Save Money on Subaru Forester Insurance in Tampa

Amazingly, the majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for well over three years, and 38% of customers have never compared quotes from other companies. The average driver in Tampa could save about $1,130 every year just by comparing rates, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to go online and compare rates.

If you want to save money, the best way to get low-cost Subaru Forester insurance in Tampa is to compare quotes once a year from different companies in Florida. Drivers can shop around by following these guidelines.

1. Try to learn about how insurance works and the steps you can take to keep rates down. Many rating factors that drive up the price like speeding and a poor credit score can be improved by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover more information to prevent expensive rate increases and find missing discounts.
2. Quote rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
3. Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to see if cheaper Forester coverage is available. If you can save some money and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
4. Provide written notification to your current company of your decision to cancel the current policy and submit payment and a completed application to the newly selected company. Don’t forget to keep the new certificate verifying proof of insurance somewhere easily accessible.

One piece of advice is to try to compare identical coverage information on each quote request and and to get prices from as many companies as possible. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and and a good selection of different prices.

If you are insured now or are shopping for new coverage, take advantage of these tips to save money without reducing protection. Locating the best rates in Tampa is really quite simple as long as you have a good starting point. Comparison shoppers just have to know the proper way to get comparison quotes online.

Tampa auto insurance discounts

Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you may find discounts to cut the cost considerably. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested before they will apply. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you deserve, you could be paying more than you need to.

• Claim Free – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims get the best auto insurance rates when compared with policyholders that have many claims.
• Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than spreading payments over time you may reduce your total bill.
• Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one is not really a discount per se, but some insurance companies allow you one accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking time to complete a class that teaches defensive driver techniques could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Senior Citizen Rates – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may qualify for a slight reduction on a Tampa car insurance quote.
• Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can get savings as much as 30%.
• Discounts for Government Workers – Federal government employees may qualify for a discount when you quote Tampa car insurance with a few auto insurance companies.
• Discounts for New Vehicles – Adding a new car to your policy can save you some money compared to insuring an older model.
• Discount for Home Ownership – Just owning your own home may trigger a policy discount on auto insurance since home ownership means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
• Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices help deter theft and will save you 10% or more on Forester insurance in Tampa.

You can save money using discounts, but some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Even though the math looks like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.

The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Subaru Forester car insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, Florida state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-policy, marriage, multi-car, claim-free, and safe-driver discounts applied.

Some companies that may offer quotes with most of these discounts include:

• State Farm
• Farmers Insurance
• GEICO
• American Family
• Nationwide
• Progressive

If you are trying to find affordable Subaru Forester insurance quotes, ask all the companies to apply every possible discount. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in your state. If you would like to view providers offering auto insurance discounts in Florida, click here.

Low cost Subaru Forester insurance prices in Tampa

Most major insurance companies make it easy to get prices for coverage directly from their websites. The process doesn’t take a lot of time as you just enter your required coverages as requested by the quote form. After you complete the form, the quote system obtains reports for credit and driving violations and generates pricing information based on the information you submitted. This streamlines rate comparisons, and it’s also necessary to get many rate quotes if you want to find the cheapest car insurance rates.

To save time and compare pricing, compare rate quotes from the providers shown below. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend that you enter the insurance coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This way, you’re receiving comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.

The companies in the list below can provide comparison quotes in Tampa, FL. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them in order to find the most affordable rates.

Subaru Forester insurance charts and tables

The rate table displayed below outlines a range of coverage prices for Subaru Forester models. Having a better idea how auto insurance prices are determined helps drivers make smart policy decisions.

Above prices assume married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can raise or lower premium rates significantly.

Where to set your deductibles

One of the most common auto insurance questions is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The following tables may aid in understanding the difference in cost when you select higher and lower physical damage deductibles. The first data table uses a $100 deductible and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Information does not factor in zip code location which can raise or lower rates substantially.

We can derive from the above data that using a $100 deductible costs an average of $31 more each month or $372 a year than selecting the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $400 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you have at least 13 months between claims, you would probably be better off going with the higher deductible.

One important caveat is that increasing deductibles to lower your rates results in more money out-of-pocket when you have to file a claim. You need to make sure you have some extra savings in order to pay more for the deductible.

The information below illustrates how your deductible choice and can affect Subaru Forester insurance prices for different age groups. The premiums assume a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Insurance rate increases from tickets or accidents

The example below shows how violations and at-fault accidents impact Subaru Forester car insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The prices are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Subaru Forester insurance premiums by gender and age

The example below visualizes the comparison of Subaru Forester auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The costs are based on no claims or violations, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Full coverage versus liability-only

The information below visualizes the comparison of Subaru Forester premium costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The costs are based on no claims or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no policy discounts are applied.

When to drop comprehensive and collision coverage

There is no specific rule that is best for determining when to drop physical damage coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Subaru Forester book value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company would pay you is $5,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $500 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

There are some circumstances where dropping physical damage coverage is not financially feasible. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.

What Affects Subaru Forester Insurance Costs?

Lots of things are taken into consideration when you get a price on insurance. Most are fairly basic such as traffic violations, but others are not as apparent like where you live or your commute time.

• Never let your auto insurance policy lapse – Going without insurance can be a quick way to pay more for auto insurance. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage may result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
• Do you really need roadside assistance? – Policies have extra coverages that may not really be needed if you aren’t careful. Insurance for things like personal injury protection, better glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may sound like good ideas when buying your policy, but if they’re wasting money think about removing them and cutting costs.

• Vehicle risk influences premiums – The performance level of the vehicle you are insuring makes a substantial difference in your premium level. Lower cost passenger models usually have the lowest premiums, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.

  The following data uses these assumptions: single male driver age 50, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It illustrates Subaru Forester insurance rates compared to other makes and models that have different performance rating factors.

• Pay less with a high safety rating – Vehicles that have high safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. Highly rated vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection translates directly to fewer claims and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Subaru Forester scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it may be receiving lower rates.
• The higher your credit score the lower your costs – An insured’s credit score is likely to be a major factor in determining premium rates. Insureds that have high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have poor credit. Therefore, if your credit rating is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your Subaru Forester by improving your credit score.
• High comp and collision deductibles cost less – Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if a claim is determined to be covered. Protection for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are collision with another vehicle, vandalism, and having a roll-over accident. The more damage repair cost you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.

• Premiums are lower the older you get – More experienced drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims, and get fewer tickets. Teen drivers have a tendency to be inattentive and easily distracted when driving with friends so they pay higher auto insurance rates.

  The following chart is based on a single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

• Subaru Forester insurance loss statistics – Insurance companies use data from past claims to calculate a rate that will offset any claims. Vehicles that the data shows to have increased claim numbers or amounts will have increased rates.

  The next table shows the loss history for Subaru Forester vehicles. For each coverage category, the loss probability for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is equal to 100. Numbers shown that are under 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while numbers above 100 show a trend for more claims or larger claims.

  
  

  Insurance Loss Ratings for Subaru Forester Vehicles

  Vehicle Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Subaru Forester 4dr 4WD	71	80	108	72	76	68
  Subaru Forester 4dr 4WD with Eyesight	74	66	118	77	78	53

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years

Compare prices but buy from a local Tampa insurance agent

Many drivers would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and we recommend doing that Agents can help you choose the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, your insurance data is immediately sent to agents in your area who will give you bids and help you find cheaper coverage. You never need to find an agent since price quotes are sent to your email. If you need to get a comparison quote for a specific company, don’t hesitate to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.

Selecting an company is decision based upon more than just a cheap price. Any good agent in Tampa should know the answers to these questions.

• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Does the agent help file claims?
• Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
• How long has their agency been in business in Tampa?
• Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Tampa?
• Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
• If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
• If they are an independent agency in Tampa, which companies do they recommend?

If you need to find a local Tampa insurance agent, there are a couple of types of agencies and how they are distinctly different. Tampa agents may be either independent agents or exclusive agents. Both can sell and service insurance coverage, but it’s good to learn the subtle differences because it may have an impact on which type of agent you select.

Exclusive Agents

Agents in the exclusive channel write business for a single company like Farmers Insurance and State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive insurance agents are usually well trained on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.

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

View more Tampa agents

Independent Insurance Agents

These type of agents are not employed by any specific company and that enables them to quote your coverage with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. If premiums increase, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, we recommend you get insurance quotes from multiple independent agents in order to have the best price comparison.

Listed below are Tampa independent insurance agencies who can help you get comparison quotes.

View more Tampa agents

Upon receiving positive responses to any questions you may have and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found a car insurance agent that is professional and can provide insurance coverage.

Best reasons to buy insurance in Florida

Despite the high insurance cost for a Subaru Forester in Tampa, paying for insurance may not be optional for several reasons.

• The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability insurance in order to license the vehicle. 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 your Forester has a lienholder, most banks will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Subaru at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
• Insurance preserves not only your Subaru Forester but also your assets. It will also cover medical transport and hospital expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers legal expenses if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to repair the damage.

The benefits of having insurance greatly outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. Today the average American driver overpays more than $865 each year so it’s important to compare rates once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.

Compare. Compare. Compare.

You just read a lot of ways to save on Subaru Forester insurance in Tampa. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting cheaper Tampa car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower prices as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate or State Farm.

Some insurance providers may not have internet price quotes and usually these smaller companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies. Cheaper insurance in Tampa can be purchased both online and with local Tampa insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection.

More information can be found at these links:

• Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Uber Drivers in Tampa? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for State Employees in Tampa? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Altima in Tampa? (FAQ)
• Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
• Anti-Lock Brake FAQ (iihs.org)
• Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Institute)