It’s easy to assume that insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. Drivers who compare rates at least once a year will presumably switch to a new company because there is a significant possibility of finding a more affordable policy. Remarkably, a study showed that people who regularly compared price quotes saved an average of $860 a year compared to other drivers who never shopped around for lower prices.
If finding the cheapest rates on car insurance in Scottsdale is why you’re here, then learning about how to get rate quotes and compare cheaper coverage can make shopping around easier.
The most effective way to get the cheapest auto insurance rates in Scottsdale is to do an annual price comparison from insurers in Arizona.
- First, try to learn about how companies price auto insurance and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that cause rate increases such as at-fault accidents and a lousy credit rating can be amended by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Second, request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. View a list of agents
- Third, compare the quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, tell your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a signed application to your new agent or company. Be sure to place the new certificate verifying coverage above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
A key point to remember is to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get price estimates from every company you can. Doing this guarantees a fair rate comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
What Determines Ford Focus Insurance Premiums?
A large part of saving on insurance is knowing the different types of things that go into determining your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better insurance rates. Many things are part of the equation when you quote your car insurance policy. Most are fairly basic such as your driving history, but some are not quite as obvious such as your marital status or how financially stable you are.
The items below are some of the most rate-impacting factors that factor into your prices.
Do you save by driving less? – Driving a lot of miles annually the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Cars that do not get driven very much receive lower rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. Ask your agent if your insurance declarations sheet reflects how each vehicle is driven. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Focus may be costing you higher rates.
Too many claims and you’ll pay more – If you file claims often, you can look forward to higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Car insurance companies in Arizona provide lower rates to insureds who are not frequent claim filers. Your insurance policy is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Youthful driver insurance rates – Older insureds tend to be more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims, and are safer drivers. Teen drivers are known to be less responsible when driving with friends so they pay higher insurance rates.
The data below uses these variables: single driver, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
High performance vehicles cost more to insure – The make and model of the car you are buying insurance for makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. Low performance passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
The following data uses these assumptions: single female driver age 30, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. The chart compares Ford Focus insurance premiums compared to other vehicles that have different risk factors.
No policy gaps is important – Not having insurance is a misdemeanor and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage have a gap. Not only will you pay higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. You may then have to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Arizona department of motor vehicles.
Urban areas may pay more – Living in smaller towns and rural areas of the country can save you money when shopping for auto insurance. City drivers have to deal with more auto accidents and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers and short commutes means reduced accidents.
Adjust physical damage deductibles and save – Your deductibles tell how much you are willing to pay if the claim is covered. Protection for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are rear-ending another vehicle, fire damage, and damage from wind. The larger the amount you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the better rate you will receive.
Loss probability for a Ford Focus – Insurance companies analyze historical claim data when they set coverage costs for each model. Vehicles that are shown to have high amounts or severity of claims will have higher rates. The table below shows the historical loss data for Ford Focus vehicles.
For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles, as an average, is equal to 100. Values that are under 100 indicate better than average losses, while numbers above 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or a tendency for claims to be larger.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Focus | 106 | 98 | 90 | 103 | 109 | 111 |
| Ford Focus Electric | 87 | 85 | 66 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Analysis of Ford Focus rates
The coverage table shown next highlights detailed analysis of insurance prices for Ford Focus models. Being more informed about how insurance prices are determined is important to be able to make informed decisions when comparing rates.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $108 | $240 | $314 | $18 | $94 | $774 | $65 |
| Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $108 | $240 | $314 | $18 | $94 | $774 | $65 |
| Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $108 | $284 | $314 | $18 | $94 | $818 | $68 |
| Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $108 | $284 | $314 | $18 | $94 | $818 | $68 |
| Focus SE 2-Dr Coupe | $124 | $284 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $892 | $74 |
| Focus SES 2-Dr Coupe | $124 | $284 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $892 | $74 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Arizona minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in Scottsdale location which can decrease or increase price quotes substantially.
Comparison of insurance rates by gender
The diagram below shows the comparison of Ford Focus yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The price estimates are based on no claims or driving citations, full coverage, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.
Full coverage or liability only
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Ford Focus auto insurance rates with full coverage and liability only. The rates are based on no violations or accidents, $250 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.
When to drop comprehensive and collision
There is no written rule to exclude comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Ford Focus replacement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, you would only receive $2,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying over $200 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not a good idea. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage.
Scottsdale insurance discounts for a Ford Focus
Companies offering auto insurance do not list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both the well known as well as some of the hidden credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Scottsdale auto insurance online.
- Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay less as opposed to frequent claim filers.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Scottsdale drivers who agree to allow companies to look at their driving habits by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system could possibly reduce rates if they show good driving skills.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Membership in Organizations – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could trigger savings on your next car insurance statement.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts could save 15% on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Own a Home – Just owning your own home can help you save on car insurance since home ownership means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Senior Citizen Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you could receive a small discount on rates.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers without accidents could pay up to 40% less as compared to drivers with claims.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Simply working for the federal government may qualify for a discount when you quote Scottsdale auto insurance with certain companies.
- Theft Deterrent System – Cars and trucks that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft so companies will give you a small discount.
Please keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, nobody gets a free ride.
The chart below visualizes the comparison of Ford Focus insurance costs with and without policy discounts. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, Arizona 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, multi-car, claim-free, multi-policy, marriage, and safe-driver discounts applied.
A list of car insurance companies and their offered discounts are outlined below.
- State Farm may include discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, anti-theft, multiple policy, safe vehicle, Drive Safe & Save, and good driver.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for military active duty, good student, air bags, emergency military deployment, driver training, and defensive driver.
- Liberty Mutual has savings for newly married, newly retired, good student, new move discount, and exclusive group savings.
- The Hartford includes discounts for air bag, driver training, defensive driver, bundle, good student, vehicle fuel type, and anti-theft.
- MetLife offers discounts for accident-free, defensive driver, good student, multi-policy, and claim-free.
- Progressive may offer discounts for online quote discount, good student, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, and homeowner.
When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policyholders in Scottsdale.
You can lower your car insurance rates
Budget-conscious Ford Focus insurance can be bought online in addition to many Scottsdale insurance agents, so you need to quote Scottsdale auto insurance with both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies may not provide price quotes online and these regional carriers sell through independent agents.
As you quote Scottsdale auto insurance, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price.
To learn more, link through to these articles:
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Scottsdale Auto Insurance Rates for a GMC Sierra? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for First-time Drivers in Scottsdale? (FAQ)
- Things to Know Before you Cancel Insurance (Allstate)
- Crash Avoidance Technologies FAQ (iihs.org)