Free Guide to Paying Less for Sarasota Auto Insurance Online

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, you're not the only one.

Numerous battle for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a to get the lowest rate

It's important to shop coverage around every six months because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the lowest rates a couple years back you may be paying too much now. So just block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the tricks you need to know to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Sarasota is quite easy. Nevertheless, Florida drivers do need to know the way insurance companies market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.

How to Compare Auto Insurance in Sarasota, Florida

There are several ways to compare auto insurance prices but one way is more efficient than others. You could spend your day talking to insurance agencies in Sarasota, or you could use online quotes to get pricing more quickly.

All the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and at least one company can provide price quotes based on that data. This saves time by eliminating form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

The only drawback to using this type of system is you are unable to specify which companies you will receive quotes from. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we have a listing of companies who write auto insurance in Florida. Click here to view list.

It's your choice how you get your quotes, but ensure you are comparing the exact same coverage limits on every quote. If you have differing limits then you won't be able to make a fair comparison in Sarasota. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may result in large price differences. Just remember that comparing more company's prices will increase your chances of finding better pricing.

Florida auto insurance

Tips to Get Lower Sarasota 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. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate your rates.

  • Traffic violations increase rates - Your driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even a single moving violation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations like DUI or reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Protect yourself with liability coverage - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage in the event that a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. Safer cars protect occupants better and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - Insurance companies in Florida award better rates to policyholders who do not file claims often. If you file claims often, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance coverage is designed for the large, substantial claims.
  • Your stress level may be raising your rates - Occupations like lawyers, business owners and accountants have higher rates than average due to job stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations like actors, athletes and retirees get better rates.
  • Where do you drive? - The higher the mileage driven in a year the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts to help bring down the price. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before they will apply.

  • Discount for Good Grades - Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
  • Club Memberships - Participating in certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
  • Low Mileage - Low mileage vehicles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Federal Government Employee - Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
  • Claim Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to frequent claim filers.
  • Life Insurance - Larger companies have lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
  • E-sign - A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing on their website.

It's important to understand that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.

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

Additional auto insurance information can be found on the website for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation found here. Florida consumers can file complaints about a company, find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, and download brochures.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

In this article, we presented many tips how you can lower your auto insurance rates. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Smaller companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like .

Low-cost auto insurance is attainable online as well as from independent agents in Sarasota, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies don't offer online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.