How to Save on Albuquerque Ford Flex Insurance

Are you tired of trying to find lower-priced car insurance rates in Albuquerque, NM? Albuquerque consumers have options when looking for low-cost Ford Flex insurance. They can either waste time struggling with agents to get rate comparisons or leverage the internet to find the lowest rates.

There are both good and bad ways to compare car insurance rates so you’re going to learn the best way to get price quotes for your Ford and get the best price possible either online or from Albuquerque insurance agents.

It’s smart to do price comparisons once or twice a year because car insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best deal on Ford Flex insurance in Albuquerque six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. There are lots of tips to save on Flex insurance online, but I’m going to show you some excellent ideas to put money back in your pocket.

If you have a current auto insurance policy or need new coverage, you can use this information to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. The goal of this article is to let you in on the most effective ways to compare rates and some tips to save money. You just need to understand how to shop for auto insurance using one simple form.

Finding a lower price on insurance can be quick and easy. All that’s required is to spend a few minutes comparing rates to discover which company has cheaper Albuquerque auto insurance quotes.

The following companies are ready to provide price quotes in New Mexico. If you want to find cheaper auto insurance in Albuquerque, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to find the most competitive auto insurance rates.

Ford Flex detailed coverage information

The table shown next showcases a range of coverage prices for Ford Flex models. Understanding more about how policy premiums are formulated can help drivers make smart choices when choosing a car insurance company.

Premium data assumes married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and New Mexico minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can influence coverage rates substantially.

Can higher deductibles save money?

One of the most common insurance questions is which deductible level should you buy. The comparisons below may help you to understand how much more you’ll pay between low and high comp and collision deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and New Mexico minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Price information does not factor in your specific Albuquerque location which can revise premiums greatly.

Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $250 deductible costs about $27 more each month or $324 for a full year averaged for all Flex models than choosing the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more if you turn in a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you have at least 28 months between claims, you would save more money if you opt for a higher deductible.

Safe drivers pay cheaper rates

The example below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions increase Ford Flex premium costs for each different age group. The data is based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.

Price comparison of only insuring for liability

The example below compares Ford Flex car insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premium estimates are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

When to stop paying for full coverage

There is no definitive guideline for phasing out full coverage, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Ford Flex claim settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $6,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are currently paying more than $600 annually for physical damage coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some scenarios where dropping physical damage coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not remove full coverage.

Insurance policy discounts for Ford Flex insurance in Albuquerque

Insurance is not inexpensive, but you may be missing some discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Certain reductions will be credited when you quote, but less common discounts must be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you are throwing money away.

• Telematics Discount – People who choose to allow companies to look at their driving habits by using a telematic data system such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system may get a rate reduction if their driving habits are good.
• Switch and Save Discount – Some insurance companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current Flex insurance policy expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
• Drive Safe and Save – Insureds who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates than drivers with accident claims.
• Auto/Home Discount – When you combine your homeowners and auto insurance with one insurance company you could earn a discount of up to 20% off your total Flex insurance premium.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a discount if you purchase some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
• Active Military Service – Having an actively deployed family member could trigger a small discount.
• Own a Home and Save – Owning a house in Albuquerque can earn you a little savings since owning and maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
• Safety Course Discount – Taking part in a defensive driver course can save you 5% or more and also improve your driving technique.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less could earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Buy New and Save – Insuring a vehicle that is new can cost up to 25% less since newer vehicles have better safety ratings.

One thing to note about discounts is that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

The illustration below illustrates the comparison of Ford Flex yearly insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The data is based on a male driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, New Mexico state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, marriage, and claim-free discounts applied.

A list of companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are included below.

• GEICO has savings for anti-lock brakes, driver training, emergency military deployment, air bags, and five-year accident-free.
• MetLife includes discounts for claim-free, good student, multi-policy, defensive driver, good driver, accident-free
• Progressive offers discounts including online signing, continuous coverage, good student, homeowner, and multi-vehicle.
• Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including payment discounts, good student, multi-policy, IntelliDrive, student away at school, early quote, and multi-car.
• SAFECO discounts include anti-lock brakes, drive less, teen safe driver, accident prevention training, multi-car, safe driver, and bundle discounts.
• AAA has discounts for anti-theft, multi-car, good driver, pay-in-full, and multi-policy.

Before buying, ask each insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not apply in every state. If you would like to view insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in Albuquerque, follow this link.

Protect more than your Flex

Despite the potentially high cost of Ford Flex insurance, insurance is required by state law in New Mexico and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.

• The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability protection in order to license the vehicle. In New Mexico these limits are 25/50/10 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a lien on your Ford Flex, almost every bank will force you to buy insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the bank may insure your Ford at a much higher rate and require you to fork over much more than you were paying before.
• Insurance safeguards not only your car but also your financial assets. It will also provide coverage for medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay for a defense attorney if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of buying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. Today the average American driver overpays more than $869 every year so we recommend shopping around at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.

Albuquerque car insurance companies

Choosing a high-quality car insurance company is hard considering how many companies are available to choose from in Albuquerque. The company rank data listed below can help you choose which auto insurers to look at to insure your vehicles.

Top 10 Albuquerque Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Value

1. USAA
2. American Family
3. The Hartford
4. Titan Insurance
5. The General
6. AAA Insurance
7. State Farm
8. Mercury Insurance
9. Nationwide
10. Safeco

Top 10 Albuquerque Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction

1. Titan Insurance – 95%
2. USAA – 94%
3. AAA Insurance – 91%
4. Nationwide – 90%
5. State Farm – 90%
6. The Hartford – 89%
7. GEICO – 89%
8. 21st Century – 88%
9. Liberty Mutual – 88%
10. Allstate – 88%

When do I need an agent’s advice?

When buying coverage for your vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For instance, these questions may help highlight if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
• What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
• Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
• Do I need rental car coverage?
• Am I covered if my car is in a flood?
• Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.

Local insurance agents

Certain consumers just prefer to have an agent’s advice and that is a personal choice. Professional insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find better rates but also keep your business local. And buying from small agencies is important particularly in Albuquerque.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance data gets sent to participating agents in Albuquerque who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to contact an agency due to the fact that quote results will go to you directly. In the event you want to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, you can always go to their quote page to submit a rate quote request.

The difference between Albuquerque car insurance agents

When narrowing the list to find a good insurance agency, you should know the different types of agents and how they work. Insurance agencies in Albuquerque can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents. Either can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s a good idea to understand the difference in how they write coverage since it can affect your selection of an agent.

Independent Insurance Agencies

Independent agents are appointed with more than one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies amongst many companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If premiums increase, your agent can just switch to a different company which makes it simple for you. When comparing insurance rates, you will want to include rate quotes from a few independent agents to have the best price comparison. Many write coverage with additional companies that you may not be familiar with which may provide better rates.

The following are Albuquerque independent insurance agencies that may be able to give you price quote information.

• J B Martin Commercial, Homeowners, Auto, Health and Life Insurance Agency
  2800 San Mateo Blvd NE – Albuquerque, NM 87110 – (505) 299-7444 – View Map
• Sunset Insurance Corporation
  1905 San Mateo Blvd NE – Albuquerque, NM 87110 – (505) 247-2578 – View Map
• Associated Insurance Professionals, Inc
  1429 Carlisle Blvd NE – Albuquerque, NM 87110 – (505) 265-3704 – View Map

View more Albuquerque agents

Exclusive Insurance Agents

Agents in the exclusive channel can only place business with one company like AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. They receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Many people use the same agent primarily because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

The following are Albuquerque exclusive insurance agencies who can help you get price quote information.

• Marty Saiz – State Farm Insurance Agent
  1029 Montaño Rd NW – Albuquerque, NM 87107 – (505) 345-3431 – View Map
• Jesse Leal – State Farm Insurance Agent
  141 Eubank Blvd – Albuquerque, NM 87123 – (505) 294-8662 – View Map
• Allstate Insurance: Larry Gaylord
  3296 Coors Blvd NW d – Albuquerque, NM 87120 – (505) 836-4630 – View Map

View more Albuquerque agents

Picking an car insurance agent should include more criteria than just the premium amount. Before buying a policy in Albuquerque, get answers to these questions.

• Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• How often do they review policy coverages?
• Can glass claims be handled at your home?
• Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
• Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
• Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
• Is there a 24/7 contact number?

Insurance coverages and their meanings

Knowing the specifics of insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your Ford Flex.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Medical expense insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills like rehabilitation expenses, surgery, funeral costs and X-ray expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Auto collision coverage

This coverage covers damage to your Flex caused by collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage pays for claims like scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree, hitting a mailbox, hitting a parking meter and sideswiping another vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible on your Flex to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like vandalism, a broken windshield, fire damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Liability auto insurance

This can cover damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 25/50/10 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $10,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage pays for things like repair costs for stationary objects, bail bonds, attorney fees, pain and suffering and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as much as you can afford. New Mexico requires minimum liability limits of 25/50/10 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.

The next chart demonstrates why low liability limits may not provide adequate coverage.