No car owner gets a kick out of paying for auto insurance, particularly when the cost is too high. Popular companies such as Geico, Farmers Insurance and State Farm all claim big savings, bombarding you with ad campaigns and it can be hard to see past the corporate glitz and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Lower-cost Florida auto insurance rates with discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every possible discount very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known credits available to you. If you are not receiving all the discounts available, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
- Full Payment Discount – By paying your entire bill at once as opposed to paying monthly you can avoid the installment charge.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Distant Student Discount – Older children who attend college more than 100 miles from home and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Larger companies have a small discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Early Signing – Some auto insurance companies give discounts for buying a new policy prior to your current policy expiring. This discount can save up to 10%.
- Membership in Organizations – Having an affiliation with qualifying employment or professional organizations could earn you a nice discount when getting a .
- Passenger Safety Discount – Options like air bags may earn rate discounts up to 30%.
A little disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Some of the insurance companies that possibly offer most of these discounts include:
Before purchasing a policy, check with every insurance company how you can save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply everywhere. To locate insurance companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in Greenacres, follow this link.
Many insurance companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm make it easy to get insurance quotes from their websites. Getting online rates is quite simple as you simply enter the coverage amounts you desire on the page. Upon sending the form, the system automatically retrieves reports for credit and driving violations and gives you a price quote. Online price quotes helps simplify price comparisons, but the time it takes to visit several different sites and enter the same data into a form is a big time waster. But it is imperative to compare as many rates as possible if you want to find a lower rate.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-27.jpg" alt="Greenacres Florida car insurance“/>
The better way to compare rates
The easiest way to lower your rates uses one form to get prices from more than one company. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes rate comparisons a lot less work. As soon as the form is sent, it is rated and you are able to buy any of the resulting price quotes.
If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. This process can be completed in a matter of minutes and may result in a nice savings.
In order to compare rates using this form now, click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you input the limits and deductibles as shown on your current policy. Doing this guarantees you will have a fair comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.
How car insurance companies determine costs
Many different elements are part of the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some factors are common sense like a motor vehicle report, but some are more transparent such as your credit history or your commute time. One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of a few of the rating criteria that go into determining auto insurance rates. When consumers understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make good choices that could help you find better auto insurance rates.
- Extra coverages push up costs – Policies have additional extra coverages that you can buy on your policy. Coverage for things like vanishing deductibles, death and dismemberment, and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Being married can save you money – Getting married may cut your premiums on auto insurance. It means you’re more responsible and insurance companies like that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- Annual mileage impacts costs – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the higher your rate. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how much you drive. Cars and trucks that do not get driven very much qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance policy correctly shows annual mileage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Gender matters – Statistics demonstrate females are less aggressive when driving. This data doesn’t prove that females are better drivers. Both sexes tend to get into fender benders in similar percentages, but the men cause more damage. In addition to higher claims, males also get higher numbers of serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Young males are the most expensive to insure and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- High physical damage deductibles lower costs – Physical damage insurance, aka comp and collision, insures against damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be a dented fender, hitting a deer, and having your car stolen. Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if the claim is covered. The more expense you have to pay, the lower your rates will be.
- Insurance prices are higher for high performance vehicles – The make and model of the car, truck or SUV you are buying insurance for makes a huge difference in determining your rates. The lowest premiums are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Tailor your auto insurance coverage to you
When buying proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
- What are the financial responsibility laws in Florida?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Florida?
- Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
Smart shoppers get results
More affordable auto insurance can be purchased both online and from local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not offer internet price quotes and these smaller providers only sell through independent agencies.
You just read many ways to lower your auto insurance premium rates. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get prices for, the better your chances of lowering your prices. You may even find the best premium rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Progressive and Geico.
Additional auto insurance information is available on the website for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation through this link. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, find out which companies have the most complaints, and download brochures.