Top Ways to Save on Estero Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Trust us when we tell you there are many Estero consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance. Companies like GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

It's important to price shop coverage every six months because prices are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're about to find out one of the best ways to find better coverage at a better price.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies do not advertise all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you're paying more than you need to.

Save over 55 - Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Multiple Vehicles - Insuring multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
No Claims - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially as compared to bad drivers.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
Discount for Life Insurance - Some companies give better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.

Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn't work that way.

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

How to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Estero, Florida

Finding cheaper auto insurance prices can be surprisingly simple. Just take the time comparing price quotes provided by online insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The best way consumers can make multiple comparisons is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method eliminates the need for boring form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. Filling out one form will get you rate comparisons from all major companies.
A more difficult way to compare rate quotes requires you to visit each company's website and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, we'll assume you want to compare rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company's site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method.

To view a list of companies in Estero, click here.
The least efficient method to get comparison rates is driving around to local Estero insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you prefer the professional advice only provided by licensed Estero agents. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent. We'll cover that shortly.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverage information for every quote you compare. If each company quotes unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be impossible to determine the best price in Estero.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates 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.

Mature drivers pay less - Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Teen drivers are known to be less responsible when behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Do you know your deductibles? - Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, vandalism, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
Men pay higher rates - Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. They both tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the males have costlier accidents. They also get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Jobs such as lawyers, architects and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates attributed to high stress and lots of time spent at work. Other professions such as actors, historians and performers pay the least.
Do you have enough liability coverage? - Liability coverage provides coverage if ever a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
Your car's features help determine rates - Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your car from being stolen.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Florida consumers can't get away from ads that promise big savings from companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save after switching your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured could possibly be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't qualify for the requirements will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is "people who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's the way insurance companies can state the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers must compare many company's rates. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

And the best car insurance company is...

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate.

Affordable auto insurance can be bought online in addition to many Estero insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

Learn more about Florida auto insurance

Additional detailed information can be found at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Florida consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, report car insurance fraud, learn about insurance regulations, and read industry bulletins.