Shopping for the most affordable Bonita Springs auto insurance online may seem to be somewhat intimidating for beginners to buying insurance over the internet. Because there are so many insurance companies available, how can Bonita Springs drivers even start to compare the different rates to find cheaper auto insurance rates?
Finding the cheapest coverage in Bonita Springs can be fairly easy. If you have a current auto insurance policy or need a new policy, you will benefit by learning to find better prices and still get good coverage. Florida drivers just need to learn how to buy auto insurance on the web.
Are you earning every discount?
Car insurance companies do not list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance.
- Good Grades Discount – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up to age 25.
- Bonita Springs Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Bonita Springs can save you money because of the fact that having a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Switch and Save Discount – Some larger companies provide a discount for switching policies before your current coverage expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Safety Course Discount – Participating in a driver safety course could earn you a small percentage discount and make you a better driver.
- Distant College Student Discount – College-age children who attend college more than 100 miles from home and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and that can save you a little bit as well.
- New Vehicle Savings – Insuring a vehicle that is new is cheaper due to better safety requirements for newer models.
- Discount for Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a break if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being a member of a professional or civic organization could earn you a nice discount on auto insurance.
As is typical with insurance, most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
The best auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide are shown below.
- The Hartford offers premium reductions for anti-theft, bundle, good student, air bag, and driver training.
- American Family includes discounts for Steer into Savings, multi-vehicle, defensive driver, bundled insurance, early bird, and mySafetyValet.
- Progressive has discounts for homeowner, multi-policy, online quote discount, good student, online signing, and multi-vehicle.
- Travelers may have discounts that include multi-car, home ownership, new car, hybrid/electric vehicle, and continuous insurance.
- Farmers Insurance offers discounts including early shopping, pay in full, teen driver, alternative fuel, good student, multi-car, and youthful driver.
- USAA offers discounts for family discount, loyalty savings, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
- Liberty Mutual has savings for multi-policy, teen driver discount, new move discount, new vehicle discount, multi-car, safety features, and exclusive group savings.
When getting a coverage quote, ask every prospective company to give you their best rates. Savings might not be available to policyholders in every state.
What impacts Bonita Springs insurance policy premiums?
Many factors are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Most are fairly basic like an MVR report, but others are less obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are.
The factors shown below are some of the most common factors that factor into your premiums.
- Multiple policies with one company can save – Some insurers give discounts to clients that purchase more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even fifteen percent. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s always a smart idea to compare other company rates to help guarantee you have the best rates.
- Drivers with excellent credit save – Your credit score factor in determining your rates. Insureds that have excellent credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit. If your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your vehicle by improving your rating.
- Lower coverage deductibles cost more – Physical damage protection, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, insures against damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are a dented fender, damage caused by hail, and burglary. Your deductibles tell how much you are required to pay before a claim is paid by your company. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Only buy what you need – There are a lot of additional extra coverages that may not really be needed but may not be useful. Insurance for personal injury protection, towing, and membership fees are examples of these. You may think they are a good idea when buying your policy, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so remove them and pocket the money.
- Occupation stress can make you pay more – Careers such as judgesair traffic controllers and accountants have higher average rates because of stressful work requirements and long work hours. On the other hand, jobs like actors, athletes and the unemployed receive lower rates.
- Tickets and citations cost more than a fine – Your driving record impacts premiums far more than you think. Even one speeding ticket or other violation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records get better rates as compared to careless drivers. Drivers unfortunate enough to have flagrant violations like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may face state-mandated requirements to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
- Having a spouse pays dividends – Walking down the aisle helps lower the price on your policy. It translates into being more mature and responsible and insurance companies reward insureds because married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- What’s your car’s NHTSA crash test rating? – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies which can result in lower premiums.
Auto insurance can be complex
When choosing coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique.
For instance, these questions might help in determining whether you would benefit from professional advice.
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
Auto insurance is available from local insurance agents
A small number of people prefer to have an agent’s advice and that is just fine! Professional agents can help you build your policy and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap auto insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from local agents is important especially in Bonita Springs.
Once you complete this simple form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to companies in Bonita Springs who will give competitive quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You don’t have to search for any insurance agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to you. In the event you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, feel free to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
The different types of car insurance agents
When searching for a local Bonita Springs insurance agent, there are two different types of agents to choose from. Auto insurance agents can be classified as either captive or independent agents depending on their company appointments. Both types can provide auto insurance policies, but it’s important to point out how they are different because it can factor into the selection process.
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent do not work for one specific company and that allows them to write policies with many different companies and get the cheapest rates. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier which makes it simple for you. If you are comparing rate quotes, you need to compare prices from a couple of independent agencies for maximum quote selection. Most also write with companies that do not advertise much that may provide cheaper auto insurance rates.
Shown below is a partial list of independent agents in Bonita Springs who may provide free auto insurance quotes.
- Ord Agency – 3401 Pelican Landing Pkwy – Bonita Springs, FL 34134 – (239) 498-9909
- Dom Di Blase Agency – 3401 Bonita Beach Rd – Bonita Springs, FL 34134 – (239) 992-6822
- Progressive Insurance Co – 3300 Bonita Beach Rd # 109 – Bonita Springs, FL 34134 – (239) 948-5500
- American Insurance Agencies-Fl – 9220 Bonita Beach Rd – Bonita Springs, FL 34135 – (239) 992-9100
- Leppala-Orr Agency – 9220 Bonita Beach Rd # 103 – Bonita Springs, FL 34135 – (239) 947-4333
Captive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be captive can only quote rates from one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they really need to provide good service. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. A lot of people buy from the same agent for years partially due to the prominent brand name and strong financial ratings.
Shown below are captive insurance agencies in Bonita Springs who can help you get rate quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 27400 Riverview Center Blvd – Bonita Springs, FL 34134 – (239) 947-0101
- Allstate Insurance – 12870 Trade Way Four # 107 – Bonita Springs, FL 34135 – (239) 561-1862
To choose from agencies near you, see this page of Bonita Springs insurance agencies.
Finding the right auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Any good agent should know the answers to these questions.
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Florida?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Bonita Springs?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
Additional auto insurance information can be found on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Click here for link. Florida drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read state legal mandates and laws, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and file complaints about a company.
Quote often and quote early
Budget-conscious auto insurance is attainable on the web and with local Bonita Springs insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not provide rate quotes online and these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent agents.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where an insured dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest cost.
We just showed you some good ideas how you can shop for auto insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the least-expected company.