If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to get budget auto insurance rates is to start doing a yearly price comparison from providers who can sell car insurance in Tampa.
First, it will benefit you to learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the things you can change to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that increase rates such as high-risk driving behaviors and an imperfect credit history can be eliminated by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. This article gives additional ideas to prevent high rates and get additional discounts that may be available.
Second, obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes from multiple sources.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy and see if you can save money. If you can save some money and buy the policy, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
One thing to point out is that you’ll want to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to compare all possible companies. Doing this enables the most accurate price comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
It’s well known that insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Consumers who perform rate comparisons will probably switch auto insurance companies because the odds are good of finding a more affordable policy premium. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who did price comparisons regularly saved $865 annually as compared to drivers who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding the cheapest rates on insurance is your ultimate objective, then understanding the best ways to find and compare insurance premiums can save money and time.
If you have a policy now, you will be able to cut your premiums using the tips covered below. Buying the cheapest insurance in Tampa is easy if you know what you’re doing. Although Florida consumers can benefit by having an understanding of how companies set your policy premium and use it to your advantage.
How to get the cheapest Buick Rainier insurance in Tampa
There are several ways of comparing price quotes from many available auto insurance companies in Florida. One of the best ways to find the cheapest insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online.
Comparison shopping rate quotes online is easy and it makes it a waste of time to call or drive to insurance agents’ offices. Comparing online rate quotes can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you require the extra assistance that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. If you prefer, some companies allow you to find lower rates online and still use a local agent. When comparing auto insurance rates, know that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps increase your odds of locating a lower rate than you’re paying now. Some regional insurers cannot provide rate quotes online, so it’s important to also get prices from them as well.
The companies shown below are ready to provide free rate quotes in Tampa, FL. If you want cheap auto insurance in Tampa, FL, we recommend you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Car insurance is not optional in Florida
Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in Tampa, maintaining insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
First, most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability coverage in order to drive the car legally. In Florida these limits are 10/20/10 which means you must have $10,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if your car has a loan, almost every bank will make it mandatory that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank may insure your Buick at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for it.
Third, car insurance preserves both your Buick Rainier and your personal assets. Insurance will also pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay for a defense attorney if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying enough insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially for larger claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays more than $800 each year so compare quotes from several companies at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Auto insurance coverages
Learning about specific coverages of your insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverage types found on most insurance policies.
Liability – Liability insurance provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see policy limits of 10/20/10 that means you have $10,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $20,000 in injury protection per accident, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage protects against things like legal defense fees, repair costs for stationary objects, medical services, bail bonds and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Florida state law requires minimum liability limits of 10/20/10 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
The illustration below shows why buying low liability limits may not be adequate.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays for damage to your Rainier caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, hitting a parking meter, scraping a guard rail and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your Rainier in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as pain medications, X-ray expenses and prosthetic devices. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverage – This coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like theft, hitting a bird, rock chips in glass and hail damage. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Buick Rainier.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 10/20/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Most of the time these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
What is the best auto insurance company in Florida?
Finding the right insurance company can be a challenge considering how many choices there are in Tampa. The ranking information displayed below may help you choose which auto insurance companies you want to consider purchasing coverage from.
Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
American Family | 91 | 86 | 95 | 83% | A | 89.7 |
Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
21st Century | 86 | 82 | 90 | 84% | A | 86.4 |
Liberty Mutual | 79 | 87 | 95 | 78% | A | 85.3 |
Farmers Insurance | 77 | 80 | 80 | 84% | A | 80.3 |
Compare Rates Now Go |
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies