Are you sick of overpaying and want lower-priced Buick Regal insurance in Tampa? Do you get exhausted from scraping the payment together to buy auto insurance? Your situation is no different than many other Florida consumers.
It’s an obvious assumption that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Drivers who shop around for a cheaper policy are very likely to switch auto insurance companies because they have a good chance of getting low-cost coverage. A recent auto insurance study discovered that drivers who routinely shopped around saved about $3,450 over four years compared to drivers who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding the most affordable auto insurance is your ultimate goal, then understanding how to quote prices and compare insurance premiums can make shopping around easier.
How to find affordable quotes for Buick Regal insurance in Tampa
Really, the only way to get affordable Buick Regal insurance in Tampa is to compare prices at least once a year from insurers in Florida. Prices can be compared by following these steps.
- Get a basic knowledge of policy coverages and the things you can change to prevent rate increases. Many rating factors that result in higher prices like careless driving and an unacceptable credit rating can be eliminated by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices from multiple companies. View a list of agents
- Compare the new rates to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you find a better price and decide to switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Notify your company or agent of your intention to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit payment and a signed application to your new agent or company. Immediately upon receiving it, safely store the proof of insurance paperwork above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
One bit of advice is that you use similar limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get price estimates from as many companies as feasibly possible. This helps ensure a fair rate comparison and the best price selection.
Companies like GEICO, 21st Century and Progressive increase brand awareness with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to see through the deception and do the work needed to find the best deal.
Best companies for Buick Regal insurance
The car insurance companies shown below are ready to provide free rate quotes in Florida. To find cheaper car insurance in Tampa, we recommend you get price quotes from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Cheap Buick Regal insurance quotes in Tampa
Not too many consumers would say auto insurance is affordable, but there are discounts available that many people don’t even know exist. Certain credits will be shown when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you do not double check each discount available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Sign Online – Some auto insurance companies will give you a small discount get Tampa car insurance over the internet.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts could see savings of 20% or more.
- Good Student – Maintaining excellent grades could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The good student discount can last until age 25.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or former government employment may qualify for a discount when you quote Tampa car insurance with select insurance companies.
- Own a Home – Just being a homeowner can help you save on auto insurance since owning and maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, nobody gets a free ride. But all discounts will definitely lower your overall bill.
To view providers that offer some of these discounts in Florida, follow this link.
How much car insurance do I need?
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing insurance from an agent or online for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if you would benefit from professional advice.
- How do I insure my teen driver?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
- Where can I find high-risk insurance?
- Which companies are cheaper for teen drivers?
- Does low annual mileage earn a discount?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Don’t I need to talk to an insurance agency?
Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and that can be a great decision Good insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help submit paperwork. One of the benefits of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find cheap auto insurance rates and still buy from a local agent. And providing support for neighborhood insurance agencies is important particularly in Tampa.
By using this short form, your coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents in Tampa who will return price quotes to get your business. You won’t even need to do any legwork since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. If you need to get a price quote for a specific company, you would need to jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Choose an insurance agent wisely
When searching for a local Tampa insurance agent, you must know there are a couple different types of agents that you can select. Auto insurance agents in Tampa can be described as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive). Either type can write policy coverage, but it is a good idea to know the difference between them since it could factor into the kind of agent you use.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents are appointed with more than one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with a variety of different insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you absolutely need to get insurance quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices.
The following is a small list of independent insurance agencies in Tampa that may be able to provide competitive price quotes.
GreatFlorida Insurance – Ceci Wise
1719 W Fletcher Ave – Tampa, FL 33612 – (813) 849-0125 – View Map
Florida Commercial Insurance
4915 W Cypress St – Tampa, FL 33607 – (813) 262-2303 – View Map
Duarte Insurance Agency, Inc.
5512 N Armenia Ave # A – Tampa, FL 33603 – (813) 874-3222 – View Map
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies can only write with one company and examples are State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. Exclusive agencies are unable to compare rates from other companies so keep that in mind. These agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell on service rather than price.
The following are exclusive agents in Tampa who can help you get price quote information.
Ray Mathews – State Farm Insurance Agent
15271 Amberly Dr – Tampa, FL 33647 – (813) 978-1898 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Paul H. Phaneuf
3641 W Kennedy Blvd F – Tampa, FL 33609 – (813) 353-0303 – View Map
GEICO Insurance Agent
2703 W Kennedy Blvd – Tampa, FL 33609 – (813) 259-1142 – View Map
Choosing the best insurance agency requires you to look at more than just the price. Any agent in Tampa should be willing to answer these questions.
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
- Which family members are covered?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
Car insurance coverages 101
Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Auto liability insurance – This can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 10/20/10 which means $10,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $20,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $10,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability can pay for claims such as bail bonds, pain and suffering, loss of income and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. Florida requires drivers to carry at least 10/20/10 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
The chart below demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Collision coverage – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things such as crashing into a ditch, hitting a mailbox and crashing into a building. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your Regal to save money on collision insurance.
Coverage for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses for dental work, doctor visits and EMT expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 10/20/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Frequently these coverages are set the same as your liability limits.
Comprehensive coverages – This coverage will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as fire damage, vandalism, hitting a deer, damage from flooding and hitting a bird. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Find cheaper rates by being thorough
Discount Buick Regal insurance in Tampa can be sourced on the web as well as from insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies prefer to sell through local independent agents.
Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, high rates after DUI convictions, unfair underwriting practices or even high prices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
We just presented a lot of techniques to get a better price on Buick Regal insurance in Tampa. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from the smaller companies.
Steps to buying discount Buick Regal insurance in Tampa
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to save on Buick Regal insurance is to annually compare prices from companies in Tampa. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
Step 1: Read and learn about what is in your policy and the things you can change to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates such as getting speeding tickets and a less-than-favorable credit history can be controlled by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
Step 2: Request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote prices from many different companies.
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to the premium of your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to the new company. Immediately upon receiving it, keep your new proof of insurance paperwork above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
The most important part of shopping around is to compare identical coverages on each price quote and and to analyze as many companies as possible. Doing this helps ensure a level playing field and maximum price selection.
Additional detailed information is located at these sites:
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- How Much is Tampa Auto Insurance for Drivers Over Age 50? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Ford Explorer in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Tampa Auto Insurance for Drivers with Good Credit? (FAQ)
- Your Car has been Stolen: Now What? (Allstate)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)