadelphia? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Philadelphia Car Insurance for 17 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for a Jeep Wrangler in Philadelphia? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Philadelphia Auto Insurance Quotes for High Risk Drivers? (FAQ)
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)
- Self-driving cars won’t replace humans (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)