How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Panama City Bch

Are you tired of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than millions of other consumers. There are many to pick from, and although it's nice to have a selection, it makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to check car insurance prices once or twice a year because rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best rates last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Don't believe everything you read about car insurance online, so I'm going to show you some great ways to save money.

Finding affordable coverage in Panama City Bch is easy if you know what you're doing. If you have insurance now or need new coverage, you can follow these tips to get lower rates and still get good coverage. Florida vehicle owners just need to know the proper methods to compare company rates online.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't always advertise all their discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using. If you're not getting every credit available, you're paying more than you need to.

55 and Retired - Mature drivers may qualify for reduced rates.
Military Rewards - Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
Good Students Pay Less - A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
Bundle and Save - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
Early Signing - A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
New Car Discount - Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
Drive Less and Save - Driving fewer miles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Drivers Education - Have your child complete a driver education course in school.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Florida, click here to view.

Fast and Easy Panama City Bch Car Insurance Quotes

Comparing car insurance rates can take time and effort if you aren't aware of the most efficient way. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Panama City Bch, or you can utilize the web to get prices fast.

Many insurance companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and each participating company then gives them pricing for coverage. This saves time by eliminating quote requests to each individual car insurance company. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to doing it this way is that consumers can't choose which carriers to receive prices from. So if you want to select specific insurance companies to request quotes from, we have a page of low cost car insurance companies in Florida. Click here for list of insurance companies in Florida.

It's up to you which method you use, but double check that you are using identical coverages and limits for each price quote. If you use different deductibles it will be next to impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Panama City Bch.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

Are you male or female? - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are better drivers. They both have accidents at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage. They also receive more costly citations such as reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
How's your driving record? - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers receive lower rates than bad drivers. Even one ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. Drivers who have serious citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
Your location is important - Being located in less populated areas can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. Drivers who live in large cities have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer drivers means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.
Performance makes a difference - The make and model of the car you own makes a big difference in determining your rates. The most favorable rates tend to be for small economy passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
More miles equals more premium - The more miles you rack up on your car every year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most companies rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.
Pay less if you're married - Getting married can actually save you money on your policy. It is viewed as being more mature than a single person and it's statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers can't get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make an identical promise that you'll save big if you switch to them.

How does each company make the same claim?

All the different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a desirable insured could be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A customer who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Drivers who don't measure up to these standards will have to pay higher premiums and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's why companies can claim big savings. Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. Because you never know the company that will give you the biggest savings.

And the best car insurance company is...

When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don't reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an insured dropped collision coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.

We just showed you some good ideas how you can compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like .

More Florida car insurance information

More detailed Florida car insurance information can be read at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, find disaster information, file complaints about a company, and view agent and company licensing information.

Additional helpful sites include this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Panama City Bch.