We don’t have to point out that fact that auto insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. Insureds who get comparison quotes once a year are highly likely to buy a new policy because there are good odds of finding a lower-cost company. A study discovered that drivers who make a habit of shopping around saved on average $865 annually as compared to drivers who never shopped around.
If saving money on insurance is the reason you’re here, then understanding how to quote prices and compare auto insurance can make it easier for you to save money.
The most effective way to find discount auto insurance rates is to start doing a yearly price comparison from companies who can sell car insurance in Tampa. You can shop around by following these guidelines.
- First, read and learn about how companies price auto insurance and the things you can change to keep rates in check. Many things that cause high rates such as traffic tickets, fender benders, and poor credit rating can be amended by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article gives the details to help keep rates affordable and find overlooked discounts.
- Second, get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agencies can quote prices for a wide range of insurance providers. Click to view companies
- Third, compare the new quotes to the price on your current policy to determine if you can save on C-Max Hybrid insurance. If you can save money and switch companies, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
- Fourth, provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel the current policy and submit a completed application and payment to the newly selected company. Don’t forget to put the new proof of insurance certificate somewhere easily accessible.
A tip to remember is to compare similar limits and deductibles on each quote and to quote with as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this guarantees an apples-to-apples comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
Decisions You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Costs
The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at some of the elements that help calculate the level of your policy premiums. If you understand what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that can earn you lower premium levels.
How credit rating affects insurance rates – Credit score can be a huge factor in calculating your premium rate. If your credit history is low, you may save money insuring your Ford C-Max Hybrid if you clean up your credit. People with excellent credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores.
Get better rates if married – Getting married can get you a discount on insurance. Marriage may mean you are more mature and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
Does insurance cost less for women? – Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better drivers. Men and women are in auto accidents at about the same rate, but males cause more damage. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high insurance rates.
Extra coverages can add up – Policies have add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying but may not be useful. Coverages for roadside assistance, accident forgiveness, and extra life insurance coverage may be wasting your money. The coverages may be enticing when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money think about removing them and cutting costs.
How old are your drivers? – Older people tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents, and are safer drivers. Teen drivers are known to be inattentive when driving with friends and because of this, their insurance rates are much higher.
Lower rates for safer cars – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means your insurance company pays less which can result in lower premiums. If your Ford C-Max Hybrid earned at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you may qualify for a discount.
Lower deductibles cost more – Physical damage protection, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, covers your vehicle from damage. A few examples of covered claims could be a broken side mirror, flood damage, and having your car stolen. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles state the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more of the claim you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
More performance means higher premiums – The performance level of the vehicle you need to insure makes a significant difference in your car insurance bill. Low performance passenger models receive the most favorable rates, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
Ford C-Max Hybrid statistical loss data – Insurers analyze the history of losses when they set coverage costs for each model. Models that the statistics show to have higher loss trends will have increased rates. The table shown below demonstrates the loss history for Ford C-Max Hybrid vehicles.
For each coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles compiled together is represented as 100. Values below 100 suggest a positive loss record, while numbers above 100 point to more frequent losses or tendency to have larger claims.
| Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford C-Max Hybrid | 99 | 92 | 95 | 94 | 89 | 100 |
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Finding low cost car insurance quotes is actually quite simple. Drivers just need to spend a few minutes on the computer to compare rates to find the company with inexpensive Tampa car insurance quotes.
The car insurance companies shown below can provide price quotes in Tampa, FL. To buy the cheapest car insurance in FL, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get a more complete price comparison.
It may be expensive, but it’s not optional
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Tampa, paying for insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability in order to be legal. 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.
- If you bought your vehicle with a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will stipulate that you buy insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Ford at a more expensive rate and require you to pay for it.
- Insurance safeguards your vehicle and your assets. It will also reimburse you for medical bills for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of insuring your car are definitely more than the cost, especially for larger claims. As of last year, the average driver in Florida overpays more than $865 each year so you should quote and compare rates at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Get cheaper rates on Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in Tampa with these auto insurance discounts
Some insurers don’t necessarily list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and also the more inconspicuous credits that you can use to lower your rates.
- Theft Deterrent – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- E-sign Discounts – Certain insurance companies will provide an incentive shop Tampa car insurance on the internet.
- Early Signing – Some auto insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to the expiration date on your current C-Max Hybrid insurance policy. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Driver Safety – Taking time to complete a course teaching driver safety skills could earn you a small percentage discount if your company offers it.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them complete a driver education course as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
- New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new C-Max Hybrid may earn a small discount due to better safety requirements for new model year vehicles.
- Telematics Data – Insureds that choose to allow data collection to study vehicle usage by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may see discounts as long as they are good drivers.
You should keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, you won’t be that lucky.
A partial list of companies that may include some of the discounts shown above are:
When getting a coverage quote, ask every insurance company to apply every possible discount. Some discounts may not apply to policies in Tampa. To see a list of companies with significant discounts in Florida, click this link.
When to contact an agent
A lot of people still prefer to sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. Professional insurance agents are trained risk managers and help in the event of a claim. A nice benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your insurance coverage information is sent to local insurance agents in Tampa who want to provide quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. If you wish to compare rates from one company in particular, you can always visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Deciding on an insurer shouldn’t rely on just a cheap quote. Here are some questions you should ask.
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- When do they do a full risk review?
- How experienced are they in personal risk management?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- How are claims handled?
Car insurance agents in Tampa come in two varieties
If you want to buy insurance from a local agent, it can be helpful to understand the types of agencies and how they can quote your rates. Agencies in Tampa are either exclusive or independent. Either can handle insurance, but it is important to understand how they are different because it may have an impact on the selection process.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive insurance agents are contracted to one company and examples are State Farm or Allstate. They usually cannot compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on what they offer and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Consumers frequently buy from the same agent for years mostly because of the brand legacy rather than having the cheapest rates.
The following are Tampa exclusive agents that can give you comparison quotes.
- Jerry Perez – State Farm Insurance Agent
9724 N Armenia Ave #200 – Tampa, FL 33612 – (813) 931-3000 – View Map - American Family Agencies
8501 N Florida Ave – Tampa, FL 33604 – (813) 930-0400 – View Map - Robin Simmons – State Farm Insurance Agent
2425 S Dale Mabry Hwy a – Tampa, FL 33629 – (813) 258-2828 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents do not have single company limitations and that gives them the ability to insure with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If premiums increase, they simply move the coverage in-house and the insured can keep the same agent. When comparing insurance prices, you will definitely want to get rate quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison. Most can insure with smaller mutual companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Below are Tampa independent agents willing to provide comparison quotes.
- GreatFlorida Insurance – Mike Polivchak
3928 W Hillsborough Ave – Tampa, FL 33614 – (813) 870-2334 – View Map - Charlies Agents Insurance Agency
2701 N Himes Ave #201 – Tampa, FL 33607 – (813) 831-8363 – View Map - Ken Anthony Insurance Agency – Affinity Insurance
8010 N 56th St – Tampa, FL 33617 – (813) 251-8685 – View Map
Upon receiving good feedback as well as a affordable price, you may have found a car insurance agent that will provide insurance coverage. Just remember it’s your coverage and you can cancel coverage any time you want so never assume you are locked into a specific agent for any length of time.
Do I just need basic coverages?
When selecting your policy, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
For instance, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- How long can I keep a teen driver on my policy?
- Does every company file a SR-22 automatically?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Do they offer discounts for home and auto coverage?
- Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
- Can I insure my car for more than it’s worth?
- When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Florida?
- What are the financial responsibility laws in my state?
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.
Frequent quotes can save
As you shop your coverage around, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
Drivers who switch companies do it for many reasons like extreme rates for teen drivers, lack of trust in their agent, unfair underwriting practices and even being labeled a high risk driver. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new company is easier than you think.
Throughout this article, we presented many tips how you can find lower-cost Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in Tampa. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the lowest prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies.
More information
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Postal Workers in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Preventing Carjacking and Theft (Insurance Information Institute)
- Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)