Affordable Ford Flex Insurance in Buffalo

Do you want to save money by finding more competitive Ford Flex insurance in Buffalo? Trying to find the cheapest insurance for a Ford Flex in New York can turn out to be a painful process, but you can use a few tricks to save time.

There is a better way to shop for auto insurance and you need to know the best way to price shop coverage for a new or used Ford and get the best price possible from Buffalo insurance agents and online providers.

You should make it a habit to price shop coverage occasionally because auto insurance rates tend to go up over time. Just because you found the best rate on Ford Flex insurance in Buffalo six months ago you will most likely find a better price today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding Flex insurance out there, but you can learn some proven techniques to reduce your auto insurance bill.

Get lower-cost rates by taking advantage of discounts

Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but you might be missing out on some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but once in a while a discount must be inquired about prior to receiving the credit. If you are not receiving all the discounts possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

• No Accidents – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims have much lower rates in comparison to accident-prone drivers.
• Bundled Policy Discount – If you can combine your home and auto policy with one company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may get savings of more than 20%.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving can save a little off the PIP or medical payment premium.
• Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time as opposed to paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
• Paperwork-free – A handful of larger companies will provide an incentive for buying your policy on the web.
• Distant Student Discount – College-age children who attend college more than 100 miles from Buffalo and don’t have a car could qualify for this discount.
• New Vehicle Savings – Insuring a new Flex can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying a policy with multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.

As a footnote on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Despite the fact that it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you aren’t that lucky.

The chart below illustrates the difference between Ford Flex insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The data assumes a male driver, no claims or violations, New York state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, marriage, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, and multi-car discounts applied.

To find auto insurance companies who offer discounts in New York, click this link.

Lowering your insurance rates doesn’t have to be difficult. You just have to take a couple of minutes to get quotes online from several insurance companies.

The companies in the list below are ready to provide price comparisons in New York. To locate cheap auto insurance in Buffalo, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Insurance coverage analysis

The coverage information shown below outlines detailed analysis of prices for Ford Flex models. Learning more about how insurance rates are figured can aid in making decisions on which coverage to buy.

Cost estimates assume married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and homeowner. Premium costs do not factor in specific location which can impact rates substantially.

Higher deductibles lower rates

One frequently asked question is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The premium rates below sum up the rate differences when you choose different physical damage coverage deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second set of prices uses a $500 deductible.

Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in specific location information which can affect insurance rates considerably.

Based on the above data, using a $250 deductible costs an average of $12 more each month or $144 every year averaged for all Flex models than opting for the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $250 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally go at a minimum 21 months between claims, you would come out ahead by selecting a higher deductible.

Males versus Females

The information below illustrates the difference between Ford Flex car insurance rates for male and female drivers. The data assumes no tickets, no at-fault accidents, full coverage, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.

Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage

The illustration below shows the comparison of Ford Flex insurance premiums when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The costs are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Guidelines for dropping full coverage

There is no exact formula that is best for determining when to drop full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Ford Flex claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company will settle for is $4,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If premiums are more than $400 a year for physical damage coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

There are a few cases where eliminating full coverage is not recommended. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to keep full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Get Cheaper Insurance Costs by Understanding These Factors

Many factors are used in the calculation when you get a price on insurance. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but others are not quite as obvious such as whether you are married or how safe your car is.

The following are a few of the “ingredients” utilized by car insurance companies to help set your prices.

Liability risk factors – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage in the event that you are responsible for personal injury or accident damage. It provides you with a defense in court which can cost a lot. It is affordable coverage compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.

Low mileage costs less – The more miles you rack up on your Ford every year the more you’ll pay to insure it. A lot of companies charge rates based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. Double check that your vehicle rating is showing how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money. An improperly rated Flex is just wasting money.

Premiums drop with age – Inexperience drivers have been known to get distracted easily behind the wheel and because of this, their insurance rates are much higher. Adding a young driver to your insurance policy will cause a huge premium hike. Older, more experienced drivers are shown to be more cautious, cause fewer claims and accidents, and get fewer tickets.

The following chart uses these assumptions: single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

Incidental coverages that may not be needed – There are a ton of additional extra coverages that can add up if you aren’t careful. Add-on coverages like vanishing deductibles, death and dismemberment, and term life insurance are examples of these. These coverages may sound good when discussing your needs, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.

Loss probability for a Ford Flex – Insurance companies use statistical claims data to calculate a rate that will offset losses. Vehicles that have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will cost more for specific coverages. The next table shows the compiled insurance loss statistics for Ford Flex vehicles.

For each policy coverage, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is represented as 100. Values that are below 100 indicate a favorable loss history, while percentage values above 100 point to more frequent losses or tendency to have larger claims.

Should I contact an agent?

Many people still like to sit down with an agent and often times that is recommended Professional insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find cheap rate quotes and also buy local. And providing support for local agents is definitely important in Buffalo.

After filling out this simple form, your insurance data is immediately sent to participating agents in Buffalo who will give you quotes for your business. You never need to visit any agencies because prices are sent instantly to you. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from a specific car insurance provider, you just need to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.

If you would like to find a reliable insurance agency, you should know the different agency structures and how they can quote your rates. Insurance agencies in Buffalo can be categorized as either exclusive or independent. Either type can sell and service car insurance coverage, but it’s important to know how they differ because it can influence your agent selection.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agencies often have affiliation with several companies and that enables them to quote your coverage through many companies depending on which coverage is best. If they find a cheaper price, they simply switch companies in-house which is easy for the insured. When comparing car insurance prices, it’s a good idea to get several quotes from several independent insurance agents in order to compare the most rates. Most also write with companies that do not advertise much that may provide cheaper car insurance rates.

The following are independent agents in Buffalo that can give you free car insurance quotes.

• Kasprzyk Insurance Agency
  497 Franklin St – Buffalo, NY 14202 – (716) 844-8178 – View Map
• Niagara National Insurance
  5001 Genesee St – Buffalo, NY 14225 – (716) 684-6000 – View Map
• Niagara Montauk Insurance
  1547 Hertel Ave – Buffalo, NY 14216 – (716) 800-4282 – View Map

More insurance agents

Exclusive Agents

Agents in the exclusive channel generally can only insure with one company like State Farm or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot give you multiple price quotes so you need to shop around if the rates are high. They are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Some insured continue to purchase coverage from exclusives partially due to the prominent brand name and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Listed below is a list of exclusive agents in Buffalo who can help you get price quote information.

• Dan Schmidt – State Farm Insurance Agent
  615 Elmwood Ave – Buffalo, NY 14222 – (716) 783-9460 – View Map
• State Farm: Dan Hawrylczak
  1335 Hertel Ave – Buffalo, NY 14216 – (716) 873-3771 – View Map
• Joe Czaja – State Farm Insurance Agent
  1021 Union Rd – Buffalo, NY 14224 – (716) 674-3654 – View Map

More insurance agents

Picking the best auto insurance agent requires you to look at more than just a cheap price. A good agent in Buffalo will have answers to these questions.

• Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
• Is auto insurance their primary focus in Buffalo?
• Does the company use OEM repair parts?
• Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• Has the agent ever had any license suspensions?

If you get good responses to any questions you have as well as a affordable price, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that is reputable and can insure your vehicles. It’s important to know that consumers can cancel your coverage whenever you wish so never assume you are locked into a specific company for a certain time period.

Why you need insurance for your vehicle

Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Ford Flex in Buffalo, insuring your vehicle is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.

• Just about all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability insurance if you drive a vehicle. In New York 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 took out a loan on your Ford, it’s most likely the lender will require you to have full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender will be forced to insure your Ford at a much higher premium rate and require you to fork over for the much more expensive policy.
• Insurance safeguards not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses incurred in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers legal expenses in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Ford as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, especially when you need to use it. The average driver in America overpays more than $869 every year so compare rates each time the policy renews to ensure rates are inline.

Do the work, save more money

In this article, we presented many ideas to lower your Ford Flex insurance premium rates in Buffalo. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get prices for, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the lowest premium rates come from the least-expected company.

Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, extreme rates for teen drivers, policy cancellation and poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new company is easier than you think.

When shopping online for car insurance, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, drivers have reduced full coverage to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price, but do not skimp to save money.

Steps to saving money on Ford Flex insurance in Buffalo

The best way we recommend to quote cheaper car insurance rates is to regularly compare price quotes from providers in Buffalo.

1. Read and learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the modifications you can make to prevent high rates. Many factors that cause high rates such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and a negative credit rating can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
2. Quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices for many different companies.
3. Compare the new rates to the price on your current policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you can save some money and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
4. Give notification to your agent or company of your intention to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a signed application to your new insurance company. Once coverage is bound, keep the new certificate verifying coverage with the vehicle registration.

The critical component of shopping around is to use the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every price quote and and to look at as many companies as feasibly possible. This provides a level playing field and a thorough selection of prices.

Helpful resources

• How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Government Employees in Buffalo? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Unemployed Drivers in Buffalo? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Buffalo Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers Requiring a SR22? (FAQ)
• Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)
• Insuring a Leased Car (Insurance Information Institute)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Senior Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)