The most effective way to get more affordable car insurance rates in Tampa is to do an annual price comparison from providers in Florida. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
First, spend a few minutes and learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the steps you can take to drop your rates. Many things that result in higher rates like accidents, careless driving, and poor credit history can be improved by being financially responsible and driving safely.
Second, quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices from multiple insurance companies. View rates
Third, compare the new quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if cheaper Fit coverage is available in Tampa. If you can save money and buy the policy, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
Fourth, provide proper notification to your current company of your intention to cancel the current policy and submit payment and a signed application for the new coverage. Make sure you place the new proof of insurance certificate in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
The critical component of shopping around is to compare similar limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to analyze as many carriers as you can. Doing this provides a fair price comparison and the best price selection.
Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that most consumers kept buying from the same company for well over three years, and just short of a majority have never compared rates with other companies. Many consumers in Florida could save about $1,100 a year just by shopping around, but they think it’s difficult to compare rate quotes.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to find better prices using these methods. Our goal in writing this article let you in on how to compare rates easily and how to save the most money. Nevertheless, Florida vehicle owners must learn how the larger insurance companies calculate their prices because it varies considerably.
To find cheap quotes, there are a couple of ways of comparing rates from many insurance companies in Florida. The easiest way by far to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates.
Just keep in mind that making a lot of price comparisons will increase your chances of finding better pricing. Some regional insurers cannot provide online Tampa Fit insurance quotes, so you should also compare price estimates on coverage from those companies, too.
The providers in the list below can provide free quotes in Florida. To buy cheap auto insurance in Florida, we suggest you compare several of them to find the most affordable car insurance rates.
Buying the right Fit insurance in Florida is an important decision
Despite the high insurance cost for a Honda Fit in Tampa, insuring your vehicle may not be optional for several reasons.
First, the majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific level of liability coverage 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.
Second, if you took out a loan on your Fit, most banks will have a requirement that you carry insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Honda at a more expensive rate and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.
Third, car insurance protects both your assets and your vehicle. It will also pay for hospital and medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. The average driver in Florida is overpaying more than $865 each year so we recommend shopping around each time the policy renews to ensure rates are inline.
Auto insurance analysis for a Honda Fit
The rate table displayed next highlights estimates of prices for Honda Fit models. Learning how policy rates are established can be valuable when making informed purchases.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fit | $134 | $284 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $770 | $64 |
Fit Sport | $154 | $284 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $790 | $66 |
Fit Sport VSA | $154 | $334 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $840 | $70 |
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Above prices assume married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Prices do not factor in vehicle location which can affect auto insurance rates substantially.
Choosing deductibles
When comparing auto insurance rates, the most common question is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The premium rates below may help to conceptualize the rate difference between low and high comp and collision deductibles. The first rate table uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second set of prices uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fit | $280 | $544 | $276 | $16 | $82 | $1,223 | $102 |
Fit Sport | $322 | $544 | $276 | $16 | $82 | $1,265 | $105 |
Fit Sport VSA | $322 | $640 | $276 | $16 | $82 | $1,361 | $113 |
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Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fit | $174 | $342 | $276 | $16 | $82 | $890 | $74 |
Fit Sport | $200 | $342 | $276 | $16 | $82 | $916 | $76 |
Fit Sport VSA | $200 | $402 | $276 | $16 | $82 | $976 | $81 |
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Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Table data does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can decrease or increase auto insurance rates significantly.
Based on this data, using a $250 deductible costs approximately $30 more each month or $360 every year averaged for all Fit models than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would pay $750 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally average at least 25 months between claims, you would most likely save money by going with a higher deductible.
How to determine if raising deductibles makes sense
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $107 |
Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $77 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $30 |
Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $250): | $750 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $750 / $30 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 25 months |
Liability only or full coverage
The example below illustrates the difference between Honda Fit car insurance rates with full coverage compared to only the Florida minimum liability coverage. The price estimates are based on no accidents or driving violations, $100 deductibles, marital status is single, and no other discounts are factored in.
When to stop buying comprehensive and collision coverage
There is no set guideline for phasing out full coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Honda Fit claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $4,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying more than $400 a year for physical damage coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some circumstances where eliminating full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage in place.
Get cheaper Honda Fit insurance in Tampa with discounts
Car insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but there could be significant discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain credits will be shown when you quote, but a few must be specifically requested before they will apply.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple vehicles with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Memberships – Having an affiliation with a civic or occupational organization in Tampa can get you a small discount when shopping for car insurance.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 can possibly qualify for a slight reduction on a Tampa auto insurance quote.
- Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member could qualify you for better prices.
- Telematics Data – Insureds that choose to allow their insurance company to spy on driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Progressive’s Snapshot might get better premium rates if they exhibit good driving behavior.
- Accident Forgiveness – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a few companies such as Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm will turn a blind eye to one accident before hitting you with a surcharge with the catch being you have to be claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
- Paperwork-free – A few larger online companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy online.
Discounts lower rates, but some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. If you do the math and it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way.
The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Honda Fit insurance prices with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The costs are based on a male driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Florida state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, marriage, homeowner, and multi-car discounts applied.
For a list of companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in Florida, follow this link.
Situations that may require an agent’s advice
When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Florida?
- Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?
- Is motorclub coverage worth it?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- Do I pay less for low miles?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form.
Which auto insurance company is best in Florida?
Insuring your vehicle with the highest-rated auto insurance provider can be difficult considering how many different companies there are to choose from in Tampa. The company information shown next could help you analyze which companies you want to consider when comparing rate quotes.
Top 10 Tampa Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- USAA
- Travelers
- Mercury Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- The General
Top 10 Tampa Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Value
- Mercury Insurance
- Travelers
- American Family
- AAA Insurance
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- The Hartford
- The General
- 21st Century
- Esurance