How to Compare Portland Ford Transit Connect Insurance

It takes a little time, but the best way to find discount auto insurance rates in Portland is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from providers that sell auto insurance in Oregon. Prices can be compared by following these guidelines.

Step 1: Read about what is in your policy and the things you can control to drop your rates. Many factors that result in higher rates such as accidents, careless driving, and a not-so-good credit history can be amended by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.

Step 2: Compare rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from multiple sources.

Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you can save some money and make a switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.

Step 4: Provide notification to your current agent or company of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit the signed application along with the required initial payment to your new insurance company. Make sure you place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance with your registration paperwork.

The key thing to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical coverages on every price quote and and to get price quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and a thorough price selection.

Unfortunately, most auto insurance policyholders have stayed with the same insurance company for at least the last four years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never compared quotes from other companies. Portland drivers could save about 60% a year, but they don’t want to take the time to compare rates and save money.

Companies offering Ford Transit Connect insurance in Oregon

The companies in the list below can provide comparison quotes in Oregon. To get the best cheap car insurance in Oregon, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get the lowest price.

Rates and statistics

The information displayed next covers a range of insurance rates for Ford Transit Connect models. Being aware of how insurance premiums are figured can be valuable when making informed decisions when comparing rate quotes.

Price data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Oregon minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in garaging location in Portland which can raise or lower coverage prices considerably.

An analysis of deductible level

When shopping for car insurance, a common question is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The rates shown below highlight the differences in premium rates of buying low and high comp and collision deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price grid uses a $500 deductible.

Data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Oregon minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific garaging location which can impact rates greatly.

Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $250 deductible costs roughly $12 more each month or $144 a year than opting for the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $250 more if you turn in a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have more than 21 months between claims, you would more than likely save some money going with the higher deductible. The table below illustrates how you can decide this on your own policy.

Impact of violations and accidents on rates

The information below shows how speeding tickets and accident claims can affect Ford Transit Connect premium costs for each age group. The price estimates are based on a single female driver, full coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Car insurance cost for men versus women in Portland

The illustration below shows the comparison of Ford Transit Connect auto insurance costs for male and female drivers. The costs are based on no claims, a clean driving record, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.

Ford Transit Connect full coverage rates compared to liability only

The information below illustrates the comparison of Ford Transit Connect insurance premiums with full coverage compared to only the Oregon minimum liability coverage. The prices are based on no claims or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.

When to eliminate full coverage

There is no set guideline for dropping comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of having full coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Ford Transit Connect replacement cost is $4,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, you would only receive $3,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying more than $300 annually for full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.

There are some conditions where dropping physical damage coverage is not a good idea. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not buy liability only.

Discount Portland insurance rates

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there’s a good chance there are discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but a few must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

• Life Insurance – Some insurance companies give better insurance rates if you take out life insurance from them.
• Telematics Data – Drivers that enable driving data collection to look at when and where they use their vehicle remotely such as Progressive’s Snapshot and State Farm’s In-Drive might get better premium rates if they are good drivers.
• Military Deployment Discount – Having an actively deployed family member could mean lower insurance rates.
• Student in College – College-age children who live away from home to go to college and do not have a car could qualify for this discount.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more on medical payment and PIP coverage.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

The chart below compares Ford Transit Connect yearly insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. Data assumes a female driver, no claims or driving citations, Oregon state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, marriage, multi-car, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.

Car insurance companies that may offer some of the above discounts possibly include:

• State Farm
• Progressive
• Progressive
• MetLife
• Farm Bureau
• GEICO
• SAFECO

Before buying, ask each company or agent to apply every possible discount. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not apply in every state. If you would like to see a list of insurers who offer online Ford Transit Connect insurance quotes in Oregon, follow this link.

How You Can Control Ford Transit Connect Insurance Costs

A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the different types of things that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. If you have a feel for what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower rates. Many things are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious like an MVR report, although some other factors are more transparent such as your marital status or how financially stable you are.

• Never go without car insurance – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a sure-fire way to increase your rates. In addition to paying higher premiums, getting caught without coverage could earn you a revoked license or a big fine. You may then have to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Oregon department of motor vehicles.
• Tough employer may mean higher rates – Jobs such as military personnel, architects, and accountants have the highest average rates due to stressful work requirements and long work days. On the flip side, jobs like farmers, historians and the unemployed receive lower rates.

• Costs are impacted by vehicle performance – The performance of the car you drive makes a big difference in your car insurance bill. The lowest premiums are usually for small economy passenger vehicles, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.

  The next chart uses these variables: married male driver age 40, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It shows Ford Transit Connect insurance premiums compared to other vehicles that have a range of performances.

• Teen drivers are expensive to insure – Teenage drivers in Oregon are statistically proven to be more careless in a vehicle therefore car insurance rates are much higher. Older, more experienced drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to cause fewer accidents, and are safer drivers.

  The following data is based on a single driver, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

• Prices increase with policy add-ons – There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that sound like a good idea at the time on your Transit Connect policy. Coverages like rental car coverage, accident forgiveness, and membership fees are examples of these. These coverages may sound good initially, but if you don’t need them consider taking them off your policy.
• Proper usage rating affects prices – Driving a lot of miles in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies calculate prices based on their usage. Cars not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than cars that get driven a lot. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Transit Connect is throwing money out the window. It’s a smart idea to ensure your car insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage.
• Liability protection is critical – Your policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you when you are found to be at fault for an accident. Liability provides for a legal defense which can cost a lot. This coverage is relatively inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
• Use credit responsibly and save – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Insureds with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with bad credit. Therefore, if your credit rating could use some work, you could save money insuring your Ford Transit Connect by improving your rating.

Special considerations

Always keep in mind that when comparing a policy, there is no best way to insure your cars. Your situation is unique so this has to be addressed.
For example, these questions may help highlight whether or not you might need professional guidance.

• How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
• Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
• Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
• Is my state a no-fault state?
• Can I get a multi-policy discount?
• Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• Does my car insurance cover rental cars?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

When should I contact an agent?

Certain consumers would rather have an agent’s advice. Experienced insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help submit paperwork. A good thing about getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find cheap car insurance rates and still buy from a local agent. Supporting small agencies is important particularly in Portland.

Upon completion of this simple form, your information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Portland who can give free rate quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to contact an agency since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. If for some reason you want to compare prices for a specific company, you would need to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.

When researching a good insurance agency, you should know the different agency structures to choose from. Car insurance agents in Portland are considered either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either one can sell affordable car insurance policies, but it’s worth mentioning the subtle differences since it could factor into the type of agent you choose.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by any specific company so as a result can place your coverage with an assortment of companies and find you the best rates. If they find a lower price, your agent can just switch to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies. If you are comparing car insurance prices, we recommend you compare quotes from multiple independent agents to have the best price comparison. Many independent agencies also insure through additional companies that you may not be familiar with that many times have cheaper rates.

Below are independent agencies in Portland who can help you get free car insurance rate quotes.

• Metro One Insurance Agency
  3423 S Telegraph Rd, Dearborn, MI 48124 – Dearborn, OR 48124 – (313) 456-9455 – View Map
• Wix Insurance Agency
  8037 SE Stark St – Portland, OR 97215 – (503) 760-6826 – View Map
• Ross and Associates Insurance Services, Inc.
  9201 SE 91st Ave – Portland, OR 97086 – (503) 698-3833 – View Map

More insurance agents

Exclusive Car Insurance Agents

Agents that choose to be exclusive have only one company to place business with like State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot place coverage with different providers so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive insurance agents are well trained on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. A lot of people buy from the same agent for years mainly due to the prominence of the brand rather than having low rates.

Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Portland who can help you get price quote information.

• Ernest J Hill Jr – State Farm Insurance Agent
  4946 N Vancouver Ave – Portland, OR 97217 – (503) 286-1103 – View Map
• H.Q. La – State Farm Insurance Agent
  1827 NE 44th Ave #110 – Portland, OR 97213 – (503) 236-3776 – View Map
• GEICO Insurance Agent
  8845 SW Cascade Ave Suite 110 – Beaverton, OR 97008 – (503) 924-3320 – View Map

More insurance agents

Finding the right insurance agency is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. These are some questions you should get answers to.

• Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Oregon?
• Are there any discounts for paying up front?
• Is every driver in your family covered?
• Does the company have a solid financial rating?
• Is the quote a firm price?

If you get good answers to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that can be trusted to provide car insurance coverage.

Be persistent and save

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Cheaper car insurance in Portland can be found online and from local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers may not provide price quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies prefer to sell through independent agents.

More articles

• Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for Uber Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for First-time Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Low Mileage Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
• Winter Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
• Insurance Losses by Make and Model (iihs.org)