Lower Your 1993 Mercury Topaz Insurance Rates

Cutting costs on insurance is always challenging for consumers new to comparison shopping online. Drivers have so many choices that it can quickly become a challenge to locate the lowest price.

Consumers should take time to do rate comparisons yearly because insurance rates trend upward over time. Just because you found the lowest rates on Topaz coverage a couple years back you will most likely find a better rate today. Forget all the misinformation about insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the only way to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.

Complexity of Mercury Topaz insurance rates

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

  • Occupation reflects on rates – Jobs such as doctors, architects and dentists have the highest average rates attributed to job stress and long work hours. Other occupations like scientists, historians and the unemployed get better rates on Topaz coverage.
  • Drive less and save money – The more you drive each year the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage receive lower rates than those used for commuting. An improperly rated Topaz may be wasting your money. Verify your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
  • Better credit means lower rates – Your credit history is a large factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit rating is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your 1993 Mercury Topaz by improving your credit score. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores.
  • Your location is important – Living in small towns and rural areas can save you money when buying auto insurance. City drivers tend to have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
  • Older drivers pay less – Young drivers are statistically proven to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
  • Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance expire. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you a license revocation or jail time.You may need to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates – Whether or not you get tickets has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Only having one speeding ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers with serious tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
  • Better crash test results mean better rates – Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates. If your Mercury Topaz earned at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it may be receiving lower rates.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize every discount very clearly, so we researched some of the best known and the harder-to-find car insurance savings.

  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • Club Memberships – Being a member of certain professional organizations may earn a discount on car insurance on Topaz coverage.
  • Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
  • Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
  • Drivers Education – Have your child successfully complete driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
  • Safe Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less on Topaz coverage than their less cautious counterparts.
  • No Claims – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially as compared to bad drivers.
  • Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

Companies who might offer some of the above discounts include:

Before buying, ask each company which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts might not apply everywhere.

Buyer beware of insurance advertising tricks

Companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the ads make an identical promise of big savings if you move your coverage to them. How does each company say the same thing?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer they prefer to insure. A good example of a profitable customer could be over the age of 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Consumers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can claim big savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know which insurance company will have the lowest Mercury Topaz insurance rates.

What coverages do I need?

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining if your situation will benefit from professional help.

  • Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
  • Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
  • When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
  • Should I carry comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
  • What are the best liability limits?
  • Are rental cars covered under my policy?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form.

Auto insurance coverage information

Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Auto insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Coverage for medical payments

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills for things like hospital visits, doctor visits, dental work, rehabilitation expenses and nursing services. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability auto insurance

This will cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. It protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability insurance covers claims such as attorney fees, legal defense fees, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy as much as you can afford.

Collision protection

Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for things such as crashing into a building, damaging your car on a curb, driving through your garage door, hitting a parking meter and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your 1993 Mercury Topaz.

Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.

Comprehensive coverages

This coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as vandalism, damage from flooding and theft. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Take this to the bank

People switch companies for a variety of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, denial of a claim, questionable increases in premium or unfair underwriting practices. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new car insurance company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

While you’re price shopping online, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

In this article, we presented many tips how you can get a better price on 1993 Mercury Topaz insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a small local company.

Much more information about car insurance is located at these links: