New vehicle owners may wonder if they have the right insurance coverage for their new ride. Two of the country’s automotive and insurance industry leaders are offering a solution that’s as simple as filling out a form in their FordPass or Lincoln Way app.
Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure, powered by Nationwide, offer a simple and convenient way to secure usage-based insurance coverage through Ford Motor Credit Company’s licensed insurance agency.
By logging on to their FordPass or Lincoln Way app, clicking on the insurance tile and filling in some information, customers in 39 states with qualifying 2020 Ford or Lincoln vehicles can purchase a policy in minutes and become eligible to save up to 40 percent.<sup>1</sup> The form is prepopulated with key vehicle information to make the process easy and fast.
“This is the latest way we’re improving the customer experience,” said Elena Ford, chief customer experience officer at Ford Motor Company. “Insure makes getting insurance easier for connected-vehicle customers to cover one of their biggest investments – their vehicle – while saving money.”
Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure policyholders consent to be enrolled in Nationwide’s SmartRide<sup>®</sup> usage-based insurance program and will share their vehicle connectivity information with Nationwide for the initial six-month policy.
Once customers purchase a policy, the connected vehicle will track and share distance driven, hard braking and accelerating, idle time and night driving to establish a policy rate for renewal. The data are shared with Nationwide through the vehicle’s embedded modem, eliminating the need for a special app or vehicle plug-in device. Customers are eligible for up to a 40 percent discount, which will be applied when the policy is renewed.
Customers will have access to Nationwide’s standard Accident Forgiveness option, as well as crash repairs using genuine Ford parts.
“Customers want to be able to purchase auto insurance as quickly and easily as possible,” said Brad Lemons, Nationwide’s senior vice president of Personal Lines Product and Underwriting. “Ford and Nationwide are bringing together the best of our businesses to help make this happen in a way that is sure to delight our customers.”
Ford Insure is the latest step in Ford Motor Company’s comprehensive, long-term customer experience initiative. Ford aims to make each part of the ownership experience easier and worry-free, building customer ranks and revenues over time. Ford already has doubled its investment in customer experiences to increase trust and loyalty through programs that show appreciation to its long-term customer base.
“Development of Ford Insure and Lincoln Insure began with a focus on the customer – making it as easy as possible to insure their new vehicle and offer the advantages of usage-based insurance,” said Marion Harris, president and chief executive officer of Ford Credit. “Constantly improving connected vehicle technology is allowing us to find new ways to contribute to a great customer experience.”
Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure are available in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Launches in other states are planned over time.
The insurance offer starts with these models: 2020 Ford Explorer, Fusion, Mustang, Transit Connect, Escape, Edge, EcoSport, Expedition, F-Series Super Duty, Transit, Ranger and the upcoming all-new 2021 F-150; and 2020 Lincoln Aviator, MKZ, Corsair, Nautilus and Navigator.
“Nationwide and Ford are two of the most well-known companies in America, and our customers are looking to us to provide the best insurance purchasing experience possible,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide chief executive officer. “We’re confident this new partnership will lead to future innovative products and services between our two organizations.”
[1]Availability varies; program criteria differs in California. Stated discounts are approximations. Discounts do not apply to all coverage elements; actual savings vary by state, coverage selections, rating factors and policy changes. Participation discount applies during data collection; final discount is calculated on driving behavior and could be zero. Final discount applies at the next policy renewal and is subject to change based upon actuarial support at subsequent renewals or with changes in drivers or vehicles on the policy.