How to Compare Tampa Buick Lucerne Insurance

It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Consumers who shop around for the cheapest rate will presumably switch companies because there is a high probability of finding coverage at a more affordable price. A study discovered that consumers who made a habit of comparing rate quotes saved $3,500 over four years compared to drivers who never shopped for cheaper rates.

If finding budget-friendly auto insurance is the reason for your visit, then learning about how to get free comparison quotes and analyze auto insurance can make it easier to find better rates.

The best way we recommend to get cheaper Buick Lucerne insurance is to compare prices once a year from different companies in Tampa.

• First, try to learn a little about how insurance companies determine prices and the factors you can control to prevent rate increases. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price like at-fault accidents and your credit history can be amended by being financially responsible and driving safely. This article gives instructions to help prevent costly coverage and find discounts that may have been missed.
• Second, obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
• Third, compare the price quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a lower rate and switch companies, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
• Fourth, tell your current company of your decision to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit payment and a signed application to your new carrier. As soon as you can, store the certificate verifying coverage with the vehicle registration.

One piece of advice is to make sure you enter the same amount of coverage on every quote and and to get rates from all possible companies. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.

Finding low cost Tampa car insurance rates can be surprisingly simple. Consumers just need to spend a little time comparing free Tampa car insurance quotes provided by online insurance companies.

The companies shown below are ready to provide free rate quotes in Tampa, FL. If you want to find cheap car insurance in Tampa, FL, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies to find the lowest car insurance rates.

Three reasons to not skimp on insurance

Even though it can be expensive, paying for insurance is required for several reasons.

• Just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability insurance in order to be legal. 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 took out a loan on your Lucerne, almost every bank will force you to have physical damage coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Buick at a more expensive rate and require you to fork over the higher price.
• Insurance preserves not only your Buick but also your financial assets. Insurance will also pay for all forms of medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay attorney fees if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your Buick gets damaged, your insurance policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.

The benefits of having insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly for liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $855 a year so we recommend shopping around once a year at a minimum to be sure current rates are still competitive.

Buick Lucerne coverage analysis

The table below highlights estimates of coverage costs for Buick Lucerne models. Learning a little about how car insurance prices are established can be useful when making decisions on the best policy to buy.

Data based on single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Rates do not factor in specific Tampa garaging location which can influence prices considerably.

Higher deductibles save money

A question often asked by Tampa drivers is which deductibles should you choose. The following insurance rates help summarize the cost difference when you select higher and lower insurance deductibles. The first price estimate table uses a $100 deductible and the second price table uses a $500 deductible.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Information does not factor in your specific Tampa location which can revise auto insurance rates considerably.

Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $100 deductible costs an average of $34 more each month or $408 every year across all Buick Lucerne models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $400 more out-of-pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you go at a minimum 12 months between claims, you would most likely save money going with the higher deductible.

The diagram below shows how different deductible levels and can increase or decrease Buick Lucerne insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The costs are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are applied.

How careless driving impacts Tampa insurance rates

The diagram below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders can raise Buick Lucerne car insurance rates for different age groups of insureds. The costs are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Annual premiums for males compared to females in Tampa

The example below illustrates the difference between Buick Lucerne auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, full coverage, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.

Full coverage rates compared to liability-only

The example below shows the comparison of Buick Lucerne insurance premiums with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The costs are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

When to switch to liability coverage only

There is no set guideline to eliminate physical damage coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Buick Lucerne replacement value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $3,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are currently paying more than $300 annually for full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

There are some cases where removing full coverage is not recommended. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.

Save money with these ten discounts

Some insurers do not advertise every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the list below contains a few of the more common and the harder-to-find discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Tampa car insurance online.

• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the personal injury premium cost.
• Paperless Signup – A few insurance companies provide a small discount shop Tampa car insurance on the internet.
• Distant Student Discount – Youth drivers who live away from home to go to college without a vehicle on campus could qualify for this discount.
• Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers may save up to 50% more compared to accident prone drivers.
• Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower car insurance rates.
• Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in Tampa can help you save on car insurance because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Student Discount for Driver Training – Teen drivers should complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
• Mature Driver Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can get a small discount on rates.
• No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially as compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
• Discount for Multiple Policies – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may earn nearly 15% which can help you find cheaper Lucerne insurance.

A little disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, nobody gets a free ride.

The diagram below shows the comparison of Buick Lucerne annual premium costs with and without discounts applied. The data assumes a female driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault 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 multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, marriage, and multi-car discounts applied.

A list of car insurance companies and some of the discounts are included below.

• American Family may include discounts for accident-free, multi-vehicle, good student, air bags, good driver, and defensive driver.
• Farm Bureau has discounts for multi-policy, youthful driver, good student, multi-vehicle, and safe driver.
• State Farm offers premium reductions for safe vehicle, driver’s education, multiple policy, multiple autos, defensive driving training, and good student.
• Travelers discounts include early quote, driver training, new car, IntelliDrive, continuous insurance, multi-policy, and home ownership.
• The Hartford policyholders can earn discounts including driver training, vehicle fuel type, anti-theft, bundle, and good student.
• GEICO may offer discounts for daytime running lights, seat belt use, federal employee, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and military active duty.
• Progressive may have discounts that include homeowner, multi-vehicle, online signing, continuous coverage, online quote discount, and multi-policy.

When getting free Tampa car insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to each company or agent which credits you are entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be available to policyholders in your area. To choose providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Tampa, click here to view.

When to talk to a local insurance agent

Many people still prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is not a bad decision Experienced insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and help file insurance claims. A nice benefit of comparing car insurance online is that you can obtain lower rates and still buy from a local agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your insurance data is sent to insurance agents in Tampa who will return price quotes for your car insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to do any legwork because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. In the event you want to get a rate quote for a specific company, you just need to navigate to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.

Picking the best provider requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions you should ask.

• Where would your vehicle be repaired?
• Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Florida?
• Do they offer accident forgiveness?
• How many years have they been established?

Not all auto insurance agents are the same

When narrowing the list to find a local Tampa insurance agent, it helps to know the two types of insurance agents from which to choose. Agents in Tampa are categorized either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Both can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning how they differ because it may have an impact on buying decisions.

Exclusive Agents

Agents that choose to be exclusive can only write with one company such as State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. Exclusive agencies are unable to compare other company’s rates so they really need to provide good service. These agents receive a lot of sales training on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a exclusive agent mostly because of the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Tampa who can help you get price quotes.

• Ray Mathews – State Farm Insurance Agent
  15271 Amberly Dr – Tampa, FL 33647 – (813) 978-1898 – View Map
• Allstate Insurance: Rich Lovinger
  4016 Henderson Blvd l – Tampa, FL 33629 – (813) 837-9329 – View Map
• Allstate Insurance: John Fox
  4941 E Busch Blvd Ste 150 – Tampa, FL 33617 – (813) 985-3889 – View Map

View more Tampa agents

Independent Agents

Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company so they can quote policies with any number of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, an independent agent can move your coverage and you can keep the same agent.

If you need cheaper car insurance rates, we recommend you get rate quotes from several independent insurance agents to have the best price comparison. Most have the option of insuring with companies that do not advertise much which may have better rates.

Below are independent agencies in Tampa who can help you get price quote information.

• Global FIS – A Full Service Independant Insurance Agency
  8710 W Hillsborough Ave #201 – Tampa, FL 33615 – (813) 343-0844 – View Map
• L. Vega Insurance Agency
  8019 N Himes Ave #100 – Tampa, FL 33614 – (813) 935-6629 – View Map
• Duarte Insurance Agency, Inc.
  5512 N Armenia Ave # A – Tampa, FL 33603 – (813) 874-3222 – View Map

View more Tampa agents

Do I just need basic coverages?

When it comes to coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Your financial needs are unique so your insurance needs to address that.
These are some specific questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

• Am I missing any policy discounts?
• Will my Buick Lucerne be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Does insurance cover damages from a DUI accident?
• Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
• Can I rent a car in Mexico?
• Why do I only qualify for high-risk insurance?
• Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
• If my car is totaled with they pay enough to replace it?
• What if a claim settlement is too low?
• Where can I find high-risk insurance?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Insurance coverage specifics

Having a good grasp of insurance helps when choosing the right 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. Below you’ll find typical coverages available from insurance companies.

Collision – This covers damage to your Lucerne resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers claims like driving through your garage door, damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a building, hitting a parking meter and backing into a parked car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible on your Lucerne to get cheaper collision coverage.

Liability car insurance – Liability insurance protects you from damage that occurs to a person or their property by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 10/20/10 which stand for $10,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $20,000, and a total limit of $10,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against things such as medical expenses, loss of income and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Florida state minimum liability requirements are 10/20/10 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.

The next chart shows why the minimum limit may not be enough coverage.

Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, fire damage and hail damage. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses such as rehabilitation expenses, surgery and X-ray expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Buick Lucerne.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (Florida limits are 10/20/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.

The most affordable rates come from being thorough

When getting Tampa car insurance quotes online, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, an accident victim reduced full coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

Lower-priced insurance in Tampa can be bought both online and with local Tampa insurance agents, so get free Tampa car insurance quotes from both of them to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through local independent agents.

We just showed you some good ideas how you can get a better price on Buick Lucerne insurance in Tampa. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the best premium rates are with a small local company. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

More information

• Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
• Who Has Cheap Tampa Auto Insurance for a Toyota Tacoma? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Real Estate Agents in Tampa? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Tampa Car Insurance Quotes for a Hyundai Elantra? (FAQ)
• New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
• Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)