Affordable Insurance for a Ford Focus in Pittsburgh

The preferred way to find better pricing on Ford Focus insurance in Pittsburgh is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from providers in Pennsylvania.

1. Take a little time to learn about how companies set rates and the things you can control to keep rates in check. Many rating factors that cause rate increases such as accidents, traffic tickets, and a negative credit score can be improved by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
2. Obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from multiple sources.
3. Compare the price quotes to the price on your current policy to see if cheaper Focus coverage is available in Pittsburgh. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.

An essential thing to point out is to make sure you’re comparing the same level of coverage on each price quote and to quote with every insurance company. This ensures a fair price comparison and the best price selection.

We don’t have to point out that fact that auto insurance companies don’t want customers comparing rates. Consumers who compare rates annually are highly likely to move their business because there is a great chance of finding better rates. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who make a habit of shopping around saved an average of $3,500 over four years compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.

If saving money on insurance is your objective, then having some knowledge of how to quote and compare car insurance can make it easier to find better rates.

Getting a cheap price on Ford Focus insurance is surprisingly easy. All that’s required is to take the time comparing rates from online providers.

Comparing rates online is fast and free, and it takes the place of having to drive around to local Pittsburgh insurance agencies. Doing it all online makes this unnecessary unless you have a need for the professional abilities that you can only get from talking to an agent. Although, it is possible get prices online but have your policy serviced through an agent.

The companies shown below are ready to provide price comparisons in Pittsburgh, PA. To find the best cheap car insurance in Pittsburgh, it’s highly recommended you compare several of them to get a more complete price comparison.

Coverage statistics and figures

The coverage table below covers estimates of insurance coverage prices for Ford Focus models. Learning how insurance quotes are formulated can help guide drivers when making decisions when shopping your coverage around.

Cost estimates assume single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Prices do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can decrease or increase coverage rates substantially.

Can higher deductibles save money?

One of the more difficult decisions when buying auto insurance is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The tables below outline how much more rates are of buying low and high comp and collision deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second rate table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in specific Pittsburgh garaging location which can change coverage rates greatly.

Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $250 deductible will cost you approximately $25 more each month or $300 annually across all Ford Focus models than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally average more than 30 months between claims, you would save more money if you opt for a higher deductible. Below is the way you can make this decision for your own policy.

One important note is that increasing deductibles to lower your rates results in more money out-of-pocket when you do file a claim. You should have a higher level of savings in order to pay more to get your vehicle repaired.

Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage

The illustration below shows the difference between Ford Focus insurance prices with and without physical damage coverage. The premiums are based on no claims or violations, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied.

Should you buy full coverage or liability only?

There is no set rule that is best for determining when to drop full coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.

For example, let’s assume your Ford Focus claim settlement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $8,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $800 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are some circumstances where buying only liability insurance is not a good idea. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.

Eight Tips to Get More Affordable Pittsburgh Insurance Premiums

Part of the car insurance buying process is learning the rating factors that play a part in calculating your policy premiums. When you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that could help you find lower rates.

The list below includes some of the things used by companies to determine your rate level.

Don’t get traffic citations – Whether or not you get tickets has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Having a single moving violation may cause rates to rise by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have severe tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.

The example below shows how violations and fender-benders raise Ford Focus insurance costs for different age categories. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

What’s your car’s crash test rating? – Vehicles that have high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer serious injuries translates directly to fewer claims which can mean better rates for you. If your Ford has at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you may be receiving a better rate.

Save by driving less – The higher the miles on your Ford every year the more it will cost to insure it. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates than those that get driven frequently. It’s always a good idea to double check that your car insurance declarations sheet correctly shows the correct usage for each vehicle. A policy that improperly rates your Focus is just wasting money.

Is insurance cheaper for men or women? – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. The data does not necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Females and males get in at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but the men have accidents that have higher claims. Men also statistically get higher numbers of serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents so they pay the highest premiums.

The diagram below illustrates the difference between Ford Focus insurance prices for male and female drivers. The price estimates are based on no violations or accidents, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Insure your auto and home with one company – The majority of insurance companies afford lower prices for people that buy multiple policies in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you qualify for this discount already, it’s in your best interest to check prices from other companies to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still save more without the discount even if you have your coverage with different companies

Liability insurance is cheap – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance is the coverage that protects you if ever a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide you with a defense in court starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.

Older drivers pay less – Inexperience drivers are statistically shown to be inattentive when behind the wheel and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher. Parents adding a first-time driver onto your car insurance can increase premiums substantially. More experienced drivers have been proven to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims, and are safer drivers.

The following chart uses these variables: single driver, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

Prevent theft and lower car insurance rates – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Systems that thwart thieves such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar help track and prevent auto theft and help lower rates.

Ford Focus insurance loss probability – Companies analyze past claim statistics to help determine prices. Vehicles that are shown to have increased claim numbers or amounts will cost more for coverage. The table below demonstrates the collected loss data for Ford Focus vehicles.

For each coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles, as a total average, is considered to be 100. Percentages below 100 indicate a favorable loss history, while numbers above 100 point to more claims or statistically larger claims.

Car insurance is not optional but you don’t have to overpay

Despite the high insurance cost for a Ford Focus in Pittsburgh, buying car insurance may be required for several reasons.

• The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage if you want to drive legally. In Pennsylvania these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
• If your Ford Focus has a loan, it’s most likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you have physical damage coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Ford at a much higher rate and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.
• Car insurance protects your vehicle and your assets. Insurance will pay for hospital and medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the repair costs.

The benefits of having car insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is currently overpaying as much as $800 each year so we recommend shopping around at least once a year to be sure current rates are still competitive.