Would you like to save money by finding cheaper Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Lincoln? Wish you could get a refund on an expensive insurance policy? Don’t feel bad because there are lots of Lincoln residents who feel the same.
It’s an obvious assumption that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. People who get comparison quotes at least once a year are inclined to move their business because there is a good chance of finding more affordable rates. A study showed that people who routinely shopped around saved about $850 each year as compared to drivers who never compared prices.
If finding low prices for insurance is the reason for your visit, then having some insight into how to quote prices and compare insurance can help you succeed in finding affordable rates.
Companies like GEICO, Farmers Insurance and State Farm continually hit you with ads and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Consumers should take time to compare prices before your policy renews due to the fact that insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you got the lowest price on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Lincoln a couple years back you can probably find a better rate quote now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the tricks you need to know to find better rates and still maintain coverage.
What Determines Mercury Mountaineer Insurance Prices?
Many factors are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like a motor vehicle report, but others are less obvious like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is.
The following are some of the most common factors companies use to determine premiums.
- Use one insurance company and save – Some insurance companies provide a discount to customers that have more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even if you qualify for this discount already, consumers should still get quotes from other companies to help guarantee you have the best rates.
-
Women tend to take less risk – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that females take fewer risks when driving. It does not mean males are worse at driving than females. They both cause auto accidents at about the same rate, but the male of the species cause more damage. They also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and thus pay the highest rates.
The example below shows the difference between Mercury Mountaineer yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The information is based on no claims or driving citations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
- Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles that have high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer serious injuries means less claims paid passed on to you as lower rates. If your Mercury scored at minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it is probably cheaper to insure.
-
Insurance is expensive for teenage drivers – Beginning drivers in Nebraska are proven to be careless and easily distracted with other occupants in the car and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher. Adding a young driver to your auto insurance policy can break the bank. More mature drivers are more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and are safer drivers.
The following chart assumes a single driver, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
- Always keep your auto insurance policy in place – Having a lapse in insurance coverage is a guaranteed way to increase your renewal premiums. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.
- Employer and insurance rates – Do you work in a high-stress field? Occupational choices like doctors, air traffic controllers, and accountants tend to have higher rates than average due to intense work-related stress and long work days. Conversely, professions such as actors, historians and performers have lower than average premiums.
- Being married can save you money – Getting married may cut your premiums when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse may mean you are more mature and statistics prove married drivers get in fewer accidents.
It’s important to know that comparing all the rates in your area helps locate more affordable rates. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide rate quotes online, so you should also compare price estimates on coverage from those companies, too.
The auto insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer price comparisons in Lincoln, NE. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you get rates from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Mercury Mountaineer insurance rate analysis
The table displayed below outlines estimates of insurance prices for Mercury Mountaineer models. Being aware of how policy premiums are determined can assist in making smart choices when choosing a car insurance company.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountaineer 2WD | $138 | $240 | $306 | $18 | $92 | $794 | $66 |
| Mountaineer AWD | $156 | $240 | $306 | $18 | $92 | $812 | $68 |
| Mountaineer Premier 2WD | $156 | $284 | $306 | $18 | $92 | $856 | $71 |
| Mountaineer Premier AWD | $156 | $284 | $306 | $18 | $92 | $856 | $71 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data based on married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Nebraska minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can modify premiums substantially.
The chart below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can impact Mercury Mountaineer insurance prices for different insured age categories. The information is based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Auto insurance rates are higher with tickets and accidents
The information below shows how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders influence Mercury Mountaineer premium costs for each different age group. The prices are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
Do you need full coverage?
The information below shows the comparison of Mercury Mountaineer yearly insurance costs with and without full coverage. The premiums are based on no violations or accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
When to drop comprehensive and collision coverage
There is no clear-cut formula to stop paying for physical damage coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s say your Mercury Mountaineer replacement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $5,000 after the deductible is paid. If premium cost is more than $500 annually for physical damage coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are some situations where dropping full coverage is not a good idea. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to keep full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.
Three reasons auto insurance is important
Despite the high insurance cost for a Mercury Mountaineer in Lincoln, auto insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- Almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts of liability insurance in order to drive the car legally. In Nebraska these limits are 25/50/25 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a lien on your Mountaineer, more than likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you have full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank may insure your Mercury at a much higher rate and make you pay the higher price.
- Insurance safeguards not only your car but also your assets. It will also cover medical bills incurred in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay to defend you in the event you are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of buying enough insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially if you ever need it. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver overpays as much as $830 a year so smart consumers compare quotes at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
You may qualify for discounts for Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Lincoln
Car insurance can cost a lot, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at quote time, but once in a while a discount must be specially asked for before you get the savings.
- Distant College Student Discount – Children who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle could get you a discount.
- Bundle and Save – If you can combine your homeowners and auto policy with one company you may save up to 20% and get you low cost Mercury Mountaineer insurance.
- Driver Safety – Taking a course that instructs on driving safety could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Own a Home – Owning your own home or condo can earn you a little savings because owning a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Requiring all passengers to buckle up can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the personal injury premium cost.
- Full Payment Discount – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
One thing to note about discounts is that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, it’s just not the way it works.
The illustration below shows the comparison of Mercury Mountaineer auto insurance costs with and without discounts. The premiums assume a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Nebraska state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, multi-car, claim-free, and marriage discounts applied.
Car insurance companies that may offer many of the previously listed discounts include:
Double check with each insurance company to give you their best rates. Savings may not be available in your state. To see car insurance companies who offer online Mercury Mountaineer insurance quotes in Lincoln, click this link.
You may require the services of a local insurance agent
A lot of people still like to buy from a local agent and that is OK! An additional benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find cheap rate quotes and also buy local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, the quote information gets sent to companies in Lincoln who will give you bids to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. You can find the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific insurance company, you can always find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Picking the best provider is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. Any good agent in Lincoln should know the answers to these questions.
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
When looking for an insurance agent, there are a couple of types of insurance agents and how they operate. Insurance agencies in Lincoln may be either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only provide one company’s prices such as Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Exclusive agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive insurance agents are well schooled on what they offer and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Shown below are Lincoln exclusive insurance agencies willing to provide price quote information.
American Family Insurance – Douglas Kruce
5730 R St Ste D – Lincoln, NE 68505 – (402) 423-1224 – View Map
John Eshleman – State Farm Insurance Agent
7501 O St #103 – Lincoln, NE 68510 – (402) 483-7578 – View Map
John Curry – State Farm Insurance Agent
4640 Champlain Dr #121 – Lincoln, NE 68521 – (402) 477-8383 – View Map
Independent Agents
These agents do not have single company limitations so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies. When searching for an agent, you should always get some free quotes from independent agents for the best price selection.
Listed below is a list of independent agencies in Lincoln willing to provide price quotes.
Gary Thompson Agency, Inc.
4200 Lucile Dr a200 – Lincoln, NE 68506 – (402) 475-2609 – View Map
Davidson Insurance
5101 N 27th St – Lincoln, NE 68521 – (402) 465-1167 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
8231 Northwoods Dr # B – Lincoln, NE 68505 – (402) 476-2951 – View Map
Will just any policy work for me?
When it comes to choosing a policy for your vehicles, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if you might need professional guidance.
- What does PIP insurance cover?
- Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
- What is GAP insurance?
- What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
- Why do I have to buy liability insurance?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.
Cheap insurance prices are available
People change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, high rates after DUI convictions, being labeled a high risk driver or not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be easier than you think.
When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many situations where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best cost, not the least amount of coverage.
We covered many ideas to get a better price on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Lincoln. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding the cheapest Mercury Mountaineer rate quotes. You may even discover the lowest priced insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier.
How to save on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Lincoln
If you want to save money, the best way to get budget car insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from different companies who provide car insurance in Lincoln. Drivers can shop around by following these guidelines.
- First, get an understanding of how companies set rates and the things you can control to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as traffic citations, accidents, and a less-than-favorable credit rating can be rectified by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Second, request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies. Compare rates now
- Third, compare the price quotes to your existing coverage to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find better rates, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
One thing to remember is to try to use similar coverage information on every quote and and to compare as many companies as you can. This enables a fair rate comparison and the best price selection.
Other information
- Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
- How Much are Lincoln Auto Insurance Rates for a Honda CR-V? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Lincoln Auto Insurance Rates for a Learners Permit? (FAQ)
- Collision Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)