Insider Techniques to Lower Miami, FL Auto Insurance

Purchasing the most affordable Miami auto insurance on the web is somewhat difficult for consumers new to buying insurance online. When there are so many online companies, how can Miami drivers possibly compare them all to find the lowest price?

Fast and Easy Miami Auto Insurance Quotes

Cutting your Miami auto insurance rates is a fairly straight forward process. The only requirement is to invest a little time comparing price quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

• The single most time-saving way to get quotes for comparison is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This type of form eliminates the need for a different quote for every auto insurance company. One form will get you rate comparisons from all major companies. It’s definitely the quickest method.
• A less efficient way to shop for auto insurance online is spending the time to visit the website of each company to request a price quote. For instance, let’s assume you want to compare rates from Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular. View more information on companies insuring cars in Miami.
• The least efficient way of getting rate comparisons is to spend your day driving to different agent offices. Shopping for auto insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the professional guidance that only a license agent can provide. Drivers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just be sure to compare the exact same coverages on every quote you get. If you are comparing mixed coverages then you won’t be able to determine which rate is truly the best in Miami.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but some must be specifically requested before you will receive the discount. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Miami may earn you a small savings because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
• Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
• Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck. But any discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Florida, follow this link.

Informed Drivers can Cut Their Rates

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

• Performance level impacts rates – The performance level of the car you own makes a substantial difference in the rate you pay. Low performance passenger models generally receive the lowest base rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
• Better credit means lower rates – A driver’s credit history is a important factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Therefore, if your credit rating is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.
• Rates may be lower depending on your job – Jobs such as real estate brokers, architects and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of stressful work requirements and long work days. Other jobs such as actors, historians and retirees pay the least.
• Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are quite a few add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying auto insurance. Coverages for roadside assistance, accidental death and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
• More claims means more premium – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to higher rates. Companies in Florida generally give cheaper rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
• More people means more accidents – Residing in a rural area has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Fewer people means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate. City drivers regularly have congested traffic and longer commute times. Higher commute times means more change of being in an accident.
• High crash test scores lower rates – Safer cars get lower rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.

But don’t I need an insurance agent?

A small number of people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent. Professional agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is you may find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local businesses is especially important in Miami.

After completing this short form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Miami who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!

Insurance agent types

If you’re trying to find a good insurance agency, there are two different types of agents that you can select. Agencies in Miami are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive). While both can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know how they differ because it can impact buying decisions.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to get quotes from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. Many write coverage with smaller companies which may provide better rates.

Shown below are Miami independent agencies who may be able to give you pricing information.

• Real Insurance – 1400 SW 67th Ave – Miami, FL 33144 – (305) 264-8536
• First Insurance Group – 10967 SW 40th St – Miami, FL 33165 – (305) 227-1208
• All Motors Assurance Agency – 11934 SW 8th St – Miami, FL 33184 – (305) 559-8818
• Joseph R Meder Jr Agency – 3360 Coral Way # 2 – Miami, FL 33145 – (305) 867-0008
• S Florida Agency – 9130 S Dadeland Blvd # 1400 – Miami, FL 33156 – (305) 670-4400

Captive Agents

This type of agents have only one company to place business with and examples are American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Consumers sometimes buy from captive agents mostly because of the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

Listed below are captive insurance agencies in Miami that can give you price quote information.

• Allstate Insurance – 8230 Coral Way – Miami, FL 33155 – (305) 554-4959
• State Farm Insurance – 7950 W Flagler St # 103 – Miami, FL 33144 – (305) 264-7157
• Liberty Mutual – 13027 SW 88th St – Miami, FL 33186 – (305) 385-3449

To view a complete directory of Miami captive insurance agencies, visit this link.

Deciding on an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:

• Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• Does the agency support the community they serve?

Once you have acceptable answers to your questions as well as a affordable price, most likely you have located an insurance agency that meets your needs to provide auto insurance coverage.

More information is located on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website through this link. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about a company, read state legal mandates and laws, and download brochures.

Also read more on this resource for Florida auto insurance prices and this resource to find Miami, FL insurance agents.

More comparisons equals lower rates

While you’re price shopping online, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice full coverage only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Lower-priced auto insurance can be purchased both online in addition to many Miami insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

We just covered some good ideas how to reduce auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with a small mutual company.