8 Shopping Tips Shown to Save on Auto Insurance Costs in Coral Springs

If online auto insurance comparisons are new to you, you can be overwhelmed by the hoards of online auto insurance companies and websites all offering big savings in Coral Springs.

Consumers should take time to shop coverage around quite often because rates are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you found the lowest rates last year you may be paying too much now. So just ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the tricks you need to know to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

If you have insurance now or need a new policy, you can use these techniques to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. Shopping for affordable coverage in Coral Springs is simple if you know the tricks. Florida drivers just need to understand the proper methods to get comparison quotes over the internet.

Compare Auto Insurance Today

Comparing auto insurance rates can be exhausting if you don’t utilize the most efficient way. You could waste a few hours driving to local insurance agents in Coral Springs, or you can utilize the internet to accomplish the same thing much quicker.

Most car insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to submit their information once, and each company can provide price quotes determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests to each company.

To find out what other companies charge click here to open in new window.

One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify which providers you want pricing from. If you wish to select from a list of companies to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Florida. Click here for list of insurance companies in Florida.

However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use the exact same information with each company. If your comparisons have different values for each quote it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison in Coral Springs.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Florida consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings from the likes of GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all seem to make the same claim that you’ll save big if you move your coverage to them.

How do they all make almost identical claims?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a driver they prefer could be between 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher premiums which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

Because of the profiling, it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
• Save over 55 – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
• Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance from them.
• Sign Early and Save – Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
• Multi-car Discount – Buying coverage for more than one vehicle with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
• Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accident claims.

It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Florida, click here.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

A small number of people would prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! Agents can help determine the best coverages and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find better rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting small agencies is important especially in Coral Springs.

Once you complete this simple form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will give you bids for your coverage. You won’t need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox.

If you wish to view a list of agents in Coral Springs to contact, go to this page.

Picking an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Does the agency support the community they serve?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
• How long has their agency been in business in Coral Springs?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
• Are claims handled at the agent’s location?

Upon getting answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and a good coverage price, it’s possible that you found an insurance company that will adequately provide auto insurance. Keep in mind consumers can terminate your policy whenever you wish so never assume that you are obligated to a specific agent with no way out.

Your coverage should be tailored to you

When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.

These are some specific questions might point out whether you may require specific advice.

• I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
• Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
• Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?
• What are the best liability limits?
• Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Auto insurance coverage breakdown

Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.

Collision coverage protection

This pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as driving through your garage door, rolling your car and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses such as hospital visits, funeral costs, EMT expenses, surgery and X-ray expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (10/20/10), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Coverage for liability

This coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Another option is a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage protects against claims like repair costs for stationary objects, medical services and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as much as you can afford. Florida state minimum liability requirements are 10,000/20,000/10,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.

Comprehensive protection

This coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive can pay for things like damage from flooding, vandalism and hail damage. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Additional auto insurance information can be found on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website located here. Florida drivers can view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about a company, read state legal mandates and laws, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Quote more, save more

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Drivers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, lack of trust in their agent, not issuing a premium refund and policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, switching companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.

In this article, we presented many ways to get a better price on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.