Learn How to Buy Jacksonville Auto Insurance Like an Expert

Consumers not familiar with buying insurance online can find shopping for affordable Jacksonville auto insurance is harder than they anticipated.

The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with how to effectively get price quotes and some tricks to saving. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Although Florida car owners need to have an understanding of how big insurance companies market on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Compare Quotes for Jacksonville Auto Insurance

There are several ways to shop for auto insurance, but some are more efficient than others. You could waste time talking about coverages with insurance agencies in Jacksonville, or you could use the internet to achieve your goal.

Most of the best insurance companies enroll in a system where insurance shoppers only type in their quote data once, and at least one company then returns a price quote. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions for each company.

To get comparison pricing now click here to start a free quote.

The only drawback to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify the companies you will receive quotes from. If you wish to select individual companies to compare prices, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Florida. View list of Florida insurance companies.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but be sure to compare the exact same coverage limits for each price quote. If each company quotes mixed coverages it’s not possible to find the best deal in Jacksonville. Slightly different coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just keep in mind that comparing more company’s prices gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate.

Take advantage of discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you may find discounts to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but less common discounts must be specifically requested before you get the savings.

• Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
• Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
• Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
• Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially as compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off your medical payments premium.
• Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
• Save over 55 – Mature drivers may receive a small decrease in premiums.
• Memberships – Participating in certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
• Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.

It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Jacksonville, click here to view.

Lower your Jacksonville Auto Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings.

Shown below are some of the items used by your company to calculate prices.

• More claims means more premium – If you frequently file small claims, you can expect higher rates. Companies in Florida give better rates to insureds who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is intended for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
• Don’t let your coverage lapse – Driving with no insurance can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage have a gap. Not only will you pay more, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
• Teen drivers pay high rates – Youthful drivers in Florida tend to get distracted easily in a vehicle so auto insurance rates are higher. Mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
• Marriage brings a discount – Having a spouse actually saves money on your auto insurance policy. Marriage is viewed as being more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
• Your car’s features help determine rates – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart your car from being stolen.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Auto insurance providers like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads in print and on television. They all make an identical promise that you can save after switching to their company. How does each company make the same claim?

All companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a preferred risk could be a mature driver, has no tickets, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don’t measure up to these standards will be quoted more money which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can make those claims.

This emphasizes why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Quote more, save more

Discount auto insurance can be bought on the web and with local Jacksonville insurance agents, so compare prices from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, policy cancellation, high prices or even delays in responding to claim requests. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company is easier than you think.

Additional auto insurance information is located on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website located here. Florida drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, find a variety of consumer forms, and read consumer alerts.