How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Jacksonville

No one likes having to buy auto insurance, particularly when they are paying too much. Having so many choices of insurance companies, it's nearly impossible to locate the most cost effective car insurance company.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all available discounts very well, so the following is a list of both the well known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance. If you don't get every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Jacksonville may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
Good Student - Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
Multiple Cars - Buying coverage for all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Accident Forgiveness - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven't had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you're out of luck.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone's needs are different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need an agent's assistance.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can help protect your family.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Consumers in Florida get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim that you can save if you change to their company.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Potential customers who are not a match for this ideal profile must pay a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why you should get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which company will fit your personal profile best.

Additional Florida consumer information

Additional detailed information can be read at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.

Also read more on this page for Florida auto insurance and this page for help finding agents in Jacksonville, FL.

A tidy conclusion

Lower-priced auto insurance can be sourced both online and also from your neighborhood Jacksonville agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We covered some good ideas how to reduce auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a small local company. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as .

As you shop your coverage around, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In too many instances, someone dropped collision coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.