5 Discounts Gainesville Drivers Overlook when Comparing Auto Insurance on the Web

Price shopping your Gainesville auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to comparing rates online. There are so many companies to choose from that it can be a lot of work to find the best price in Gainesville.

It’s smart to take a look at other company’s rates once or twice a year since rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the best deal a few years ago there may be better deals available now. Don’t believe everything you read about auto insurance online, so by reading this article, you’re going to learn a bunch of ideas how to stop overpaying for insurance.

Discounts are basically free money

Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

• Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
• Discount for Good Grades – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up to age 25.
• Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
• New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

To choose insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Gainesville, click here.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO give insurance quotes on the web. Getting online rates doesn’t take a lot of time as you just type in your coverage preferences into the quote form. When complete, their rating system pulls credit information and your driving record and returns pricing information.

Being able to quote online simplifies rate comparisons, but having to visit different websites and enter the same data into a form is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it is imperative to compare as many rates as possible in order to find the lowest price.

An easier way to compare rates utilizes a single form to get prices from a bunch of companies at once. It’s a real time-saver, requires much less work on your part, and makes comparison shopping much easier. Immediately after submitting the form, it is quoted and you can select any or none of the quotes returned. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process only takes a few minutes and could lower your rates considerably.

If you want to get comparison pricing now, click here to open in new window and submit your coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you duplicate the coverage information exactly as shown on your declarations page. This ensures you’re receiving rate comparison quotes using the same coverage and limits.

But don’t I need an insurance agent?

A small number of people prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! Good agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, the coverage information is sent to participating agents in Gainesville who will battle for your coverage. You never need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. How cool is that?!

Choosing an insurer needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:

• Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
• How are claims handled?
• How long has their agency been open in Gainesville?
• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• How are they compensated?

Choose an insurance agent wisely

If you’re trying to find a good Gainesville insurance agent, you must know there are a couple different types of agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in Gainesville are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the differences since it may influence your agent selection.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies are contracted to one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They are unable to give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents primarily because of high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

Listed below is a short list of captive agents in Gainesville who may provide you with comparison quotes.

• Allstate Insurance – 1905 NW 13th St # 1 – Gainesville, FL 32609 – (352) 377-5511
• Farm Bureau Insurance – 4432 NW 23rd Ave # 3 – Gainesville, FL 32606 – (352) 378-1389
• Rosie Smith State Farm Ins – 6500 SW Archer Rd – Gainesville, FL 32608 – (352) 377-1366

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from. They often place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.

The following are Gainesville independent agencies that can give you comparison quotes.

• Yawn Family Insurance – 4020 W Newberry Rd # 600 – Gainesville, FL 32607 – (352) 372-3399
• Nathan Williams Agency – 4908 NW 34th St # 4 – Gainesville, FL 32605 – (352) 384-9826
• Steve Taber Agency – 5310 NW 8th Ave # 1 – Gainesville, FL 32605 – (352) 377-9819
• Sherouse Agency – – Gainesville, FL 32601 – (352) 377-4389
• Mc Griff Williams Insurance – 3501 W University Ave # A – Gainesville, FL 32607 – (352) 371-7977

To view a complete directory of Gainesville insurance agents, simply jump to this page.

Upon receiving positive feedback to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.

Ads can be misleading

Florida drivers can’t ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save after switching to them.

How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the driver that makes them money. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as a mature driver, is a homeowner, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Potential customers who don’t measure up to the requirements will have to pay higher premiums and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. This is how companies can make those claims. Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Specific coverages

Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as theft, damage from getting keyed, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a bird and hitting a deer. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Medical costs insurance – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like surgery, prosthetic devices and pain medications. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and 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 and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Auto liability – This coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property by causing an accident. It protects YOU against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, legal defense fees, loss of income, structural damage and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Florida state minimum liability requirements are 10,000/20,000/10,000 but drivers should carry more coverage.

UM/UIM Coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your vehicle.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (Florida limits are 10/20/10), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision can pay for claims such as driving through your garage door, backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle and hitting a parking meter. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

In conclusion

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be sourced on the web in addition to many Gainesville insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

Consumers change insurance companies for many reasons like unfair underwriting practices, denial of a claim, delays in responding to claim requests and poor customer service. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.

While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

More detailed Florida auto insurance information is available at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Consumers can read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.