Buy Clearwater Car Insurance Like a Tightwad

Finding lower rates for Clearwater car insurance is always difficult for beginners to comparison shopping online. You have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a lot of work to locate the lowest price in Clearwater.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts to help bring down the price. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but a few need to be requested specifically before being credited. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts up to 30%.
  • 55 and Retired – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
  • Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for all your vehicles with the same company qualifies for this discount.
  • Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
  • Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could save 5% or more if you qualify.
  • College Student – Youth drivers who are attending college and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
  • New Vehicle Savings – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Sign Early and Save – Some companies give discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.

Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

Factors that affect insurance rates

It’s important that you understand the different types of things that help determine car insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

The following are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into rates.

  • Clean credit earns discounts – Credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have lower ratings. If your credit is low, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score.
  • Please use or commuting – The more you drive each year the more you will pay for car insurance. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Verify your car insurance policy shows the correct driver usage.
  • Where you live can impact rates – Residing in less populated areas has it’s advantages when buying car insurance. Lower population means fewer accidents. City drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commute times. Longer commute distances means higher likelihood of an accident.
  • Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Driving your car without having proper coverage can get your license suspended and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will your rates increase, but not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates – Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even a single speeding ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Good drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Men fork out a little more – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Women and men cause accidents at about the same rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are most likely to cause an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.

Are insurance agents a thing of the past?

Some people would prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! Insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you can get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local agencies is important particularly in Clearwater.

To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your coverage information is sent to insurance agents in Clearwater who will give you bids to get your business. You never need to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. How’s that for easy!

Types of insurance agents

When searching for a good Clearwater insurance agent, there are a couple of different agency structures that you can select. Insurance agencies in Clearwater can either be captive or independent. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s good to learn how they are different because it can influence the type of agent you choose

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. To move your coverage to a new company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.Most can insure with lesser-known insurance companies which can be an advantage.

Below are independent insurance agencies in Clearwater that are able to give price quote information.

  • LA Plante Agency – 2715 State Road 580 – Clearwater, FL 33761 – (727) 796-8566
  • Gotta Havit Auto Insurance – 918 S Missouri Ave – Clearwater, FL 33756 – (727) 446-7735
  • Combs Insurance Inc – 2250 State Road 580 # 6 – Clearwater, FL 33763 – (727) 797-4025
  • Independent Agency Svc LLC – 2536 Countryside Blvd # 6 – Clearwater, FL 33763 – (727) 726-0726
Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents write business for a single company such as Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They receive extensive training on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Consumers often purchase coverage from captives primarily because of loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.

The following is a short list of captive agencies in Clearwater that can give you rate quotes.

  • State Farm Insurance – 25881 Us Highway 19 N – Clearwater, FL 33763 – (727) 797-0400
  • Allstate Insurance – 2566 N Mcmullen Booth Rd # C – Clearwater, FL 33761 – (727) 796-0408

To view a complete directory of car insurance agents in Clearwater, please click here.

Selecting an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

  • Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
  • What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
  • Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
  • Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
  • Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
  • What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
  • If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?

Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that will provide car insurance coverage.

Can switching companies really save?

Consumers in Florida can’t get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you move to their company.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a preferred risk could be between 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who do not match these standards will have to pay a higher premium and ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully state the savings.

Because of the profiling, you should get as many quotes as possible. It’s impossible to know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

To find out more about Florida car insurance

Additional information is available on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website through this link. Florida drivers can find out industry alerts, view agent and company licensing information, discover disciplinary actions, and download brochures.

The following articles may also be useful.

More quotes mean more savings

Insureds who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, high rates after DUI convictions, extreme rates for teen drivers and even denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is easier than you think.

When buying insurance coverage, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

You just learned many tips how you can lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the biggest savings come from a small mutual company.