The most effective way to get cheaper Lincoln MKT insurance in Charlotte is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from companies in North Carolina.
- Take a few minutes and learn about the different coverages in a policy and the measures you can take to prevent rate increases. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases like distracted driving and a low credit rating can be rectified by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices for a wide range of companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates and determine if cheaper MKT coverage is available in Charlotte. If you find better rates and make a switch, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Provide notification to your current company to cancel your current coverage and submit the application along with any required down payment for your new coverage. Don’t forget to put the new certificate of insurance with your registration paperwork.
An essential thing to point out is to use identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get rate quotes from every insurance company. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and a good representation of prices.
It’s hard to believe, but most car insurance customers kept their policy with the same company for well over three years, and nearly the majority have never compared rates with other companies. Charlotte drivers can save as much as $90 each year, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to compare rates and save money.
If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to shop for the lowest rates using this information. These techniques will let you in on how auto insurance companies operate and also pocket some savings Although North Carolina car owners can benefit from knowing how big insurance companies determine prices because it varies considerably.
Components of Your Lincoln MKT Insurance Costs
A large part of saving on insurance is knowing some of the elements that go into determining insurance rates. When consumers understand what influences your rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.
- You might pay higher premiums if you are single – Walking down the aisle can get you a discount when buying insurance. Having a significant other means you’re more stable financially and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Insurance policy lapses increase insurance rates – Not maintaining insurance is illegal and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. Not only will you pay higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance can result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You may have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the North Carolina DMV.
- Do you really need to file those policy claims? – If you are a frequent claim filer, you shouldn’t be surprised to get much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Insurance companies in North Carolina provide better rates to insureds who do not file claims often. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
- Liability insurance is critical – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if ever you are responsible for physical damage or personal injury to other. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Insurance rates and your occupation – Occupations like military personnel, architects, and financial analysts usually pay higher average rates in part from high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Other careers such as farmers, athletes and performers have the lowest average rates.
- If you don’t need it don’t buy it – There are many extra coverages that may not really be needed but may not be useful. Coverage for things like replacement cost coverage, accidental death, and membership fees are probably not needed. They may sound like good ideas initially, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
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Lower performance equals lower insurance premiums – The performance level of the car, truck or SUV you need to insure makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates will normally be found when insuring economy passenger cars, but your final cost has many other factors.
The following chart uses these variables: single female driver age 40, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It shows Lincoln MKT insurance premiums compared to other vehicles that have different performances.
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Loss statistics for a Lincoln MKT – Insurers take into consideration insurance loss statistics for every vehicle to help calculate premium rates. Models that tend to have high amounts or severity of claims will have increased rates.
The table below shows the collected loss data for Lincoln MKT vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is equal to 100. Values that are under 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while values over 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or an increased chance of a larger loss.
Lincoln MKT Insurance Claim Statistics Specific Lincoln Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Lincoln MKT 4dr 2WD 128 133 Lincoln MKT 4dr 4WD 118 85 138 85 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
When comparing insurance rates, know that comparing more rates from different companies increases your odds of finding the best rates.
The car insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer price comparisons in Charlotte, NC. To find the best cheap car insurance in Charlotte, NC, we recommend you click on several of them to get the lowest price.
Lincoln MKT insurance coverage information
The rate information below highlights estimates of insurance policy prices for Lincoln MKT models. Having a good grasp of how insurance quotes are established can be useful when making smart choices when buying a car insurance policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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MKT 3.7 2WD | $150 | $240 | $282 | $16 | $84 | $772 | $64 |
MKT 3.7 AWD | $164 | $276 | $282 | $16 | $84 | $822 | $69 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy. Price estimates do not factor in your specific Charlotte location which can affect premium rates greatly.
Physical damage deductibles: Should you raise them?
A question often asked by Charlotte drivers is how low should you set your deductibles. The tables below may help to conceptualize how much more you’ll pay of buying low and high deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $100 physical damage coverage deductible and the second set of rates uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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MKT 3.7 2WD | $270 | $456 | $282 | $16 | $84 | $1,133 | $94 |
MKT 3.7 AWD | $298 | $524 | $282 | $16 | $84 | $1,229 | $102 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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MKT 3.7 2WD | $196 | $308 | $282 | $16 | $84 | $886 | $74 |
MKT 3.7 AWD | $216 | $354 | $282 | $16 | $84 | $952 | $79 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in specific garaging location which can lower or raise premium rates considerably.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $100 deductible costs about $21 more each month or $252 every year across all Lincoln MKT models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $400 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to have at least 19 months between claims, you would save more money if you opt for a higher deductible.
The example below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can affect Lincoln MKT insurance rates for different age categories. The prices are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are applied.
Cost of full coverage
The chart below compares Lincoln MKT insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The premium estimates are based on no claims or violations, $100 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Are you wasting money on full coverage?
There is no exact rule for phasing out comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Lincoln MKT claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company will settle for is $4,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premium cost is more than $400 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some situations where removing full coverage is not a good plan. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Car insurance is not optional but you don’t have to overpay
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Lincoln MKT in Charlotte, buying car insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires specific limits of liability insurance coverage if you want to drive legally. In North Carolina 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 bought your MKT with a loan, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you buy insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank will be required to insure your Lincoln for a much higher rate and make you pay for it.
- Car insurance protects not only your car but also your financial assets. Insurance will also pay for hospital and medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If you have damage to your Lincoln as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. The average driver in America is overpaying over $825 a year so you should quote and compare rates at every policy renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
You may qualify for discounts for Lincoln MKT insurance in Charlotte
Some insurance providers do not list every policy discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find credits that may apply to you. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you could be getting lower rates.
- Low Miles Discount – Fewer annual miles on your Lincoln could earn cheaper prices.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for primary and secondary vehicles on a single policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Professional Memberships – Joining a civic or occupational organization in Charlotte could trigger savings on your policy.
- Driving Data Discount – People who choose to allow data collection to scrutinize when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematic data system like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot might see lower rates if they show good driving skills.
- Charlotte Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner can help you save on insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Discount for Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a break if you buy life insurance from them.
- Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for a slight reduction on a Charlotte car insurance quote.
- Resident Student – Children who attend college more than 100 miles from Charlotte and do not have a car may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can stop better under adverse conditions and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Federal Employees – Active or former government employment can earn a discount up to 10% but check with your company.
As is typical with insurance, many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.
The chart below compares Lincoln MKT insurance costs with and without discounts. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no claims or driving violations, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, marriage, claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-policy discounts applied.
If you would like to see a list of companies offering insurance discounts in North Carolina, click this link.
When should I contact an agent?
Many drivers still prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that is just fine! One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get lower auto insurance rates and still buy from a local agent. And providing support for local insurance agents is definitely important in Charlotte.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your information is immediately sent to participating agents in Charlotte who want to provide quotes for your coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to search for an agent since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to. In the event you want to compare rates for a specific company, feel free to go to their quote page and fill out their quote form.
Types of car insurance agents in Charlotte
When researching a local Charlotte insurance agency, there are two types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Charlotte can be described as either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents are not employed by one company so they can quote policies with many different companies and find the cheapest rate. If you want to switch companies, your agent can switch companies which makes it simple for you.
When comparing rate quotes, you should always get insurance quotes from independent agents to have the most options to choose from. They often place coverage with different regional companies which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a list of independent agents in Charlotte who can help you get free car insurance rate quotes.
- The Jordan Insurance Agency,LLC
13860 Ballantyne Corporate Pl #120 – Charlotte, NC 28277 – (704) 926-7565 – View Map - Patriot Insurance Agencies
9620 Monroe Rd – Charlotte, NC 28270 – (704) 644-3058 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance – William Laurie Agency
8820 University E Dr Ste B – Charlotte, NC 28213 – (704) 945-2331 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type are contracted to one company such as Allstate and State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agents are trained well on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the brand rather than having the cheapest rates.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agents in Charlotte that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Joe Pomykacz – State Farm Insurance Agent
2730 E W.T. Harris Blvd #202 – Charlotte, NC 28213 – (704) 535-3700 – View Map - Howard Johnson Jr – State Farm Insurance Agent
5342 Docia Crossing Rd a – Charlotte, NC 28269 – (704) 947-7233 – View Map - State Farm: Happy Mullen
2201 South Blvd #420 – Charlotte, NC 28203 – (704) 362-0800 – View Map
Selecting an insurance agency requires more thought than just a cheap price quote. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Where are claims handled?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
- Is the quote a firm price?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
If you feel you receive good answers to these questions as well as offering an affordable quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Be persistent to save money
As you prepare to switch companies, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are many occasions where an insured cut physical damage coverage only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
The cheapest Lincoln MKT insurance in Charlotte can be bought from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Charlotte agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who may not offer online rate quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agencies.
Consumers change insurance companies for many reasons like unfair underwriting practices, high rates after DUI convictions, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason, switching car insurance companies is actually quite simple.
Additional detailed information can be found at these sites:
- Credit and Insurance Scores (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Good Credit in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Versa in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Charlotte Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Requiring a SR22? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Rates with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Charlotte Car Insurance Rates for a School Permit? (FAQ)
- How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)
- Information for Teen Drivers (GEICO)
- Senior Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)