Are you at wits end from scraping nickels together to pay high auto insurance rates every month? You are in the same boat as many other Florida consumers. Multiple auto insurance companies compete for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurers and uncover the absolute lowest rate possible.
It’s a great practice to compare prices before your policy renews because auto insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rate a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re going to learn the right way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these tips. Buying car insurance in Plant City is not rocket science. Nevertheless, Florida drivers must understand the methods companies use to market on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.
Shopping for lower auto insurance rates is a ton of work if you don’t know the best way to get rate quotes. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with agents in Plant City, or you can utilize online quotes to quickly compare rates.
The majority of car insurance companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers enter their policy data once, and every company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating quote requests for every auto insurance company.
To compare rates now click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is you are unable to specify which providers to get pricing from. If you would rather choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we have a page of companies who write auto insurance in Florida. Click here to view list.
The approach you take is up to you, just ensure you are comparing the exact same coverages and limits for each quote you get. If you compare higher or lower deductibles it’s impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Plant City. Quoting even small variations in coverages could mean much higher rates. And when comparison shopping, comparing a wide range of rates helps you find a lower rate than you’re paying now. Some regional insurers cannot provide prices over the internet, so it’s recommended that you also compare quotes from them, too.
Get lower rates with these discounts
Some companies don’t always list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous savings tricks you should be using when you .
- Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories get the best auto insurance rates in comparison with frequent claim filers.
- New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can save you some money compared to insuring an older model.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Insureds without accidents could pay up to 40% less than drivers with accident claims.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few insurance companies give discounts for signing up before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Participating in a driver safety class is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.
- College Student – College-age children who attend college more than 100 miles from home and do not take a car to college may be able to be covered for less.
- Memberships – Being in qualifying clubs or civic groups can get you a small discount on your next renewal.
Policy discounts save money, but some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. If you do the math and it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
Companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are outlined below.
- Geico includes discounts for federal employee, defensive driver, air bags, five-year accident-free, seat belt use, daytime running lights, and multi-policy.
- SAFECO may have discounts that include anti-theft, multi-car, anti-lock brakes, bundle discounts, teen safe driver, teen safety rewards, and accident prevention training.
- State Farm discounts include Drive Safe & Save, good driver, passive restraint, multiple autos, and multiple policy.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including claim-free, defensive driver, good student, accident-free, good driver, multi-policy
- 21st Century has discounts for early bird, good student, teen driver, defensive driver, and theft prevention.
- Progressive may offer discounts for homeowner, multi-policy, good student, continuous coverage, online signing, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
Before you buy a policy, ask each insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Savings might not apply in Plant City. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies with significant discounts in Plant City, click this link.
Auto insurance can be complex
When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions may help highlight if you might need professional guidance.
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- What are the best liability limits?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Should I buy only the required Florida minimum liability coverage?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
More information can be read on the website for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation found here. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.
Lower rates by being persistent
We’ve covered some good ideas how to compare auto insurance premium rates online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting . Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the smallest insurance companies. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like Progressive and Geico.
When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, someone dropped collision coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the lowest possible cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.