6 Ways to Save on Car Insurance in Boynton Beach Florida

Have you had enough of paying out the nose each month for car insurance? You are no different than many other Florida drivers. Drivers have so many car insurance companies to pick from, and even though it’s nice to have a choice, having more insurance companies makes it harder to find the best rates.

Discounts can save BIG

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you can get discounts to help offset the cost. Some trigger automatically at the time of purchase, but some must be specially asked for before you will receive the discount. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
• Good Student Discount – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
• Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Boynton Beach may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
• Sign Early and Save – Select companies give a discount for switching policies before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
• Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.

It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?

Some consumers just want to buy from a local agent. Educated insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local insurance agencies is especially important in Boynton Beach.

To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, your information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Boynton Beach who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to leave your computer since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address.

Independent or Captive: It’s your choice

If you’re trying to find a good Boynton Beach insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Boynton Beach agents are classified as either independent or captive. Both do a good job, but it’s important to know how they are different since it can impact buying decisions.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you include price quotes from several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.

The following are Boynton Beach independent insurance agents that can give you price quote information.

A Auto Insurance World – 405 W Boynton Beach Blvd – Boynton Beach, FL 33435 – (561) 737-7283
Farm Bureau Insurance – 221 SE 4th St – Boynton Beach, FL 33435 – (561) 734-2660

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. Captives are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Below is a list of captive insurance agents in Boynton Beach that can give you comparison quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 2228 N Congress Ave – Boynton Beach, FL 33426 – (561) 734-0808
State Farm Insurance – 1403 W Boynton Beach Blvd # 7g – Boynton Beach, FL 33426 – (561) 737-4950
Farm Bureau Insurance – 221 SE 4th St – Boynton Beach, FL 33435 – (561) 734-2660

For a complete listing of captive insurance agencies in Boynton Beach, please click here.

Selecting an insurance agency requires more thought than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• Can they give you a list of client referrals?
• Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?

Once you have received good answers to these questions and locked in a price quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that will provide car insurance coverage. Just keep in mind you can always cancel your policy whenever you wish so don’t feel that you are obligated to any particular company with no way out.

Ads can be misleading

Consumers in Florida constantly see and hear ads that promise big savings by companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. They all say the same thing of big savings after switching to them.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured could possibly be over the age of 50, has no tickets, and has great credit. Any driver who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Drivers who do not match the “perfect” profile must pay higher rates and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It’s impossible to know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Auto insurance coverage information

Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.

Medical costs insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like nursing services, hospital visits and dental work. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision coverage protection

This covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision can pay for claims like crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a ditch and rolling your car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like rock chips in glass, hail damage, theft, damage from getting keyed and vandalism. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

UM/UIM Coverage

This gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since many Florida drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (10/20/10 in Florida), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Frequently these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Liability auto insurance

This coverage will cover damage that occurs to a person or their property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have values of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers things like loss of income, attorney fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Florida state law requires minimum liability limits of 10,000/20,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.

Informative consumer insurance sites

Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation found here. Consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, view a list of available companies, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Additional helpful sites include QuoteClickInsure.com and this page of insurance agents in Boynton Beach.

Compare but don’t skimp

We just presented many tips how you can shop for car insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the most savings is with the least-expected company. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive and GEICO.

The cheapest car insurance can be found both online in addition to many Boynton Beach insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.