Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Okeechobee Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, many consumers are feeling buyer's remorse and feel like there's no way out. Companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with TV and radio ads and it can be hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

How to Compare Auto Insurance in Okeechobee, Florida

Most major insurance companies allow you to get prices directly from their websites. This process is quite easy as you just enter the coverages you want as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, the company's rating system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price. Online quotes simplifies rate comparisons, but having to visit each company's website and repetitively complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to compare as many rates as possible in order to find the best price on auto insurance.

A less time-consuming method to lower your rates uses one form to get prices from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, requires much less work on your part, and makes online shopping a little more enjoyable. After sending your information, it is rated with multiple companies and you can pick your choice of the returned quotes. If the quotes result in lower rates, it's easy to complete the application and buy the new coverage. The entire process takes 15 minutes at the most and may save quite a bit of money.

To find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and submit your coverage information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you duplicate the insurance coverages as shown on your current policy. This way, you will be getting comparison quotes based on similar coverages.

You have some control over your rates

It's important that you understand the different types of things that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Do you have enough liability coverage? - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides for a legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Safer cars can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Do you know your deductibles? - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply could be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and burglary. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
Where you live - Choosing to live in a small town is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accidents. Drivers in populated Florida areas regularly have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times can result in more accidents.
More miles equals more premium - The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on their usage. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle.
Men are more aggressive - Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn't mean men are worse drivers. Men and women are in accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance companies do not advertise all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you're just leaving money on the table.

Club Memberships - Participating in a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Multiple Cars - Buying coverage for all your vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
Life Insurance - Some companies give better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
No Charge for an Accident - A handful of insurance companies permit an accident without raising rates so long as you haven't had any claims for a certain period of time.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn't work that way.

For a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Okeechobee, click here to view.

Additional detailed information can be found at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Florida consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.

And the best car insurance company is...

Affordable auto insurance is attainable online and also from your neighborhood Okeechobee agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it's not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.