Really, the only way to get budget auto insurance rates is to start comparing prices regularly from providers in Tampa.
- Learn about the different coverages in a policy and the things you can change to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that result in higher rates like speeding and an imperfect credit score can be amended by paying attention to minor details.
- Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the quotes to your existing policy and determine if cheaper Freestar coverage is available. If you can save some money and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new agent or company. Immediately upon receiving it, keep the new proof of insurance paperwork in an easily accessible location.
A crucial key to this process is to try to use identical coverage information on every quote and and to get price estimates from as many companies as possible. This helps ensure a level playing field and a better comparison of the market.
It’s an obvious assumption that insurance companies don’t want customers comparing rates. Consumers who shop around for the cheapest price will, in all likelihood, move their business because they have good chances of finding a lower-priced company. A recent insurance study revealed that drivers who made a habit of comparing rate quotes saved an average of $3,450 over four years compared to policyholders who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding the lowest price on auto insurance in Tampa is your ultimate goal, then having some insight into how to shop for insurance premiums can save time, money, and frustration.
If you are insured now or just want a better rate, you can use these tips to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Quoting and buying the best coverage in Tampa is not that difficult. Vehicle owners just have to learn the least time-consuming way to buy insurance instantly.
Lower-cost Ford Freestar insurance in Tampa
Car insurance companies don’t list the complete list of policy discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the below list has a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Tampa car insurance online.
- Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Drivers Education – Teen drivers should successfully take a driver’s education course as it can save substantially.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles can earn lower premium rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your entire bill at once rather than spreading payments over time you could save 5% or more.
- No Claim Discounts – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially in comparison to bad drivers.
- Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices can help prevent theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Multiple Cars – Buying a policy with more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Military Deployment Discount – Having an actively deployed family member may lower your car insurance rates slightly.
It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, you’re out of luck.
A list of car insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are included below.
- American Family policyholders can earn discounts including accident-free, early bird, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, bundled insurance, and Steer into Savings.
- Farm Bureau has discounts for multi-vehicle, driver training, youthful driver, 55 and retired, renewal discount, and safe driver.
- State Farm may have discounts that include defensive driving training, safe vehicle, Drive Safe & Save, driver’s education, good student, passive restraint, and student away at school.
- Travelers may offer discounts for continuous insurance, IntelliDrive, save driver, good student, home ownership, and early quote.
- The Hartford offers premium reductions for bundle, defensive driver, anti-theft, good student, vehicle fuel type, and driver training.
- GEICO offers discounts for five-year accident-free, emergency military deployment, federal employee, air bags, and defensive driver.
- Progressive may include discounts for multi-policy, good student, continuous coverage, homeowner, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, and online signing.
It’s a good idea to ask each company or agent which discounts you qualify for. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not be available in Tampa. To find insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in Florida, click here.
Getting cheaper Ford Freestar car insurance pricing is a great way to save money. The only thing you need to do is take a couple of minutes to compare rates provided by online insurance companies.
The companies in the list below are our best choices to provide price comparisons in Tampa, FL. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
There’s no such thing as the perfect auto insurance policy
When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is not a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions might point out if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- What does medical payments cover?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- Should I rate my Ford Freestar as pleasure use or commute?
- What happens if I owe more than my Ford Freestar is worth?
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- Is my Ford Freestar covered for smoke damage?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Shop online but buy locally
A lot of people still like to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Agents are trained risk managers and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get lower prices but still work with a licensed agent.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your coverage information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will return price quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to even leave your home because prices are sent immediately to you. If you wish to get a price quote from one company in particular, you can always find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Deciding on an insurer requires you to look at more than just the price. Some important questions to ask are:
- What discounts might you be missing?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- How would your car be valued if totaled?
- When do they do a full risk review?
If you want to buy car insurance from a good insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents to choose from. Tampa agents can be described as either exclusive or independent. Both types can sell affordable car insurance policies, but we need to point out the difference in how they write coverage since it can impact which type of agent you select.
Exclusive Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. They receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. A lot of people choose to use a exclusive agent partially due to the brand legacy rather than low price.
Below is a list of exclusive agents in Tampa who may provide you with comparison quotes.
- State Farm: Stan White
3204 Cove Bend Dr – Tampa, FL 33613 – (813) 971-1123 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Dave Sangar
208 E Bearss Ave – Tampa, FL 33613 – (813) 877-5506 – View Map - Adi Khorsandian – State Farm Insurance Agent
20752 Center Oak Dr – Tampa, FL 33647 – (813) 991-4111 – View Map
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are appointed with more than one company and that gives them the ability to insure with many different companies and get you the best rates possible. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing car insurance rates, it’s a good idea to check rates from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. Most independent agents also contract with lesser-known insurance companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
Below is a short list of independent agencies in Tampa that are able to give rate quotes.
- Colucci Insurance
1441 E Fletcher Ave – Tampa, FL 33612 – (813) 972-1947 – View Map - Hockman Insurance Agency, Inc.
3438 Colwell Ave – Tampa, FL 33614 – (813) 636-4000 – View Map - Buhl Insurance Agency
2935 W Hillsborough Ave – Tampa, FL 33614 – (813) 876-0057 – View Map
Here’s why auto insurance is not optional
Despite the potentially high cost of Ford Freestar insurance, paying for auto insurance serves several important purposes.
- The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability in order to drive the car. 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 your Ford Freestar has a loan, most banks will force you to have comprehensive coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may buy a policy for your Ford for a lot more money and require you to reimburse them the higher premium.
- Auto insurance protects both your assets and your Ford. It will also provide coverage for many types of medical costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of insuring your car more than cancel out the cost, especially with large liability claims. As of last year, the average driver in Florida is wasting up to $855 a year so compare quotes from several companies at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Coverages available on your policy
Having a good grasp of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are the usual coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as hitting a deer, theft and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Collision – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Freestar from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for claims like crashing into a building, driving through your garage door, scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle and crashing into a ditch. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also raise the deductible on your Freestar to bring the cost down.
Liability – This coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people that is your fault. It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 10/20/10 that means you have a $10,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as pain and suffering, attorney fees and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Florida state law requires minimum liability limits of 10/20/10 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.
The chart below demonstrates why buying low liability limits may not be adequate coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This gives you protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Ford Freestar.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (10/20/10), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for immediate expenses for things like funeral costs, doctor visits, rehabilitation expenses, prosthetic devices and nursing services. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Don’t give up on cheaper premiums
Some insurance companies do not provide online rate quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agencies. Discount Ford Freestar insurance is attainable on the web in addition to many Tampa insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate.
For more information, link through to the following helpful articles:
- Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a Chevrolet Equinox in Tampa? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Ford Explorer in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates After a Speeding Ticket in Tampa? (FAQ)
- How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)
- Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)
- How to Avoid Staged Accidents (State Farm)