Searching for better insurance prices for your Mercury Montego in Louisiana can be a lot of work, but you can learn these tips to make it easier.
There are both good and bad ways to shop for car insurance so we’re going to tell you the quickest way to get price quotes for a Mercury and find the lowest possible price either online or from New Orleans insurance agents.
It’s an obvious statement that car insurance companies don’t want you to look at other companies. Insureds who shop around for the cheapest price are very likely to buy a new policy because of the high probability of finding good coverage at a lower price. A recent survey discovered that drivers who shopped around every year saved about $70 a month compared to policyholders who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding the lowest price on insurance in New Orleans is your ultimate target, knowing how to get free comparison quotes and analyze cheaper coverage can help you succeed in finding affordable rates.
Getting low cost Mercury Montego auto insurance pricing is actually quite simple. The only thing you need to do is take the time to compare rates to see which company has affordable New Orleans auto insurance quotes.
The following companies have been selected to offer price comparisons in New Orleans, LA. If you wish to find the best auto insurance in LA, we suggest you compare several of them to find the lowest car insurance rates.
Mercury Montego insurance discounts in New Orleans
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but occasionally some discounts must be specifically requested in order for you to get them.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more on Montego insurance in New Orleans.
- Multi-car Discount – Insuring multiple vehicles on the same insurance policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Waiver for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like State Farm and Allstate will forgive one accident without getting socked with a rate hike if you have no claims for a set time period.
- Claim Free – New Orleans drivers who stay claim-free pay less as opposed to drivers with a long claim history.
- Low Mileage – Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for discounted prices on garaged vehicles.
- Renewal Discounts – Select insurance companies give a discount for buying a policy before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.
You can save money using discounts, but most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will definitely lower your insurance premiums.
A few of the larger companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- State Farm may have discounts that include defensive driving training, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and safe vehicle.
- American Family policyholders can earn discounts including good driver, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, mySafetyValet, and TimeAway discount.
- AAA has discounts for AAA membership discount, good student, multi-policy, multi-car, and good driver.
- GEICO has savings for defensive driver, multi-policy, good student, membership and employees, driver training, and air bags.
- Mercury Insurance includes discounts for anti-theft, annual mileage, professional/association, ease of repair, and age of vehicle.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include youthful driver, electronic funds transfer, mature driver, switch companies, and business and professional.
- Progressive offers discounts for continuous coverage, online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, good student, homeowner, and multi-policy.
Check with each company or agent which discounts you may be entitled to. Discounts may not apply in your area.
Here’s why car insurance is not optional
Despite the high insurance cost for a Mercury Montego in New Orleans, insuring your vehicle may be mandatory for several reasons.
First, the majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car legally. In Louisiana these limits are 15/30/25 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you bought your Mercury Montego with a loan, almost every bank will require you to carry insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender will be forced to insure your Mercury at a significantly higher premium and force you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, car insurance protects your Mercury Montego and your assets. Insurance will also pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. On average, a vehicle owner in New Orleans is overpaying over $700 annually so compare quotes from several companies once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are competitive.
What insurance coverages do I need?
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For example, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- How do I insure my teen driver?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Louisiana?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- Are rock chip repairs covered?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- When should I not buy collision coverage?
- What is PIP insurance?
- If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?
- What are good deductibles for a Mercury Montego?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Local New Orleans car insurance agents and car insurance
Some people still prefer to have an agent’s advice and often times that is recommended Good insurance agents will help you protect your assets and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain cheap car insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to. Putting coverage with local agents is important especially in New Orleans.
Upon completion of this short form, your information is immediately sent to companies in New Orleans who want to provide quotes for your car insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent as quotes are delivered directly to you. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a particular provider, you can always go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you are wanting to find a local agent, it helps to know the two different agency structures that you can choose from. Car insurance agents in New Orleans are classified as either independent or exclusive. Both write car insurance policies, but it is important to understand how they are different since it may influence the type of agent you choose.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These type of agents can quote rates with many companies so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If premiums increase, your agent can just switch to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to compare prices from a few independent agents for maximum quote selection. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.
Below is a list of independent agents in New Orleans that may be able to give free price quotes.
- Pappalardo Agency, Inc.
145 Robert E Lee Blvd #202 – New Orleans, LA 70124 – (504) 486-7441 – View Map - Dan Burghardt Insurance Agency
5741 Crowder Blvd – New Orleans, LA 70127 – (504) 241-7283 – View Map - Robert Sheard Insurance
1601 Gordon St – New Orleans, LA 70117 – (504) 947-3044 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance and State Farm. These agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents are well trained on what they offer which helps them compete with independent agents. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from exclusives primarily because of the brand rather than low rates.
Shown below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in New Orleans willing to provide price quotes.
- State Farm – Mia DeLouise
5638 Jefferson Hwy – New Orleans, LA 70123 – (504) 739-7979 – View Map - Andy Bowden – State Farm Insurance Agent
6325 Elysian Fields Ave a – New Orleans, LA 70122 – (504) 288-2219 – View Map - Randy Bordlee – State Farm Insurance Agent
4650 General De Gaulle Dr #102 – New Orleans, LA 70131 – (504) 392-9300 – View Map
Picking the best auto insurance agent is decision based upon more than just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Are they in the agency full-time?
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Louisiana?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
Auto insurance 101
Having a good grasp of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Medical expense coverage
Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as rehabilitation expenses, X-ray expenses, nursing services and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for damage to your Montego resulting from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against claims like colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a mailbox and damaging your car on a curb. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible on your Montego to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants 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 as well as damage to your Mercury Montego.
Due to the fact that many Louisiana drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (15/30/25), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Frequently these limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Comprehensive protection
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 coverage protects against things such as theft, rock chips in glass, hail damage and falling objects. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for liability
This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 15/30/25 which means $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for things such as pain and suffering, emergency aid and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible. Louisiana state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/25 but you should consider buying more coverage.
The next chart demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not be high enough to adequately cover claims.