Unbelievable but true according to a study 70% of consumers have bought insurance from the same company for a minimum of four years, and just short of a majority have never even compared rates from other companies. With the average premium in Florida being $2,158, drivers can save almost $1,126 each year just by shopping around, but they think it’s difficult to compare rates and save money.
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get affordable Acura TL insurance is to do an annual price comparison from providers who can sell car insurance in Tampa.
Step 1: Spend some time learning about how insurance companies determine prices and the things you can change to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic violations and a less-than-favorable credit history can be rectified by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
Step 2: Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Compare rates now
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage to determine if you can save on TL insurance. If you find a lower rate quote and make a switch, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Step 4: Tell your current agent or company of your intent to cancel your existing policy. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application to the new company. Make sure you store the proof of insurance certificate along with your vehicle registration.
One important bit of advice is to try to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every price quote and and to get rates from as many different companies as possible. This enables an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete price analysis.
If you are already insured or just want cheaper coverage, use these money-saving tips to buy cheaper auto insurance without sacrificing coverage. Finding and buying affordable protection in Tampa is not as hard as you may think. Comparison shoppers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to buy auto insurance online.
How to Lower Your Insurance Premiums
Lots of factors are taken into consideration when you get your auto insurance bill. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, but some are more obscure like where you live or how safe your car is. Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating your premiums. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables informed choices that may result in lower insurance prices.
A insurance lapse can increase rates – Having an insurance coverage lapse will be a quick way to drive up your policy premiums. And not only will insurance be more expensive, being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you fines and jail time. You will then be forced to file a SR-22 with the Florida motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Fewer miles means better premiums – Driving a lot of miles every year the higher your rate. Many insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how much you drive. Cars and trucks that do not get driven very much get more affordable rates than cars that get driven a lot. Incorrect rating for your TL may be wasting your money. Double check that your vehicle rating correctly shows annual mileage.
Your car’s features help determine rates – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can earn a premium discount. Theft deterrent systems such as OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems can thwart auto theft.
Safer occupants lowers prices – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. Vehicles built for safety reduce the chance of injuries and reduced instances of injuries means your insurance company pays less and lower rates for you.
Cautious drivers pay less – Careful drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Getting just one speeding ticket can increase rates by as much as twenty percent. Drivers who get multiple citations like DUI or willful reckless driving may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state’s licensing department in order to legally drive a vehicle.
The example below illustrates how traffic citations and fender-benders impact Acura TL insurance premiums for different age groups. The prices are based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
Single drivers take more risk – Having a spouse can get you a discount when shopping for insurance. Marriage generally demonstrates drivers are more mature and responsible and insurance companies reward insureds because married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
Teenage drivers pay high prices – Youthful drivers in Florida are statistically proven to get distracted easily when behind the wheel therefore insurance rates are much higher. If you’ve ever had to add a inexperienced driver to your policy can cause a big jump in price. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents, and are generally more financially stable.
The data below assumes a single driver, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
Acura TL statistical loss data – Car insurance companies include the past claim trends for vehicles as a way to help calculate a profitable premium price. Vehicles that statistically have a trend towards higher claims will have a higher premium rate. The table below shows the collected loss data for Acura TL vehicles.
For each type of coverage, the claim amount for all vehicles as a whole is considered to be 100. Values that are below 100 indicate better than average losses, while percentages above 100 show a trend for more claims or statistically larger losses.
Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acura TLX 4dr 2WD | 90 | 75 | 97 | 93 | 74 | 77 |
Acura TLX 4dr 4WD | 120 | 75 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Detailed insurance information
The coverage information displayed next outlines different insurance costs for Acura TL models. Learning as much as possible about how auto insurance policy rates are formulated is important for drivers to make informed decisions.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TL 3.5 | $348 | $748 | $472 | $28 | $142 | $1,738 | $145 |
TL 3.5 W/Technology Package | $348 | $748 | $472 | $28 | $142 | $1,738 | $145 |
TL 3.7 SH AWD | $348 | $748 | $472 | $28 | $142 | $1,738 | $145 |
TL 3.7 SH W/Technology Package AWD | $348 | $862 | $472 | $28 | $142 | $1,852 | $154 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in your specific Tampa location which can impact coverage rates significantly.
Comparison of policy deductibles
A question often asked by Tampa drivers is how low should you set your deductibles. The comparison tables below outline how much more you’ll pay between high and low policy deductibles. The first pricing table uses a $100 deductible for comp and collision and the second price chart uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TL 3.5 | $406 | $764 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,761 | $147 |
TL 3.5 W/Technology Package | $406 | $764 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,761 | $147 |
TL 3.7 SH AWD | $406 | $764 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,761 | $147 |
TL 3.7 SH W/Technology Package AWD | $406 | $880 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,877 | $156 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TL 3.5 | $224 | $402 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,192 | $99 |
TL 3.5 W/Technology Package | $224 | $402 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,192 | $99 |
TL 3.7 SH AWD | $224 | $402 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,192 | $99 |
TL 3.7 SH W/Technology Package AWD | $224 | $464 | $418 | $24 | $124 | $1,254 | $105 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in vehicle location which can influence coverage rates substantially.
Based on these figures, using a $100 deductible will cost you approximately $48 more each month or $576 a year than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would have to pay $900 more if you file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average more than 19 months between claim filings, you would probably save some money going with the higher deductible. Here’s an example of how you can decide this on your own policy.
Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $149 |
Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $101 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $48 |
Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $100): | $900 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $900 / $48 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 19 months |
One important issue to know is that a higher deductible means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself at claim time. That will necessitate enough money put aside in the event you need to pay the deductible to have repairs made.
The diagram below highlights how deductible selection and can influence Acura TL insurance prices for each age group. The data is based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Annual premiums comparing men and women
The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Acura TL car insurance rates for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no claims or driving violations, full coverage, $250 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
How much more does full coverage cost?
The information below illustrates the difference between Acura TL auto insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the Florida minimum liability coverage. The premiums assume a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no other discounts are factored in.
When to stop buying physical damage coverage
There isn’t a written rule that works best for making the decision to drop comp and collision coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Acura TL replacement cost is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $2,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $200 a year for physical damage coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are some conditions where only buying liability is not advised. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
Tampa insurance discounts for an Acura TL
Auto insurance companies don’t list every policy discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known and the more hidden auto insurance savings.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts could see savings of 20% or more.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Maintaining low annual mileage can earn substantially lower auto insurance rates.
- Military Rewards – Having an actively deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
- Early Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you could save up to 5%.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not really a discount, but some companies like GEICO and Liberty Mutual will forgive one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear before the accident.
- Driving Data Discount – Insureds that choose to allow driving data collection to track driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm could possibly reduce rates as long as they are good drivers.
- Save with a New Car – Insuring a new TL can save you some money compared to insuring an older model.
- College Student Discount – Children living away from Tampa attending college and won’t have access to an insured vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more on TL insurance in Tampa.
- Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive reduced rates.
Discounts save money, but please remember that some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though you would think you could get a free auto insurance policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
The illustration below compares Acura TL insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The costs are based on a male driver, no violations or accidents, Florida state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, claim-free, multi-car, multi-policy, marriage, and homeowner discounts applied.
Larger auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide are included below.
- 21st Century offers discounts including anti-lock brakes, good student, 55 and older, driver training, air bags, and student driver.
- Progressive has savings for good student, online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, and continuous coverage.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including defensive driving training, multiple policy, Drive Safe & Save, good student, anti-theft, passive restraint, and student away at school.
- Nationwide offers discounts for easy pay, family plan, multi-policy, Farm Bureau membership, and business or organization.
- Esurance includes discounts for safety device, emergency road assistance, homeowner, good driver, claim free, and defensive driver.
- The Hartford offers premium reductions for defensive driver, bundle, good student, anti-theft, vehicle fuel type, and air bag.
Before buying, ask each company or agent which discounts they offer. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered on policies in your state.
Affordable auto insurance premiums are out there
We covered a lot of techniques to lower your Acura TL insurance car insurance rates in Tampa. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest car insurance rates are with some of the lesser-known companies.
Some insurance providers don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies work with local independent agencies. Budget-conscious Acura TL insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Tampa, so you need to compare both to have the best selection.
Insureds switch companies for many reasons like high prices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, denial of a claim and even extreme rates for teen drivers. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new company can be less work than you think.
Additional auto insurance information can be found below:
- Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Tampa Auto Insurance for College Graduates? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Uber Drivers in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 70 in Tampa? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)