Finding economical coverage for a Ford Explorer in California is fairly simple, but it depends on many rating factors such as whether you are single or married, the likelihood of vehicle theft, and driving citations. Drivers in California will pay on average $1,440 each year for Explorer insurance, but that cost is an approximation using a 40-year-old married female driver with full comprehensive and collision coverage and $100 deductibles.
It’s more than likely you may not be 40 years old (or even female), you might be single instead of married, or maybe you just want liability only. Even a slight change in rating criteria or coverage limits could end up with a large change in the cost of insurance for a Ford Explorer.
Auto insurance is not the same for everyone, so the only real way to find cheap insurance prices for your Ford is to just take the time to compare rates yourself.
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The trim level of your Explorer can impact the insurance rate, so the price you pay to insure a Explorer XLT 2WD will be $162 lower than the insurance cost for the fancier Explorer Limited AWD trim level, as demonstrated by the prices below.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer XLT 2WD | $326 | $554 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,510 | $126 |
| Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $326 | $554 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,510 | $126 |
| Explorer XLT 4WD | $326 | $554 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,510 | $126 |
| Explorer XLT AWD | $326 | $554 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,510 | $126 |
| Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $370 | $672 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,672 | $139 |
| Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $370 | $672 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,672 | $139 |
| Explorer Limited 2WD | $370 | $672 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,672 | $139 |
| Explorer Limited 4WD | $370 | $672 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,672 | $139 |
| Explorer Limited AWD | $370 | $672 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,672 | $139 |
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Table data represents married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in specific zip code location which can affect auto insurance rates considerably.
California insurance company ratings
Insuring your vehicle with a good quality insurer can be a challenge considering how many companies provide coverage in California. The company rank data listed below could help you pick which car insurance companies to look at when comparing rate quotes. The ratings below are only made up of insurance companies that insure vehicles in the majority of U.S. states, so companies without a large exposure are not included in these rankings.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Insurance rates are higher with tickets and accidents
The obvious way to enjoy cheap insurance rates in California for an Explorer is to be a careful driver and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The chart below shows how violations and at-fault accidents can increase insurance premiums for different age categories. The costs are based on a single male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
The data charted above shows the average cost of car insurance in San Francisco per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $3,057. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost increases to $4,065, an increase of $1,008 each year. Now include two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of insurance for a Ford Explorer jumps again to an average of $7,569. That’s an increase of $4,512, or $376 per month, just for not being attentive to the road!
Should you buy full coverage?
Paying a lower price for insurance is the goal of most drivers, and an effective way to pay lower rates for insurance for a Ford Explorer is to buy liability only. The information below visualizes the comparison of premium costs with and without full coverage. The price estimates are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
If we average all the age groups together, physical damage coverage costs $2,553 per year over liability only. Many of you may wonder if buying full coverage is worth the expense. There is no exact formula to exclude physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s replacement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $8,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are currently paying more than $800 annually to have full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
Ideas for buying cheaper insurance for a Ford Explorer
The list below details some of the better penny-pinching solutions that can help drivers quote cheaper car insurance.
- Accidents can significantly increase rates
- Insure your home and auto with the same company
- Do not get traffic citations
- Vehicles with good safety ratings are usually cheaper to insure
- Do not pay for comprehensive and collision coverage on older vehicles
- If possible, pay for small claims out-of-pocket
- Compare prices as often as possible
That last tip is extraordinarily valuable, as was pointed out in this write-up. Prices charged by auto insurers in San Francisco fluctuate considerably, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to switch companies if a more affordable rate is found. We understand brand loyalty, but we do not recommend it if that stubbornness costs you a small fortune year after year. Take a few minutes and shop around to find cheaper insurance for a Ford Explorer.
If you wish to get some professional advice when buying car insurance for a Ford Explorer, the agents listed below are a good start to answer your questions and help you decide which policy fits your needs best.
To find an auto insurance agency by location nearest to you, click the link after the list or click here to compare prices now.
- Milber Health Insurance Agent
1492 11th Ave – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 564-8829 - Kate McIntyre – State Farm Insurance Agent
1215 9th Ave b – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 661-3650 - Lynn Petrie Lange – State Farm Insurance Agent
3717 Buchanan St #100 – San Francisco, CA 94123 – (415) 923-0192