Best Auto Insurance in Jacksonville

Truthfully, the best way to find cheaper car insurance rates is to regularly compare prices from companies in Jacksonville.

1. Take a little time to learn about the different coverages in a policy and the things you can control to lower rates. Many factors that result in higher rates such as traffic violations, accidents, and an unfavorable credit rating can be remedied by being financially responsible and driving safely. Keep reading for additional tips to find cheap prices and find more discounts that you may not know about.
2. Compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple sources. View a list of agents
3. Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate quote and switch companies, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
4. Notify your agent or company of your decision to cancel your existing policy. Submit payment and a signed application to the new insurer. Once received, put the new certificate of insurance with your vehicle’s registration.

The most important part of shopping around is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical deductibles and limits on each quote and and to get rates from as many companies as feasibly possible. This provides the most accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.

It’s an obvious conclusion that insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. Consumers who shop around at least once a year will most likely switch car insurance companies because there are good odds of finding lower rate quotes. A recent survey discovered that drivers who routinely compared quotes saved an average of $3,500 over four years compared to drivers who never compared prices.

If finding budget-friendly rates on car insurance is your ultimate target, then having a grasp of how to get free comparison quotes and analyze car insurance can make the process more efficient.

Determine discounts on Jacksonville car insurance

Some insurance providers do not advertise all discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list both well-publicized as well as some of the hidden discounts you could be receiving when you buy Jacksonville car insurance online.

• Distant Student – Children who attend college more than 100 miles from Jacksonville and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars and trucks equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
• Driver’s Ed – Have your child enroll and complete driver’s education in school.
• Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you can actually save on your bill.
• Accident Free – Claim-free drivers pay less in comparison with accident-prone drivers.
• More Vehicles More Savings – Purchasing coverage when you have primary and secondary vehicles on one policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
• Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company they may give you a discount of over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles can earn slightly better prices than normal.

Don’t be surprised that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that it’s possible to get free car insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

Auto insurance companies that may offer policyholders some of the above discounts may include but are not limited to:

• American Family
• State Farm
• 21st Century
• Travelers
• GEICO

If you need lower rates, check with all the companies to give you their best rates. Some discounts listed above may not apply in your state. If you would like to choose from a list of car insurance companies that offer discounts in Jacksonville, follow this link.

Price data assumes married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Price information does not factor in specific location which can alter premiums noticeably.

Finding a better price on insurance can be relatively painless. The only thing you need to do is invest a little time getting comparison quotes to find the company with affordable Jacksonville car insurance quotes.

It’s so fast and easy to compare quotes online that it takes the place of having to drive around to all the different Jacksonville insurance agencies. Comparing online rate quotes eliminates this option unless you have a complicated situation and need the professional assistance that only a licensed agent can provide. You can, however, get the lowest quotes online but have your policy serviced through an agent.

The car insurance companies shown below are ready to provide free quotes in Jacksonville, FL. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.

Good decisions result in lower rates

When buying car insurance it’s important to understand the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

The itemized list below are some of the factors companies use to determine your rates.

Higher rates for specific vocations – Occupational choices like military personnel, airline pilots, and stock brokers are shown to have higher premiums than the average policyholder in part from intense work requirements and long work hours. Other occupations such as farmers, historians and performers have the lowest average rates.

Lower rates for married couples – Having a wife or husband may earn you lower rates on your car insurance policy. Marriage demonstrates that you tend to be more mature and it’s proven that being married results in fewer claims.

Gender is a factor – Over time, data shows females are less aggressive when driving. The data does not necessarily mean that females are better drivers. They both have fender benders in similar percentages, but males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Not only are claims higher, but men get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving.

Pay more of a claim out-of-pocket – Protection for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. A few examples of covered claims could be a broken windshield, flood damage, and damage from a fallen tree branch. The deductibles you choose represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more money you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.

Experienced drivers save more – Inexperience drivers are proven to be easily distracted behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. More mature drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, statistically cause fewer accidents, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.

Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Some car insurance companies give a discount to people who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be as much as ten percent or more Even though this discount sounds good, it’s always a smart idea to shop around to help ensure you have the lowest rates. Drivers may still save even more by buying car insurance from a different company.

Policy claims cost money – If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance companies in Florida generally give the lowest premiums to policyholders who are not frequent claim filers. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for more catastrophic claims.

Insurance agents are professional risk managers

Many people would prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is OK! Professional insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help file insurance claims. One of the great benefits of comparing auto insurance online is the fact that you can find cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local.

To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Jacksonville who will give competitive quotes for your business. There is no reason to leave your house because prices are sent to you. If you have a need to get a price quote from a specific company, you can always navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.

Deciding on an company is decision based upon more than just a cheap quote. Any agent in Jacksonville should be willing to answer these questions.

• Is auto insurance their primary focus in Jacksonville?
• Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
• Is there a 24/7 contact number?
• How often do they review coverages?
• Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?

If you need to find a local agent, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents from which to choose. Agents in Jacksonville are classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents. Either can sell affordable auto insurance policies, but it’s important to know why they differ because it can impact buying decisions.

Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents

Exclusive agents can only provide one company’s prices such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to shop your coverage around so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive insurance agents are trained well on the products they sell which can be an advantage.

The following are Jacksonville exclusive agents that can give you rate quotes.

View more agents

Independent Auto Insurance Agencies

Agents of this type are normally appointed by many insurers so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and find you the best rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they can switch companies in-house which requires no work on your part. If you are comparing rate quotes, you should always compare quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection.

The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Jacksonville willing to provide price quotes.

View more agents

If you receive positive responses to these questions and an acceptable price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that can be trusted to properly service your auto insurance policy. Keep in mind you are entitled to terminate coverage when you choose so never feel that you are permanently stuck with a specific agent for the full policy term.

Three main reasons to buy car insurance

Despite the high insurance cost in Jacksonville, insurance is required in Florida but it also protects you in many ways.

First, just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Florida these limits are 10/20/10 which means you must have $10,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.

Second, if you bought your vehicle with a loan, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender may insure your vehicle for a lot more money and require you to pay for the expensive policy.

Third, insurance safeguards both your car and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your car insurance policy will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially when you need to use it. On average, a vehicle owner in Jacksonville is overpaying more than $820 a year so shop around each time the policy renews to be sure current rates are still competitive.

Frequent quotes can save

Cheaper car insurance in Jacksonville is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Jacksonville agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies may not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, drivers have reduced collision coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost while not skimping on critical coverages.

You just learned many ways to reduce car insurance premium rates online in Jacksonville. The key thing to remember is the more you quote Jacksonville car insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may even discover the lowest premium rates come from the smaller companies. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.

Additional information can be found at these links:

• Collision Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
• Who Has the Cheapest Jacksonville Auto Insurance Rates for Seniors? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Jacksonville Car Insurance for Drivers Over Age 50? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Jacksonville Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Corolla? (FAQ)
• Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)
• Uninsured Motorists: Threats on the Road (Insurance Information Institute)