The best way to find more affordable auto insurance rates is to regularly compare quotes from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Jacksonville. You can shop around by completing these steps.
Step 1: It will benefit you to learn about how auto insurance works and the measures you can take to prevent rate increases. Many things that increase rates such as distracted driving and an unacceptable credit history can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
Step 2: Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate and make a switch, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current coverage and submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application to your new company or agent. As soon as you have the new policy, safely store the certificate of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
A good tip to remember is to compare identical deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get quotes from as many companies as possible. Doing this helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
It’s a known fact that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. Insureds who shop around for a cheaper policy are likely to move their business because they have a good chance of finding a lower-cost company. A recent survey found that drivers who routinely shopped around saved approximately $850 each year compared to policyholders who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding the cheapest price on Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance is why you’re reading this, then having some knowledge of how to find and compare insurance can help make the process easier.
Most major insurance companies make it easy to get coverage price quotes on their websites. The process is quite easy because it’s just a matter of typing in the coverages you want into a form. After you complete the form, the company’s rating system requests credit information and your driving record and gives you a price quote based on the information you submitted. Quoting online for Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance in Jacksonville makes it a lot easier to compare rates and it’s also necessary to have as many quotes as possible in order to find lower-cost prices.
To save time and find out how much you can save on car insurance, check out the car insurance providers below. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you complete the form with the limits and deductibles exactly as they are listed on your policy. This way, you’re receiving rate quotes using the same coverage and limits.
The companies shown below can provide comparison quotes in Florida. If multiple providers are shown, we recommend you get price quotes from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Insuring your Optima Plug-In Hybrid just makes sense
Despite the high insurance cost for a Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid in Jacksonville, buying car insurance serves an important purpose.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability protection if you drive a vehicle. 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.
- If your Optima Plug-In Hybrid has a loan, most lenders will stipulate that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Kia at a much higher premium rate and make you pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects both your car and your personal assets. It will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying car insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially for larger claims. The average driver in Florida is wasting up to $869 every year so you should quote rates at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
You may qualify for discounts for Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance in Jacksonville
Companies don’t necessarily list their entire list of discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the more common and the harder-to-find credits that you can use to lower your rates. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, you are not getting the best rate possible.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Larger insurance carriers have a small discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Federal government employees could qualify for a slight premium decrease depending on your insurance provider.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in certain professional organizations could earn you a nice discount on insurance.
- Good Student – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use their safety belts could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Accident Forgiveness – Not necessarily a discount, but a few companies such as Liberty Mutual and GEICO will forgive one accident without the usual rate increase if you have no claims for a certain period of time.
- Military Deployment Discount – Having a family member in the military may lower your premium rates slightly.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you combine your home and auto policies with the same insurance company you may save over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
- Distant College Student Discount – Youth drivers who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Jacksonville and won’t have access to an insured vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. If you do the math and it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, nobody gets a free ride. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.
A few companies who may offer most of these discounts are:
Check with every company what discounts are available to you. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered in every state.
Will just any policy work for me?
Always keep in mind that when comparing coverage online or from an agent for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different.
For example, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Do I need more liability coverage?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Is my state a no-fault state?
- Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Florida?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Is my Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid covered for flood damage?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
You may want advice from an insurance agency
Some consumers just want to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! The best thing about getting free rate quotes online is you may find cheap auto insurance quotes and still have a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your information gets sent to local insurance agents who will give you bids for your auto insurance coverage. There is no reason to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to you directly. Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you want to quote rates from a particular provider, you can always jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Finding a good company shouldn’t rely on just the quoted price. Here are some questions you should ask.
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
If you want a local Jacksonville insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different types of agents and how they operate. Auto insurance agencies can be described as either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive can usually just insure with one company such as State Farm or Allstate. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. They are trained well on sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price.
Listed below are exclusive insurance agencies in Jacksonville that are able to give comparison quotes.
Vonnie Wiggins – State Farm Insurance Agent
11757 Beach Blvd #7 – Jacksonville, FL 32246 – (904) 641-0090 – View Map
Chris Bedford – State Farm Insurance Agent
3943 Baymeadows Rd #1 – Jacksonville, FL 32217 – (904) 730-4300 – View Map
Allstate
13947 Beach Blvd #206 – Jacksonville, FL 32224 – (904) 992-0002 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be independent are appointed with more than one company so they can write business through many different auto insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your policy is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
When comparing rates, you definitely need to compare quotes from several independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Jacksonville who can help you get price quotes.
State Insurance Agency
803 3rd St N – Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 – (904) 247-5599 – View Map
Connect America Insurance Agency
8825 Perimeter Park Blvd #303 – Jacksonville, FL 32216 – (904) 494-8898 – View Map
Norris Insurance Agency
10695 Beach Blvd #1 – Jacksonville, FL 32246 – (904) 329-7950 – View Map
Car insurance 101
Understanding the coverages of auto insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Collision – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Optima Plug-In Hybrid caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against claims like hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch, sideswiping another vehicle, driving through your garage door and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible on your Optima Plug-In Hybrid to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane and fire damage. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid.
Due to the fact that many Florida drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (10/20/10 in Florida), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Auto liability – Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people in an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 10/20/10 which stand for $10,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $20,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $10,000.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, bail bonds, attorney fees, medical services and court costs. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Florida requires minimum liability limits of 10/20/10 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.
The next chart shows why low liability limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Insurance for medical payments – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for expenses for things like hospital visits, doctor visits and prosthetic devices. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Don’t give up on cheaper coverage
We just showed you quite a bit of information on how to find lower-cost Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance in Jacksonville. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding cheaper Jacksonville auto insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies.
Lower-priced Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance in Jacksonville is attainable on the web and from local agencies, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who may not offer price quotes online and these smaller providers only sell through independent agents.
Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like poor customer service, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy cancellation and not issuing a premium refund. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new auto insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found in these articles:
- Senior Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Felons in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Jacksonville Auto Insurance Quotes for a Kia Optima? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Welfare Recipients in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Hybrid Vehicles in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Jacksonville Car Insurance Quotes for Government Employees? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Jacksonville Car Insurance for Nurses? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Jacksonville Car Insurance for College Graduates? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for a Nissan Sentra in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)