Did a good deal turn into high-priced Ford Focus insurance in Chicago? Believe me when I say there are many Chicago consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance.
Shockingly, about 70% of customers kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for over three years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never compared auto insurance rates at all. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,847, U.S. drivers could pocket as much as $859 a year by just comparing quotes, but most just don’t grasp the big savings they would realize if they moved their coverage to a different company. Because you have many insurance companies to choose from that have cheap insurance for a Ford Focus in Chicago, it’s nearly impossible to choose the most cost effective company.
It’s a good idea to check auto insurance prices once or twice a year because rates tend to go up over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal on Ford Focus insurance in Chicago six months ago a different company probably has better prices today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because we’re going to show you how to quote online to find lower rates on auto insurance.
Finding the cheapest coverage in Chicago can initially seem challenging. If you have coverage now or are looking for a new policy, use these techniques to find the best rates while maintaining coverages. Vehicle owners just have to understand the best way to get comparison rates online from multiple companies.
Many insurance companies allow you to get prices for coverage from their websites. Getting quotes for Ford Focus insurance in Chicago is pretty painless because it’s just a matter of typing in your coverage information on the page. When complete, their quoting system orders information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price based on the information you submitted. Getting online quotes for Ford Focus insurance in Chicago makes it easy to compare insurance prices and it is imperative to perform this step if you are searching for lower-cost rates.
In order to find out how much you’re overpaying now, check out the car insurance providers below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you replicate the limits and deductibles exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you’re receiving a price comparison using the same coverage and limits.
The providers in the list below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Illinois. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $190 | $398 | $266 | $16 | $80 | $950 | $79 |
| Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $130 | $252 | $268 | $16 | $80 | $746 | $62 |
| Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $176 | $400 | $262 | $16 | $78 | $932 | $78 |
| Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $160 | $368 | $268 | $16 | $80 | $892 | $74 |
| Focus SE 2-Dr Coupe | $172 | $396 | $278 | $16 | $84 | $946 | $79 |
| Focus SES 2-Dr Coupe | $194 | $452 | $384 | $22 | $114 | $1,166 | $97 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data assumes single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Information does not factor in Chicago location which can increase or decrease insurance rates substantially.
Policy deductible comparison
The illustration below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can raise or lower Ford Focus annual premium costs for different age categories. The premiums are based on a married female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
Irresponsible driving raises your rates
The illustration below illustrates how violations and accident claims can impact Ford Focus annual premium costs for different age categories. The prices are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Does full coverage make sense?
The illustration below shows the comparison of Ford Focus car insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage. The premiums assume no violations or claims, $500 deductibles, single female driver, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to drop comprehensive and collision coverage
There isn’t a steadfast formula to exclude full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is 10% or more 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 Ford Focus book value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company will settle for is $7,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying more than $700 a year for physical damage coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.
There are some conditions where eliminating full coverage is not a good plan. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to keep full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should keep full coverage in place.
Determine discounts on Chicago insurance
Car insurance can cost a lot, but you may be missing some discounts to help bring down the price. A few discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but some must be asked for before you get the savings.
- Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving could cut 10% or more off the medical payments premium.
- Multiple Cars – Insuring more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Seniors could receive a slight reduction on a Chicago car insurance quote.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger insurance companies have a discounted premium rate on car insurance if you buy some life insurance too.
- Home Ownership Discount – Owning a house in Chicago can earn you a little savings because owning a home is proof of financial responsibility.
- Defensive Driver – Passing a safe driver course could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
- Theft Deterrent – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Please keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, it’s just not the way it works.
Insurance companies who may offer these money-saving discounts possibly include:
It’s a good idea to ask all companies you are considering which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered on policies in Chicago.
Insurance agencies can find coverage gaps
A small number of people would rather visit with an insurance agent. Experienced insurance agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find cheap car insurance rates and also buy local.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your coverage information gets sent to companies in Chicago that give free quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact an agency because prices are sent immediately to you. If you need to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, you just need to go to their quote page and submit a quote form there.
Selecting an company is decision based upon more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent in Chicago should be forthright in answering these questions:
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- What discounts might you be missing?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
Which is the best insurance?
Always keep in mind that when comparing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Each situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- Should I buy only the required Illinois minimum liability coverage?
- What is GAP insurance?
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- What is medical payments coverage?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Three main reasons to buy insurance
Despite the high cost, buying insurance is mandatory in Illinois but it also protects more than you think.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific level of liability in order to drive the car. In Illinois these limits are 20/40/15 which means you must have $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Focus has a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it mandatory that you buy insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Ford at a much higher rate and require you to fork over for the expensive policy.
- Insurance preserves not only your Ford but also your assets. It will also reimburse you for all forms of medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you have damage to your Ford as the result of the weather or an accident, your insurance policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays more than $850 per year so you should quote your policy with other companies at least once a year to make sure the price is not too high.
Learn about car insurance coverages for a Ford Focus
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Auto liability
Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to people or other property. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 20/40/15 that translate to $20,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $40,000, and property damage coverage for $15,000.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as structural damage, attorney fees, bail bonds and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. Illinois state law requires minimum liability limits of 20/40/15 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
Collision coverage
Collision coverage pays for damage to your Focus from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things such as backing into a parked car, sideswiping another vehicle and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your Focus to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 20/40/15), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for expenses like ambulance fees, hospital visits, surgery and rehabilitation expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like fire damage, theft and hail damage. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Shop around and save
Drivers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, policy cancellation, being labeled a high risk driver or delays in responding to claim requests. No matter why you want to switch, finding the right auto insurance provider can be less work than you think.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where someone dropped full coverage only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at the best cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
We just showed you a lot of information how to save on Ford Focus insurance in Chicago. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding low cost Chicago car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the most savings is with the smaller companies.
For more information, link through to these articles:
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Chicago Car Insurance Rates for First-time Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for Uber Drivers in Chicago? (FAQ)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)