Searching for budget-priced Houston Ford Explorer insurance quotes on the internet might appear difficult for vehicle owners that are relatively new to price shopping over the internet. With so many companies competing online, how are vehicle owners able to be able to compare them all to find the lowest price?
Astonishing but true, the vast majority of consumers kept buying from the same company for over three years, and about 40% of consumers have never taken the time to shop around. Consumers in Texas can save about 70% each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t know the benefits if they switched to a cheaper policy.
Comparing rates for the lowest-priced protection in Houston is not as difficult as people think. Nearly every vehicle owner who is overpaying for insurance most likely will find a better price. Nevertheless, Texas vehicle owners need to learn how insurance companies compete online and use it to your advantage.
The easiest way to compare insurance rates in your area is to know the trick most of the larger companies have advanced systems to provide you with a free rate quote. The only thing you need to do is provide details like whether you drive to work or school, if you went to college, if you’re married, and whether your vehicle is owned or leased. Those rating factors is submitted instantly to many highly-rated insurers and you will receive price estimates with very little delay.
To get price quotes for your Ford Explorer now, click here and complete the form.
The companies shown below offer free quotes in Houston, TX. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer XLT 2WD | $206 | $322 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,112 | $93 |
| Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $314 | $550 | $496 | $30 | $148 | $1,538 | $128 |
| Explorer XLT 4WD | $288 | $468 | $462 | $28 | $138 | $1,384 | $115 |
| Explorer XLT AWD | $282 | $476 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,342 | $112 |
| Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $262 | $392 | $388 | $24 | $116 | $1,182 | $99 |
| Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $318 | $580 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,482 | $124 |
| Explorer Limited 2WD | $176 | $322 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,082 | $90 |
| Explorer Limited 4WD | $260 | $452 | $496 | $30 | $148 | $1,386 | $116 |
| Explorer Limited AWD | $206 | $312 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,036 | $86 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data rating is based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rates do not factor in vehicle location which can alter rates greatly.
Comparison of full coverage and liability-only policies
The chart below illustrates the difference between Ford Explorer insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage. The premiums are based on no claims or driving violations, $100 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Are you wasting money on full coverage?
There is no exact rule that is best for determining when to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s pretend your Ford Explorer claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $4,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying over $400 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some circumstances where removing full coverage is not in your best interest. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
Why you need to buy insurance
Even though Houston Explorer insurance rates can get expensive, insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability if you drive a vehicle. 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 lien on your Ford, it’s most likely the lender will have a requirement that you have full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If the policy lapses, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Ford at an extremely high rate and force you to pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your car. It will also provide coverage for hospital and medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage will also pay attorney fees if you cause an accident and are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially for larger claims. An average driver in America overpays more than $865 each year so shop around every year to ensure rates are competitive.
Car insurance rates and discounts
Car insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but there’s a good chance there are discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you get a quote, but a few need to be inquired about before being credited.
- Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a lower rate if you buy life insurance from them.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
- Braking Control Discount – Cars and trucks that have anti-lock braking systems can stop better under adverse conditions so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Early Renewal Discounts – Some larger companies provide a discount for buying a new policy prior to your current Explorer insurance policy expiration. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers could receive a slight reduction on a Houston car insurance quote.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you can combine your homeowners and auto policy with the same insurance company you may save at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save a little off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Accident Waiver – Not a discount per se, but some companies like Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm permit an accident before raising your premiums if you have no claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. Any qualifying discounts will definitely lower the amount you pay for coverage.
To locate providers that offer the discounts shown above in Texas, click here.
Insurance agent or online?
Some consumers prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and that is not a bad decision The best thing about price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates and still have a local agent. Buying from small agencies is especially important in Houston.
Upon completion of this simple form, your insurance data is immediately sent to insurance agents in Houston who can give free rate quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent since price quotes are sent to you instantly. You can find better rates and a licensed agent to work with. In the event you want to quote rates from a specific insurance company, don’t hesitate to navigate to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Different types of car insurance agents in Houston
If you would like to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of types of insurance agents and how they are slightly different. Agents are either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent do not sell for just one brand and that allows them to write policies with an assortment of companies and find you the best rates. If your premiums go up, your policy is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
When searching for an agent, we recommend you contact multiple independent agents to have the best price comparison. Most have the option of insuring with additional companies that you may not be familiar with that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
Listed below are independent insurance agents in Houston who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Craig Insurance Agency
1020 Bay Area Blvd # 100 – Houston, TX 77058 – (281) 488-2733 – View Map - Suzanne Brown Agency-Insurance
11999 Katy Fwy #635 – Houston, TX 77079 – (281) 558-2210 – View Map - R.Y.A. Insurance Agency, Inc.
12155 Jones Rd #300 – Houston, TX 77070 – (281) 469-6286 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive generally can only insure with one company like State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers often use the same agent mainly due to the brand legacy rather than low rates.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Houston who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Joy Knox State Farm Insurance Agency
1510 Eldridge Pkwy #108 – Houston, TX 77077 – (281) 759-4300 – View Map - Anna Santa Ana – State Farm Insurance Agent
7710 Cherry Park Dr d – Houston, TX 77095 – (281) 550-0333 – View Map - Scott McNab – State Farm Insurance Agent
1005 Waugh Dr b – Houston, TX 77019 – (713) 520-5556 – View Map
Finding a good insurance agent should include more criteria than just the premium amount. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Houston?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Will one accident increase rates?
Car insurance 101
Understanding the coverages of your policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Liability insurance
Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property by causing an accident. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 30/60/25 which means $30,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $60,000, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is a combined limit which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as court costs, medical services and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible. Texas state law requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/25 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
Collision coverage
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for claims like colliding with another moving vehicle, driving through your garage door and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible on your Explorer in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Ford Explorer.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (Texas limits are 30/60/25), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually these limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Comprehensive insurance
This pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as damage from getting keyed, damage from a tornado or hurricane and vandalism. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for short-term medical expenses for things like prosthetic devices, pain medications, ambulance fees, X-ray expenses and funeral costs. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Affordable coverage is out there
As you shop your coverage around, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
Consumers change insurance companies for many reasons like delays in responding to claim requests, extreme rates for teen drivers, lack of trust in their agent and high prices. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch switching insurance companies is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Budget-conscious Ford Explorer insurance can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Houston agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies may not have the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through local independent agents.
Additional detailed information can be read in the articles below:
- Medical Payments Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Ford Fusion in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for 4×4 Vehicles in Houston? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota RAV4 in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a Honda Accord in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance for Homeowners? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance for a 20 Year Old Female? (FAQ)
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Side airbags reduce rollover fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Five Tips to Save on Auto Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)