The preferred way to get cheaper car insurance rates in Tampa is to start doing an annual price comparison from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Florida.
Step 1: Get an understanding of the coverage provided by your policy and the things you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that increase rates like inattentive driving and a lousy credit rating can be remedied by paying attention to minor details. Keep reading for more ideas to help reduce premium rates and find additional discounts you may qualify for.
Step 2: Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes from multiple insurance companies.
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a better price, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
The key thing to remember is to make sure you enter identical limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get rates from as many companies as possible. Doing this provides a level playing field and the best price selection.
Astonishing but true, over 70% of Florida drivers kept their coverage with the same insurance company for four years or more, and 38% of customers have never quoted insurance rates at all. Drivers in the United States could save nearly $859 a year, but they just don’t understand the large savings they would see if they bought a different policy.
When comparison shopping, having more price comparisons will enable you to find lower pricing.
The following companies are ready to provide comparison quotes in Tampa, FL. If you want to find the best cheap car insurance in Tampa, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.
These six discounts can slash Buick Terraza insurance rates
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise every discount they offer in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Tampa auto insurance online.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Homeowners Savings – Just owning your own home can save you money because maintaining a house means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Pay Upfront and Save – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few insurance companies offer discounts for switching companies before your current Terraza insurance policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not necessarily a discount, but certain companies may permit one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. Any qualifying discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.
Car insurance companies that possibly offer many of the previously listed discounts may include but are not limited to:
If you are trying to find affordable Tampa auto insurance quotes, ask every prospective company which discounts you qualify for. Savings may not be available in Tampa. To see a list of companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in Tampa, click this link.
When to have guidance from an agent
A lot of people just prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and doing that can be a smart decision One of the best bonuses of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain the best rates and still choose a local agent. Buying insurance from neighborhood agents is definitely important in Tampa.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, your insurance data is sent to agents in your area who want to provide quotes for your coverage. You won’t even need to leave your house because prices are sent to the email address you provide. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates without a big time investment. If for some reason you want to compare prices for a specific company, you would need to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Picking the best company shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- How long has the business existed?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
Three reasons car insurance is important
Despite the high cost, insurance is required in Florida but also provides important benefits.
- Almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 vehicle, almost all lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you have full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you default on your policy, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Buick at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over the higher price.
- Insurance safeguards both your Buick Terraza and your assets. It will also pay for hospital and medical expenses that are the result of an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay for a defense attorney in the event you are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of having car insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially if you ever need it. Today the average American driver overpays more than $850 per year so you should quote your policy with other companies once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.
Auto insurance coverages explained
Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Buick Terraza.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (10/20/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Frequently these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Comprehensive auto insurance
Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, a broken windshield, damage from flooding and hitting a deer. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses for dental work, ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses and nursing services. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
Collision protection
This will pay to fix damage to your Terraza resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers claims like rolling your car, crashing into a ditch and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. You can also raise the deductible on your Terraza to save money on collision insurance.
Auto liability
This coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. It protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 10/20/10 which means a limit of $10,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $20,000, and property damage coverage for $10,000. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses and bail bonds. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as much as you can afford. Florida requires minimum liability limits of 10/20/10 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not be adequate coverage.
In Summary
Consumers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including questionable increases in premium, poor customer service, delays in responding to claim requests and policy non-renewal. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new car insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Some insurance companies may not have price quotes online and most of the time these smaller providers provide coverage only through independent agents. Budget-conscious Buick Terraza insurance is definitely available online and from local agencies, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
In this article, we presented many ways to save on Buick Terraza insurance in Tampa. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies.
Much more information about car insurance in Florida can be read below:
- Frontal Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Who Has the Cheapest Tampa Auto Insurance for a Toyota Camry? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Bad Credit in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Immigrants in Tampa? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Inexperienced Drivers in Tampa? (FAQ)
- What is Covered by GAP Insurance? (Allstate)
- New Honda safety features benefit drivers of all ages (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)