Save Money on Mercury Mariner Insurance in Boston

It’s easy to assume that insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. People who compare price quotes will, in all likelihood, buy a new policy because there is a good probability of finding more affordable rates. A recent auto insurance study discovered that people who routinely compared rates saved on average $72 a month compared to those who never shopped for cheaper rates.

If finding budget-friendly Mercury Mariner insurance in Boston is the reason for your visit, understanding the best way to quote and compare insurance can save time and money.

If you want to save the most money, the best way to quote cheaper Mercury Mariner insurance is to regularly compare price quotes from insurers who sell auto insurance in Boston. Price quotes can be compared by following these steps.

1. Get a basic knowledge of what coverages are included in your policy and the factors you can control to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that cause high rates such as distracted driving and your credit history can be rectified by paying attention to minor details. Read the full article for instructions to prevent high prices and find more discounts that you may not know about.
2. Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies. View prices
3. Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.

A tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get price estimates from as many companies as you can. This helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and a better comparison of the market.

Locating the best rates in Boston is much easier if you know where to start. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to get lower rates using the concepts covered in this article. Drivers just need to learn the proper methods to quote multiple rates from multiple carriers.

The providers in the list below offer quotes in Boston, MA. If your goal is to find the cheapest auto insurance in Massachusetts, it’s highly recommended you get prices from several of them to get the best price comparison.

Insurance rate breakdown

The information shown below covers a range of insurance coverage prices for Mercury Mariner models. Being able to understand how car insurance prices are determined is important to be able to make decisions when shopping your coverage around.

Above prices assume single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Massachusetts minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can change coverage prices noticeably.

Physical damage deductibles

One common question asked by Boston drivers is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The rates shown below summarize the price difference when you select higher and lower coverage deductibles. The first rate table uses a $250 deductible and the second set of rates uses a $500 deductible.

Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Massachusetts minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can revise premium rates significantly.

Based on the figures above, using a $250 deductible costs an average of $13 more each month or $156 annually averaged for all Mariner models than quoting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally average at a minimum 19 months between claim filings, you would save money by going with a higher deductible.

Impact of violations and accidents on rates

The diagram below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders influence Mercury Mariner car insurance rates for each different age group. The data is based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.

Boston insurance discounts for a Mercury Mariner

Insurance is expensive, but you may find discounts to help offset the cost. A few discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but a few must be inquired about before you get the savings.

• Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a course in defensive driver may get you a small discount if you qualify.
• Discounts for Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% but check with your company.
• Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you could earn a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down on your Mercury can earn better premium rates on cars that stay parked.
• Multiple Vehicles – Buying a policy with more than one vehicle on the same insurance policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.

Remember that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that you could get a free insurance policy, you’re out of luck.

The example below illustrates the difference between Mercury Mariner annual premium costs with and without policy discounts. The costs are based on a male driver, no violations or claims, Massachusetts state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, homeowner, multi-car, safe-driver, marriage, and claim-free discounts applied.

To see insurers with discount insurance rates in Boston, click this link.

Why you need to buy car insurance

Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Mercury Mariner in Boston, maintaining insurance is mandatory in Massachusetts but it also protects more than you think.

First, most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability coverage if you drive a vehicle. In Massachusetts these limits are 20/40/5 which means you must have $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.

Second, if you have a loan on your car, almost every bank will require you to have full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the lender may insure your Mercury at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.

Third, car insurance preserves both your assets and your Mercury. It will also reimburse you for all forms of medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.

The benefits of having insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially with large liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying more than $869 every year so you should quote and compare rates at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.

Don’t assume everyone needs the same car insurance coverage

When buying coverage online or from an agent for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Your needs are unique to you.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether you will benefit from professional help.

• Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
• Is pet coverage available?
• What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
• When can I cancel my policy?
• Does my car insurance cover rental cars?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Auto insurance quotes from local Boston insurance agencies

Some consumers just want to buy from a local agent and that is a smart decision Good agents can point out coverage gaps and give you someone to call. One of the benefits of comparing rates online is that you can obtain better rates and still buy from a local agent.

Once you complete this short form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in Boston who will return price quotes for your auto insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any agents since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. If you want to compare prices from a specific insurance company, don’t hesitate to jump over to their website and submit a quote form there.

Selecting an provider should include more criteria than just the premium amount. Any agent in Boston should have no problem answering these questions:

• Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
• Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in Boston?
• Is there a 24/7 contact number?
• Is there a local claims center in Boston?
• Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?

Not all auto insurance agents are the same

If you would like to find a local agent, you must know there are a couple different types of agencies that you can choose from. Insurance agencies in Boston can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents. Either one can handle auto insurance, but it’s important to know the subtle differences because it can impact your agent selection.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Agents in the exclusive channel can only provide one company’s prices and some examples include Allstate, AAA, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm. These agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive insurance agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell on service rather than price. Many people buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand rather than having the cheapest rates.

Shown below are exclusive agencies in Boston who may provide you with price quote information.

• AAA Boston
  125 High St – Boston, MA 02110 – (617) 443-9300 – View Map
• Allstate Insurance: Abner Joseph
  571 Dudley St Ste A – Boston, MA 02125 – (617) 442-9490 – View Map

View more agents

Independent Auto Insurance Agencies

These agents often have many company appointments so as a result can place your coverage through many different auto insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If they quote lower rates, they can switch companies in-house and you can keep the same agent. If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you will definitely want to include several independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison. Most independent agents also contract with less well-known companies that may provide cheaper auto insurance rates.

The following is a list of independent insurance agents in Boston willing to provide comparison quotes.

• Cecil N Marchionne Insurance Agency, Inc
  506 Main St – Medford, MA 02155 – (781) 391-7100 – View Map
• Chan Insurance Agency, Inc.
  220 Harrison Ave – Boston, MA 02111 – (617) 451-6733 – View Map
• State Fund Insurance
  #1601, 100 Summer St – Boston, MA 02110 – (617) 956-9999 – View Map

View more agents

Specifics of your insurance policy

Knowing the specifics of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.

Comprehensive coverage

Comprehensive insurance pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from getting keyed, hitting a bird, damage from flooding, falling objects and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for bills such as pain medications, EMT expenses and doctor visits. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision coverage protection

This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Mariner resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage pays for things like backing into a parked car, hitting a mailbox, rolling your car and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible on your Mariner in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Mercury Mariner.

Due to the fact that many Massachusetts drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (20/40/5), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Liability coverages

Liability coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 20/40/5 which means a $20,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.

Liability insurance covers things like funeral expenses, structural damage, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and bail bonds. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. Massachusetts requires minimum liability limits of 20/40/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.

The chart below demonstrates why low liability limits may not be adequate.