Ford Ranger Insurance Rates in Raleigh

Having to pay for pricey auto insurance in Raleigh can dry up your personal savings and force you to make sacrifices. Performing a rate comparison is a fast and free way to make ends meet.

Smart shoppers know that auto insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Insureds who shop around once a year are highly likely to move their business because they have good chances of finding a more affordable policy. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who shopped around every year saved approximately $3,400 over four years as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.

If finding budget-friendly Ford Ranger insurance in Raleigh is your intention, then having some insight into the best way to compare coverages can help make the process easier. Companies like State Farm and GEICO all claim big savings, bombarding you with TV and radio ads and it is difficult to ignore the flashy ads and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Smart consumers take time to get comparison quotes periodically since insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the best price on Ford Ranger insurance in Raleigh at your last renewal you can probably find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you the proper way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Eight factors that affect insurance costs

Many things are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious like an MVR report, but other factors are more transparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.

The items below are some of the major factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Pay more of a claim out-of-pocket – Your deductibles tell how much the insured will be required to pay before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage protection, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, is used to repair damage to your car. Some coverage claims could be a windshield broken by a bird, vandalism, and damage from wind. The more you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less money you will pay for auto insurance.

Liability protection preserves assets – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance will protect you if ever you are determined to be liable for damages from an accident. Your liability coverage provides legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to other policy coverages, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.

Teen drivers cost more – Older insureds are proven to be safer behind the wheel, cost insurance companies less in claims, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets. Inexperience drivers are known to be less responsible when behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates.

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

High credit rating translates to low costs – Having a good credit history is a big factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit history is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your Ford Ranger if you improve your credit rating. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit scores.

Does auto insurance cost less for females? – Over time, data shows that females take fewer risks when driving. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better at driving than males. They both are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Not only are claims higher, but men get ticketed for serious violations such as reckless driving. Males from age 16 to 21 have the highest risk to insure and thus pay the highest rates.

The illustration below shows the comparison of Ford Ranger car insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on no claims or driving violations, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.

Bundle policies with the same company – The majority of insurance companies allow discounts to clients who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. The discount can add up to ten percent or more. Even if you already get this discount, it’s in your best interest to check prices from other companies to help ensure you have the lowest rates.

Your location is important – Living in a rural area is a good thing when shopping for auto insurance. Fewer drivers on the road corresponds to lower accident rates and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers have more road rage incidents and more time behind the wheel. The longer drive time means higher likelihood of an accident.

Car features impact premiums – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you some money. Theft prevention devices like OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all aid in stopping car theft and help bring rates down.

How to compare Ford Ranger insurance quotes in Raleigh, NC

Finding a better price on car insurance is an easy way to save money. The only thing you need to do is take the time to get quotes from online providers.

Comparing price quotes online is fast and free, and it makes it a waste of time to drive around to insurance agencies in your area. The ability to get quotes online reduces the need to sit down with an agent unless you want the professional guidance that you can only get from talking to an agent. Drivers can comparison shop online and have a local agent actually service the policy.

The companies in the list below can provide quotes in North Carolina. To locate the best cheap auto insurance in Raleigh, NC, it’s a good idea that you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Premium rates and analysis

The rate information below outlines estimates of policy rates for Ford Ranger models. Having a good understanding how rates are determined can help customers make informed decisions.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can impact coverage prices significantly.

The illustration below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can influence Ford Ranger insurance rates for each age group. The premiums are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.

Safe drivers pay less for insurance

The illustration below shows how violations and at-fault accidents influence Ford Ranger insurance rates for different age groups of insureds. The information is based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Difference between liability only and full coverage rates

The chart below visualizes the comparison of Ford Ranger annual premium costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The costs are based on no claims or driving violations, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no other discounts are factored in.

When to stop buying physical damage coverage

There isn’t a steadfast formula to drop full coverage, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than about 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 say your Ford Ranger replacement cost is $4,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $3,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying over $300 annually for physical damage coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not buy liability only.

Three reasons to not skimp on car insurance

Despite the potentially high cost of Ford Ranger insurance, insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.

• The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to buy a specific level of liability coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. In North Carolina 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 your Ranger has a loan, most banks will require you to have physical damage coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you default on your policy, the bank may insure your Ford at a more expensive rate and force you to pay for it.
• Insurance protects both your car and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for most medical and hospital costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you have damage to your Ford as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.

The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. An average driver in America overpays as much as $855 a year so shop around every year to ensure rates are competitive.

These discounts can lower your insurance quotes

Insurance is expensive, but you may qualify for discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Most are applied when you quote, but once in a while a discount must be specially asked for before you get the savings.

• Theft Deterrent Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems have a lower chance of being stolen and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Requiring all passengers to buckle up can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the medical payments premium.
• Payment Discounts – By paying your entire bill at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
• Multiple Vehicles – Drivers who insure multiple cars on one policy qualifies for this discount.
• Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used Ranger is cheaper since new vehicles have better safety ratings.

Policy discounts save money, but most discount credits are not given to the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.

The information below visualizes the comparison of Ford Ranger car insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The information is based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no claims, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-car, claim-free, and marriage discounts applied.

Some of the larger companies who might offer some of the discounts shown above possibly include:

• 21st Century
• Progressive
• State Farm
• Nationwide
• Esurance
• The Hartford

Check with all the companies which credits you are entitled to. All car insurance discounts may not apply in Raleigh. To view companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in North Carolina, click this link.

Compare prices but buy from a neighborhood Raleigh auto insurance agent

Some people just want to buy from a licensed agent and that can be a great decision Good agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain cheaper prices and still choose a local agent. Putting coverage with local agencies is still important in Raleigh.

To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your coverage information is emailed to insurance agents in Raleigh who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to you directly. If you need to get a rate quote from one company in particular, don’t hesitate to go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.

If you’re trying to find a local Raleigh insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the types of agencies that you can select. Insurance agencies can be categorized as either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer. Both types of agents can handle insurance, but it’s worth learning how they differ since it may influence which type of agent you select.

Independent Agents

Independent insurance agents are appointed with more than one company so they can quote policies amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a lower price, they simply move your policy to a different company which is easy for the insured. When searching for an agent, we recommend you contact several independent agencies for the best price selection.

Shown below is a short list of independent agents in Raleigh that can possibly get you free price quotes.

View more Raleigh agents

Exclusive Agencies

Agents that choose to be exclusive generally can only insure with one company such as Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot provide other company’s prices so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agencies receive extensive training on sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.

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

View more Raleigh agents

Selecting an insurance agency requires more thought than just a cheap price quote. Before buying a policy in Raleigh, get answers to these questions.

• How long have they been in business?
• How much training do they have in personal risk management?
• Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
• Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?

Affordable auto insurance rates are available

We just covered some good ideas how you can shop for Ford Ranger insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding the cheapest Ford Ranger rate quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest premium rates are with a small local company. They can often provide lower prices in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.

When getting Raleigh car insurance quotes online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

Low-cost Ford Ranger insurance in Raleigh is available both online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you need to quote Raleigh car insurance with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

How to buy discount Ford Ranger insurance in Raleigh

If saving the most money is your goal, then the best way to get more affordable Ford Ranger insurance in Raleigh is to compare prices annually from companies in North Carolina.

1. Read and learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the measures you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that are responsible for high rates such as high-risk driving behaviors and an unacceptable credit score can be amended by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
2. Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Select a company
3. Compare the price quotes to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in Raleigh. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.

A valuable tip to remember is to make sure you’re comparing the same deductibles and limits on every quote request and and to get price quotes from as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.

More tips and info about auto insurance is located in the articles below:

• All About Airbag Safety (State Farm)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for a Nissan Sentra in Raleigh? (FAQ)
• How Much is Raleigh Auto Insurance for Safe Drivers? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Raleigh Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Camry? (FAQ)
• How Much are Raleigh Car Insurance Rates for Homeowners? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for Lyft Drivers in Raleigh? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 70 in Raleigh? (FAQ)
• What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
• What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)