Unimaginable but true, nearly 70% of customers have been with the same company for four years or more, and virtually 40% of consumers have never even compared rates from other companies. With the average premium in Florida being $2,158, drivers could save themselves as much as $1,130 a year by just shopping around, but they don’t believe the rate savings if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
It takes a little time, but the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates in Tampa is to do a yearly price comparison from providers who sell auto insurance in Florida. Prices can be compared by completing these steps.
Step 1: Try to understand how your policy works and the changes you can make to keep rates in check. Many things that cause high rates such as traffic violations and a low credit rating can be eliminated by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
Step 2: Quote rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from multiple companies. Begin your rate comparison
Step 3: Compare the new quotes to your existing policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find better rates and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Step 4: Notify your current company of your intention to cancel your current policy and submit payment and a signed application for the new policy. Once received, keep your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is to use identical coverages on every quote and and to compare as many companies as possible. This provides a fair rate comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
Getting a more affordable price on insurance can be quick and easy. Just invest a few minutes comparing rate quotes to find out which insurance company has cheaper Tampa car insurance quotes.
Getting rate quotes online is very simple and it takes the place of having to spend your day driving to different Tampa agent offices. Comparing online rate quotes eliminates the middleman unless your situation requires the professional assistance that only a licensed agent can provide. Although you can comparison shop your insurance online but still have the advice of a local agent.
The following companies have been selected to offer price comparisons in Florida. To locate the best cheap car insurance in Tampa, we suggest you click on several of them to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.
Affordable Tampa car insurance rates with discounts
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you quote, but some must be asked about before they will apply.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Mature Driver Discount – Seniors are able to get lower premium rates.
- Sign Early and Save – Some larger companies provide a discount for buying a policy prior to the expiration date on your current Rabbit insurance policy. You could save around 10% when you buy Tampa car insurance online.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Select car insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company they may give you a discount of nearly 15% which can help you find the cheapest Volkswagen Rabbit insurance in Tampa.
- Multiple Cars – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
Don’t be shocked that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. If you do the math and it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts will help lower your policy premium.
To see providers that offer many of these discounts in Tampa, follow this link.
Are insurance agencies obsolete?
Many people prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a smart move Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. The best thing about comparing rate quotes online is the fact that drivers can get the best rates and still buy from a local agent. And buying from local insurance agents is important particularly in Tampa.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is transmitted to companies in Tampa that give free quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t need to contact any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. If you want to compare prices from one company in particular, you would need to navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
If you want to buy auto insurance from a reliable agent, you should know the types of agencies and how they function. Auto insurance policy providers are categorized either independent agents or exclusive agents. Either one can write policy coverage, but it’s important to know why they differ since it could factor into the kind of agent you use.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents can sell policies from many different companies so as a result can place your coverage through many different auto insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to do anything.
When shopping rates, you will definitely want to compare prices from several independent insurance agents in order to compare the most rates.
Listed below is a partial list of independent insurance agencies in Tampa that may be able to give free auto insurance quotes.
Charlies Agents Insurance Agency
2701 N Himes Ave #201 – Tampa, FL 33607 – (813) 831-8363 – View Map
Central Florida Insurance Agency of Town ‘N’ Country
7753 W Waters Ave – Tampa, FL 33615 – (813) 885-2900 – View Map
Seibert Insurance Agency
5121 Ehrlich Rd #111 – Tampa, FL 33624 – (813) 960-4672 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents in the exclusive channel can only quote rates from one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
Shown below are Tampa exclusive agencies who can help you get comparison quotes.
State Farm: Stan White
3204 Cove Bend Dr – Tampa, FL 33613 – (813) 971-1123 – View Map
Adi Khorsandian – State Farm Insurance Agent
20752 Center Oak Dr – Tampa, FL 33647 – (813) 991-4111 – View Map
Herma White – State Farm Insurance Agent
14940 N Florida Ave – Tampa, FL 33613 – (813) 961-6661 – View Map
Finding the right auto insurance agent should depend on more than just the quoted price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Do they offer accident forgiveness?
- How long has their agency been in business in Tampa?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Can you contact them at any time?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Tampa?
- If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
Your situation helps dictate your coverage
When quoting and comparing the right insurance coverage, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Your needs are unique to you.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving out-of-state?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- Who sells insurance for high-risk drivers?
- Where can I find DUI or SR-22 insurance?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage on my Volkswagen Rabbit?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- How much will a speeding ticket raise my rates?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Insurance Rate Influencing Factors
Many factors are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, but others are less obvious like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.
- Coverage deductibles are a factor – Comp and collision deductibles are how much you are required to pay if a covered claim is submitted. Protection for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of covered claims are colliding with a stationary object, fire damage, and damage caused by road hazards. The larger the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
- Gender and auto insurance costs – Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean females are better at driving than males. Men and women are in fender benders at about the same rate, but guys have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more major tickets like driving under the influence (DUI). Teenage male drivers cause the most accidents and therefore pay the highest rates.
- Poor credit rating equals high rates – Your credit history is a big factor in your rate calculation. People with excellent credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than those with poor credit scores. Therefore, if your credit history leaves room for improvement, you could save money insuring your Volkswagen Rabbit by improving your rating.
- City dwellers may pay more – Living in less populated areas of the country has definite advantages when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers and short commutes means less chance of accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. People who live in big cities have much more traffic and a longer drive to work. Higher commute times means higher likelihood of an accident.
Why auto insurance is not optional
Even though it can be expensive, maintaining insurance is mandatory in Florida but it also protects more than you think.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 have a lien on your Volkswagen, most banks will require that you buy full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender may insure your Volkswagen for a much higher rate and make you pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards both your assets and your Volkswagen Rabbit. Insurance will pay for most medical and hospital costs that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of insuring your car greatly outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. But the average driver in Florida is wasting up to $700 annually so it’s recommended you shop around at every renewal to save money.
Cheap rates are available
Cheaper Volkswagen Rabbit insurance in Tampa is attainable both online as well as from insurance agents, so you need to shop Tampa car insurance with both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies prefer to sell through independent agents.
People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including high prices, delays in responding to claim requests, policy non-renewal and denial of a claim. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new company is easier than you think.
While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest cost.
Much more information about insurance in Florida is available on the following sites:
- All About Airbag Safety (State Farm)
- Who Has the Cheapest Tampa Car Insurance for 17 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Corolla in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Tampa Car Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Wrangler? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Credit Scores in Tampa? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for High Mileage Drivers in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Tampa Car Insurance for Welfare Recipients? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for Active Military in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Reducing Your Risks in a Car Crash Video (iihs.org)
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)