Save Money on Mercury Mountaineer Insurance in San Antonio

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance in San Antonio can drain your monthly budget and maybe even restrict other spending. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to lower your monthly bill.

A recent study showed that the vast majority of consumers have purchased from the same company for more than four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared rates from other carriers. The average driver in Texas could save $1,800 a year, but they don’t want to spend time to do a rate comparison.

Many insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurers and uncover the absolute best rate on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in San Antonio.

To get cheaper San Antonio auto insurance quotes, there a variety of ways to compare rate quotes from different San Antonio insurance companies. The quickest method to find cheaper Mercury Mountaineer rates involves getting comparison quotes online.

Comparing rates online is fast and free, and it makes it a waste of time to physically go to different San Antonio agent offices. The fact that you can get quotes online makes this unnecessary unless you require the peace of mind of a licensed agent. If you prefer, some companies allow you to get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area. Just remember that having more price comparisons increases your odds of finding more affordable rates.

The auto insurance companies shown below offer price comparisons in Texas. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit several of them to find the lowest auto insurance rates.

Three main reasons to buy car insurance

Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in San Antonio, maintaining insurance is a good idea for several reasons.

• Almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts of liability insurance if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 Mercury Mountaineer, almost all lenders will force you to buy full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank will be required to insure your Mercury at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay for the expensive policy.
• Car insurance protects not only your Mercury but also your financial assets. Insurance will also pay for medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of an accident. If you have damage to your Mercury as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.

The benefits of buying car insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. The average driver in Texas is currently overpaying as much as $810 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies at every renewal to make sure the price is not too high.

Analysis of Mercury Mountaineer rates

The coverage table displayed next showcases detailed analysis of insurance policy prices for Mercury Mountaineer models. Learning a little about how premiums are determined can assist in making decisions when choosing a new policy provider.

Data based on married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in garaging location in San Antonio which can influence insurance rates substantially.

Deductible comparison

One frequently asked question is at what level do you set your deductibles. The rates shown below outline the cost difference of buying low and high policy deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can lower or raise premiums substantially.

Based on the above data, using a $250 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $15 more each month or $180 annually across all Mercury Mountaineer models than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you have more than 17 months between claims, you would more than likely save some money if you elect the higher deductible.

Men versus women drivers and insurance cost

The illustration below illustrates the difference between Mercury Mountaineer car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data assumes no accidents, no driving violations, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Cost comparison with and without full coverage

The chart below compares Mercury Mountaineer insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The costs are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to stop buying physical damage coverage

There is no definitive formula of when to eliminate comp and collision coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than about 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it might be time to buy liability only.

For example, let’s assume your Mercury Mountaineer replacement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would receive is $5,000 after paying your policy deductible. If it’s costing you more than $500 a year for physical damage coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

There are some circumstances where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should maintain full coverage.

Don’t overlook these Mercury Mountaineer insurance discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there may be some discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain reductions will be credited when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before they will apply.

• Resident Student – Any of your kids who live away from home at college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be insured at a cheaper rate.
• ABS Brakes – Cars and trucks that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can stop better under adverse conditions and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Theft Prevention System – Cars and trucks with anti-theft systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more on Mountaineer insurance in San Antonio.
• Driver Safety – Taking a defensive driver class is a good idea and can lower rates if you qualify.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your entire bill at once as opposed to paying monthly you can avoid the installment charge.
• Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive a discount up to 10%.
• Early Signing – A few larger companies allow discounts for switching to them early. The savings is around 10%.
• Accident-Free Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims have much lower rates as compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Discount for New Cars – Buying insurance on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less because new model year vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• More Vehicles More Savings – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars or trucks with the same company could earn a price break for each car.

As a footnote on discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though the math looks like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

The diagram below compares Mercury Mountaineer insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The costs are based on a male driver, no accidents or driving violations, Texas state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, marriage, claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-policy discounts applied.

A few companies that may have these benefits include:

• AAA
• Progressive
• State Farm
• Esurance
• Nationwide

Double check with every company which discounts they offer. Savings may not apply to policyholders in San Antonio. To find companies that offer discounts in Texas, follow this link.