Free Guide to Cutting Costs on Matlacha Auto Insurance Online

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are lots of people in the same boat. Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive constantly blast consumers with ad campaigns and it is difficult to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It's important to compare prices every six months because prices are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best deal last year a different company probably has better rates today. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the proper way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you are throwing money away.

Sign Online - A few companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application digitally online.
Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.
Service Members Pay Less - Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts as compared to drivers who are more careless.
No Charge for an Accident - A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, you're out of luck.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Pay less if you're married - Being married helps lower the price on your policy. It means you're more mature and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Liability insurance protects assets - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if ever you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Your stress level may be raising your rates - Jobs such as doctors, business owners and dentists tend to have the highest average rates because of high stress and long work days. Other occupations such as actors, historians and retirees receive lower rates.
Men are more aggressive - Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn't mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving.
Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates - Driving your car without having proper coverage is against the law and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance lapse. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.

How can State Farm, GEICO and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Consumers in Florida get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings by State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to make an identical promise that you can save if you change to their company.

How can each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay a higher premium and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That's the way insurance companies can claim big savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Learn more about Florida auto insurance

Additional detailed information is available at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, and read industry bulletins.

Best coverage at the best price

Lower-priced auto insurance is attainable both online and also from your neighborhood Matlacha agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. A few companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.