No one gets a kick out of paying for auto insurance, in particular when they could find better prices if they shop around.
It’s an obvious conclusion that auto insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Consumers who shop rates annually will most likely buy a different policy because of the high probability of finding better rates. A survey found that drivers who compared rates once a year saved an average of $850 each year as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding low prices for auto insurance in Tampa is your target objective, then having some knowledge of the best way to shop and compare insurance premiums can make it easier for you to save money.
Steps to saving on Chevy Bolt insurance in Tampa
The best way to get the cheapest Chevy Bolt insurance in Tampa is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from different companies who provide car insurance in Florida.
- First, gain an understanding of how auto insurance works and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that result in higher prices like speeding and a substandard credit score can be eliminated by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Second, compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers. View companies
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you can save money and change companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Fourth, provide notification to your current company to cancel the current policy and submit the completed application along with a down payment to the newly selected company. Once the application is submitted, put the proof of insurance certificate with the vehicle registration.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is that you’ll want to compare identical deductibles and limits on every quote and and to analyze all possible companies. This provides a level playing field and a complete price analysis.
You have so many insurance companies to choose from, and even though it’s nice to have a choice, lots of choices makes it harder to find the best rates for Chevy Bolt insurance in Tampa.
Smart consumers take time to do price comparisons before your policy renews since insurance prices change quite often. Even if you think you had the best deal on Chevy Bolt insurance in Tampa last year a different company probably has better rates today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the fastest way to find great coverage at a great price.
Cheap car insurance in Tampa, FL
The companies shown below can provide free quotes in Florida. If your goal is to find cheap car insurance in Tampa, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the most affordable price.
Get cheaper Chevy Bolt insurance in Tampa with discounts
Auto insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but you may find discounts that you may not even know about. A few discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but a few must be specifically requested before they will apply. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount available, you may be paying too high a price.
- Own a Home – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings since home ownership requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies and insure them both with the same insurance company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may get savings of 20 to 30 percent.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS and/or traction control can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Employee of Federal Government – Employees or retirees of the government may reduce rates when you quote Tampa car insurance with some auto insurance companies.
- Life Insurance – Some auto insurance companies give a discounted auto insurance rate on car insurance if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use their safety belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but some companies like Allstate and Progressive will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you are claim-free for a specific time period.
Discounts lower rates, but most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.
Some of the insurance companies that may have these benefits include:
If you need lower rates, check with each company which discounts you qualify for. Savings might not apply in your area. To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Florida, click here to view.
Exclusive versus independent auto insurance agents
A small number of people still prefer to sit down with an agent and that can be a smart move Agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and will help you if you have claims. One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is you may find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.
After completing this simple form, your information is sent to companies in Tampa that can give you free Tampa car insurance quotes for your coverage. There is no need to contact an agency because quoted prices will be sent immediately to you. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from a particular provider, feel free to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
Finding the right company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. Below are some questions you should ask.
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Tampa?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
Car insurance company ratings
Ending up with the best insurance provider can be rather challenging considering how many companies sell coverage in Florida. The company information listed below may help you analyze which companies to look at when shopping around.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
| American Family | 91 | 86 | 95 | 83% | A | 89.7 |
| Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
| The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
| GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
| Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
| 21st Century | 86 | 82 | 90 | 84% | A | 86.4 |
| Liberty Mutual | 79 | 87 | 95 | 78% | A | 85.3 |
| Farmers Insurance | 77 | 80 | 80 | 84% | A | 80.3 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
You are unique and your car insurance should be too
Always remember that when buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. You are unique and your policy should reflect that.
Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Can I rent a car in Mexico?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Is upholstery damage covered by car insurance?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- What does PIP insurance cover?
- Is my Chevy Bolt covered if I use it for business?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Auto insurance policy specifics
Having a good grasp of auto insurance aids in choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Auto insurance terms can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Collision – This covers damage to your Bolt 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 can pay for things such as driving through your garage door, scraping a guard rail, rolling your car, hitting a mailbox and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your Bolt to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive auto coverage – This coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as hitting a deer, a broken windshield, hitting a bird and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Chevy Bolt.
Due to the fact that many Florida drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (10/20/10 in Florida), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for expenses for funeral costs, dental work, hospital visits, prosthetic devices and doctor visits. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability auto insurance – This will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three 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 stand for $10,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $20,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $10,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as medical services, court costs and loss of income. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible. Florida state law requires minimum liability limits of 10/20/10 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
The next chart shows why buying the state minimum limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Quote often and quote early
As you prepare to switch companies, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim they didn’t have enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
More affordable car insurance in Tampa is definitely available online and from local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies may not have rates over the internet and usually these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.
How to buy cheaper Chevy Bolt insurance in Tampa
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get affordable Chevy Bolt insurance in Tampa is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from different companies who provide car insurance in Florida. This can be done by completing these steps.
First, read and learn about policy coverages and the modifications you can make to keep rates in check. Many factors that drive up the price such as tickets, at-fault accidents, and a bad credit score can be improved by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
Second, request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple sources.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if a cheaper rate is available in Tampa. If you can save money, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
Fourth, give proper notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current coverage. Submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application to the new insurer. As soon as you receive it, place your new proof of insurance paperwork in your vehicle.
A valuable tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical coverage information on every quote request and and to compare all possible companies. Doing this ensures a level playing field and a complete price analysis.
Even more information can be read in these articles:
- Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Veterans in Tampa? (FAQ)
- Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)
- Determining Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)