We don’t have to tell you that auto insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. People who shop around will probably buy a different policy because of the good chance of finding a lower-cost company. A study discovered that drivers who compared rates once a year saved approximately $3,500 over four years compared to drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding budget-friendly rates on auto insurance in Laredo is why you’re reading this, then knowing how to compare insurance coverage can save time, money, and frustration.
To save the most money, the best way to find affordable Ford Explorer insurance is to regularly compare price quotes from providers who sell auto insurance in Laredo.
- Step 1: Try to learn a little about coverages and the changes you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates such as getting speeding tickets and a substandard credit score can be rectified by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Step 2: Request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide price quotes from multiple companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new quotes to your existing rates to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a better price and change companies, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Tell your current agent or company to cancel your existing policy and submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new agent or company. Make sure you place the new proof of insurance paperwork in your glove compartment.
An important part of this process is to make sure you enter similar limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to compare every insurance company. Doing this enables the most accurate price comparison and the best price quote selection.
Determine discounts to get cheap Laredo auto insurance rates
Car insurance is not cheap, but you might be missing out on some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you complete an application, but a few must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you could be getting lower rates.
- Driver Safety – Passing a course teaching safe driver skills could save 5% or more and also improve your driving technique.
- Good Grades Discount – Maintaining excellent grades may save as much as 25% on a Laredo auto insurance quote. This discount can apply up to age 25.
- College Student – College-age children living away from Laredo attending college and leave their car at home may qualify for this discount.
- Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class as it can save substantially.
- Low Miles Discount – Fewer annual miles on your Ford could be rewarded with better auto insurance rates on cars that stay parked.
- Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new Explorer is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying coverage for multiple cars with the same company can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of 20 to 30 percent.
- Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront as opposed to paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Telematics Data – Drivers that enable their auto insurance company to spy on where and when they drive remotely such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system might get better premium rates if they exhibit good driving behavior.
Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Even though the math looks like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you aren’t that lucky.
The information below shows the comparison of Ford Explorer car insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The premiums are based on a male driver, no claims or driving citations, Texas state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, multi-car, homeowner, and marriage discounts applied.
Larger auto insurance companies and their offered discounts can be found below.
- Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, good student, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner.
- The Hartford may have discounts that include defensive driver, air bag, bundle, good student, vehicle fuel type, and driver training.
- Mercury Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including professional/association, good driver, ease of repair, anti-theft, low natural disaster claims, and multi-policy.
- GEICO has savings for emergency military deployment, anti-theft, good student, air bags, multi-policy, membership and employees, and driver training.
- AAA offers discounts for education and occupation, multi-policy, anti-theft, multi-car, and good driver.
- State Farm discounts include multiple autos, student away at school, good student, accident-free, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and defensive driving training.
It’s a good idea to ask each insurance company to give you their best rates. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be offered in Laredo.
When shopping for Ford Explorer insurance in Laredo there are multiple ways to obtain and compare prices from many insurance companies in Texas. The best method to comparison shop is to use the internet to compare rates.
Doing price comparisons online is so simple that it makes it obsolete to drive around to different agent offices. Doing it all online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless your situation requires the professional advice that only an agent can give. It is possible to comparison shop your insurance online but buy the policy through an agent. Keep in mind that comparing more quotes helps improve the odds of finding better pricing. Not every company provides online price quotes, so you need to compare price estimates from them, too.
The companies shown below provide comparison quotes in Laredo, TX. To find the cheapest auto insurance in Texas, we recommend you visit several of them in order to find the most affordable rates.
Insurance data for a Ford Explorer
The rate table shown next highlights detailed analysis of prices for Ford Explorer models. Learning a little about how car insurance prices are calculated can assist in making decisions when choosing a new policy provider.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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Explorer XLT 2WD | $294 | $408 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,220 | $102 |
Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $294 | $408 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,220 | $102 |
Explorer XLT 4WD | $294 | $408 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,220 | $102 |
Explorer XLT AWD | $294 | $408 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,220 | $102 |
Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $332 | $496 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,346 | $112 |
Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $332 | $496 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,346 | $112 |
Explorer Limited 2WD | $332 | $496 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,346 | $112 |
Explorer Limited 4WD | $332 | $496 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,346 | $112 |
Explorer Limited AWD | $332 | $496 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,346 | $112 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in specific location which can alter coverage prices substantially.
The illustration below highlights how deductible choice and can affect Ford Explorer insurance costs for different age groups. The data is based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are applied.
How Insurance Providers Determine Ford Explorer Insurance Prices
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that aid in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that may result in better car insurance rates. Multiple criteria are part of the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving history, but other criteria are not as apparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.
- Rental and towing coverage may not be needed – Insurance companies have many additional extra coverages you can purchase if you don’t pay attention. Things like vanishing deductibles, towing, and additional equipment coverage are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so consider taking them off your policy.
- Rates can drop if you have more than one policy – The majority of insurance companies afford lower prices to clients that buy multiple policies. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to ensure the best deal.There is a chance you can find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
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Obey driving laws and save – Being a careful driver influences premium rates substantially. Having a single chargeable violation may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Attentive drivers have lower premiums as compared to those with violations. Drivers who have careless tickets such as DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may find that they have to to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to legally drive a vehicle.
The chart below highlights how speeding tickets and fender-benders can raise Ford Explorer car insurance rates for each different age category. The premium estimates are based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
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Does auto insurance cost more for men? – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. This data doesn’t prove that men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women cause auto accidents at about the same rate, but guys cause more damage. Men also statistically receive more major tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
The information below illustrates the comparison of Ford Explorer insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data assumes no claims, a clean driving record, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied.
- Lower rates for safer cars – Cars with five star safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Highly rated vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company which can result in lower premiums. If the Ford Explorer scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may pay a lower rate.
- Lower mileage equals lower premium – The higher the mileage driven annually the more you will pay for car insurance. A lot of companies charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Vehicles not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. It’s always a good idea to double check that your car insurance coverage states how each vehicle is driven. An improperly rated Explorer may be costing you.
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Ford Explorer statistical loss data – Companies analyze the history of losses to calculate a price that will offset losses. Models that the data determines to have higher claim amounts or frequency will cost more to insure. The table below illustrates the actual insurance loss data for Ford Explorer vehicles.
For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is represented as 100. Numbers below 100 indicate a favorable loss history, while values that are 100 or greater indicate more frequent losses or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
Car Insurance Loss Data for Ford Explorer Models Specific Ford Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Ford Explorer 4dr 2WD 80 90 79 75 70 82 Ford Explorer 4dr 4WD 94 94 97 75 70 85 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEData Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
When should I discuss my situation with an agent?
Always remember that when buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. You are unique.
For instance, these questions can help discover whether you may require specific advice.
- What does UM/UIM cover?
- What is glass protection for?
- When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
- Is my Ford Explorer covered for smoke damage?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Where can I find DUI or SR-22 insurance?
- Will my insurance pay for OEM parts?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form.
Can’t I compare rate quotes from local Laredo insurance agencies?
Many people would rather get advice from a local agent and that can be a great decision A good thing about comparing insurance online is that you can obtain cheap insurance rates and still have a local agent.
Once you complete this short form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to participating agents in Laredo that can give you free Laredo auto insurance quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to even leave your home since rate quotes are delivered to your email. It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If you have a need to get a price quote from a specific company, you just need to jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Deciding on an insurer is decision based upon more than just a cheap price quote. Any agent in Laredo should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Does the company use OEM repair parts?
- Where would your vehicle be repaired?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
When searching for a good Laredo insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents and how they can quote your rates. Agents can be described as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive can only provide one company’s prices like Allstate and State Farm. They generally cannot provide other company’s prices so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agencies are very knowledgeable on what they offer which helps them compete with independent agents.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Laredo that are able to give comparison quotes.
State Farm: Manuel Gomez III
4311 Clark Blvd – Laredo, TX 78043 – (956) 333-0000 – View Map
Herman Dominguez – State Farm Insurance Agent
3120 N Arkansas Ave – Laredo, TX 78043 – (956) 726-0493 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Manuel Benavides
4001 McPherson Rd #105 – Laredo, TX 78041 – (956) 725-5901 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agencies
Agents in the independent channel can quote rates with many companies and that allows them to write policies with many different companies and find you cheaper rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply switch companies in-house and you stay with the same agent.
When comparing rate quotes, you need to get rate quotes from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.
Shown below is a short list of independent agents in Laredo willing to provide price quote information.
Laurel Insurance
4519 San Bernardo Ave – Laredo, TX 78041 – (956) 723-3785 – View Map
Henri D Kahn Insurance
112 Del Ct – Laredo, TX 78041 – (800) 701-5909 – View Map
Medina Wright Insurance
1419 Clark Blvd – Laredo, TX 78040 – (956) 722-4618 – View Map
Insurance does more than just protect your car
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Laredo, buying insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability insurance if you drive a vehicle. In Texas these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a loan on your vehicle, it’s most likely the lender will require that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may insure your Ford at a more expensive rate and make you pay the higher premium.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your Ford. It will also cover all forms of medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance also covers legal expenses in the event you are sued. If your Ford gets damaged, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially when you need to use it. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays more than $865 each year so it’s recommended you shop around at every renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Shop smart and save
We just covered some good ideas how you can save on Ford Explorer insurance in Laredo. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may even discover the lowest prices are with the least-expected company.
Budget-friendly insurance in Laredo is available from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional carriers only sell through independent agents.
Drivers switch companies for a number of reasons such as high rates after DUI convictions, denial of a claim, extreme rates for teen drivers or being labeled a high risk driver. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.
Additional information
- Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for College Graduates in Laredo? (FAQ)
- What is the Cheapest Car Insurance in Laredo, Texas? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Drivers with a DUI in Laredo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Laredo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for a Nissan Altima in Laredo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Laredo Auto Insurance for a Nissan Rogue? (FAQ)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)