Compare 1998 Ford Contour Insurance Rates

Looking for cheaper car insurance rates for your Ford Contour? Finding cheaper insurance for a Ford Contour can be a painful process, but you can learn a few tricks and make it easy. There are more efficient ways to buy car insurance and we’ll show you the best way to quote coverages for a new or used Ford and get the lowest price from both online companies and local agents.

It’s a great practice to compare prices every six months due to the fact that insurance rates change frequently. Just because you had the lowest price on Contour insurance last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Starting now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we’re going to show you the things you must know in order to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance companies do not advertise every available discount very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.

  • Safety Course Discount – Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down on your Ford can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
  • Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Larger companies have better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
  • New Vehicle Savings – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
  • Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less on Contour insurance than less cautious drivers.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
  • Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.

Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

For a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates, click here to view.

Ford Contour rates are in the details

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

  • Too many car insurance claims drive up costs – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect higher rates. Auto insurance companies give cheaper rates to drivers who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Increase deductibles and save – Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay before your car insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and windstorm damage. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your car insurance will be on Contour insurance.
  • Credit scores impact car insurance rates – Credit score is a huge factor in calculating your car insurance rates. If your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your 1998 Ford Contour by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
  • Your job and insurance rates – Occupations like doctors, business owners and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates because of job stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and the unemployed receive lower rates on Contour insurance.
  • Lower rates come with age – Teen drivers are statistically proven to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. Older insureds are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
  • Pleasure use saves money – The more miles you rack up on your Ford every year the higher your rates will be. Most companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Having the wrong rating on your Contour can cost quite a bit. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
  • Your spouse saves you money – Being married actually saves money on your policy. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Choose a safe vehicle and save – Safer cars are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates. If the Ford Contour is rated 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.

It’s not one size fits all

When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
  • When should I remove comp and collision on my 1998 Ford Contour?
  • Where can I get insurance after a DUI in my state?
  • Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
  • Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
  • What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
  • Why is insurance for a teen driver so high?
  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • How much liability coverage do I need in my state?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.

Ads can be misleading

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance by companies like State Farm and Allstate. They all seem to have a common claim that you can save if you move to them.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 40, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. A driver who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will have to pay more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Car insurance coverages for a 1998 Ford Contour

Understanding the coverages of auto insurance aids in choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Coverage for medical payments

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for short-term medical expenses such as pain medications, rehabilitation expenses, funeral costs, doctor visits and chiropractic care. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers you and your occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Auto collision coverage

This covers damage to your Contour caused by collision with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as scraping a guard rail, rolling your car, colliding with a tree, crashing into a ditch and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive coverages

Comprehensive insurance pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, falling objects, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Liability insurance

This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see liability limits of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects, structural damage, emergency aid and court costs. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Ford Contour.

Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Feed the piggy bank

In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can compare 1998 Ford Contour insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

Insureds change insurance companies for any number of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, being labeled a high risk driver, delays in paying claims and even high prices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding the right auto insurance provider is less work than it seems.

The cheapest insurance is attainable on the web as well as from independent agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

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