It’s an obvious statement that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Consumers who compare other rates are highly likely to buy a different policy because they have a good chance of finding a more affordable policy. Remarkably, a study showed that people who routinely compared rates saved an average of $70 a month compared to other drivers who never compared prices.
If finding discount rates on car insurance in Jacksonville is your target objective, then knowing how to get rate quotes and compare insurance can make the process more efficient.
If you want to save the most money, the best way to get more affordable car insurance rates is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from providers who provide car insurance in Jacksonville. Prices can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Try to learn about how companies set rates and the things you can change to prevent high rates. Many things that result in higher prices like speeding tickets, accidents and poor credit history can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you can save money, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Give proper notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application for the new policy. Once the paperwork is finalized, put the new proof of insurance paperwork in an easily accessible location.
An important note is to try to compare similar deductibles and liability limits on each price quote and and to compare every company you can. This provides a level playing field and a better comparison of the market.
Finding the cheapest car insurance coverage in Jacksonville is actually quite easy if you know where to start. In a nutshell, each driver who shops around for car insurance should find lower prices. Nevertheless, Florida consumers do need to understand the way companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.
How to Lower Your Insurance Costs
Many things are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but other criteria are more obscure such as whether you are married or your vehicle rating. Part of the auto insurance buying process is learning some of the things that are used to determine the price you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
Is you employer costing you more? – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupational choices like real estate brokers, architects, and financial analysts generally pay higher premiums than the average policyholder in part from job stress and long work hours. Other careers like actors, engineers and the unemployed have lower than average premiums.
Defend yourself with liability insurance – Your auto insurance policy’s liability coverage will provide protection if you are found to be at fault for damages from an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is pretty cheap when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
Incidental coverages you don’t need – Insurance companies have many additional extra coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Things like roadside assistance, death and dismemberment, and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.
Car plus home equals more savings – The majority of companies apply better rates to clients that buy multiple policies. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to compare other Jacksonville xB insurance rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to save even more by buying auto insurance from a different company.
High performance equals high rates – The performance of the car or truck you own makes a significant difference in your car insurance bill. The lowest performance passenger cars usually are quite affordable to insure, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
The following chart is based on a single female driver age 50, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It illustrates Scion xB insurance premiums compared to other models of vehicles that have different performance risks.
Insurance losses for a Scion xB – Insurance companies include the past claim history for a vehicle when determining insurance rates. Models that have high amounts or severity of claims will have a higher cost to insure. The table below shows the insurance loss data for Scion xB vehicles.
For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles combined as an average is considered to be 100. Percentage numbers below 100 mean the vehicle has better than average losses, while values over 100 point to more claims or tendency to have higher losses.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scion xB | 86 | 92 | 89 | 148 | 127 | 116 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
When comparison shopping, comparing all the rates in your area will improve the odds of getting a lower rate.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer quotes in Jacksonville, FL. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Car insurance statistics and figures
The premium table shown below highlights estimates of insurance prices for Scion xB models. Being able to understand how policy rates are figured can help drivers make smart choices when comparing insurance quotes.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XB 2WD | $312 | $438 | $426 | $26 | $128 | $1,330 | $111 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data rating is based on married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in your specific Jacksonville location which can raise or lower coverage prices noticeably.
The chart below demonstrates how deductible levels and can increase or decrease Scion xB premium costs for each age group. The rates are based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Impact of careless driving on Jacksonville car insurance rates
The diagram below illustrates how traffic citations and fender-benders drive up Scion xB insurance premiums for different insured age categories. The rates are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Best reasons to buy auto insurance in Florida
Despite the high insurance cost for a Scion xB in Jacksonville, maintaining insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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 you bought your Scion xB with a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If the policy lapses, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Scion at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay for the expensive policy.
- Auto insurance preserves both your assets and your Scion. Insurance will pay for medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying auto insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially if you ever need it. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is wasting up to $750 every year so compare rates at every renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Jacksonville insurance discounts
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there could be significant discounts that may help make it more affordable. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but some discounts are required to be asked for before you will receive the discount.
- Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the medical payments premium.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for discounted prices on garaged vehicles.
- Paper-free Discount – A handful of larger companies will provide an incentive for signing up on the internet.
- Early Signing – A few companies give discounts for buying a new policy prior to the expiration date on your current xB insurance policy. This discount can save up to 10%.
- Savings for New Vehicles – Insuring a vehicle that is new can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles keep occupants safer.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems could see savings of 25 to 30%.
- Mature Driver Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you could receive better insurance rates.
Policy discounts save money, but some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, nobody gets a free ride.
The illustration below shows the comparison of Scion xB insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the premium. The rates are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, Florida state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, multi-car, safe-driver, marriage, homeowner, and claim-free discounts applied.
A few of the larger companies and a partial list of their discounts are included below.
- State Farm has savings for driver’s education, multiple policy, safe vehicle, Drive Safe & Save, accident-free, good student, and passive restraint.
- GEICO may include discounts for military active duty, multi-policy, good student, multi-vehicle, anti-theft, federal employee, and emergency military deployment.
- SAFECO offers discounts including homeowner, teen safe driver, bundle discounts, drive less, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, and multi-car.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for alternative fuel, homeowner, distant student, teen driver, and early shopping.
- AAA policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, anti-theft, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, multi-car, and good student.
- USAA may have discounts that include military installation, multi-policy, safe driver, vehicle storage, and defensive driver.
Before you buy a policy, ask every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. A few discounts might not apply in Jacksonville.
Shop online but buy locally
A lot of people just prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. A good thing about comparing rates online is that you can find lower rates and still have a local agent.
Once you complete this quick form, your insurance coverage information is sent to insurance agents in Jacksonville that can give you free Jacksonville car insurance quotes to get your business. There is no need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. You’ll get the best rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a specific company, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding the right insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. The answers to these questions are important, too.
- Is the agency active in community causes in Jacksonville?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- Will one accident increase rates?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
If you want a good insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Insurance agencies in Jacksonville are classified as either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents of this type can only provide pricing for a single company and examples are AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. Exclusive insurance agents receive a lot of sales training on what they offer which aids in selling service over price. Some insured continue to purchase coverage from exclusives partially due to high brand loyalty instead of buying on price only.
Below are Jacksonville exclusive insurance agents who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Chris Frank – State Farm Insurance Agent
9475 Philips Hwy Ste 15 – Jacksonville, FL 32256 – (904) 900-1727 – View Map - Connie Doyle State Farm Insurance Agency
14158 Marsh Woods Ct – Jacksonville, FL 32224 – (904) 223-0035 – View Map - Debra Braddock – State Farm Insurance Agent
9310 Old Kings Rd S #1901 – Jacksonville, FL 32257 – (904) 737-0829 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents that choose to be independent do not write with just one company and that allows them to write policies through many companies and get you the best rates possible. If prices rise, an independent agent can move your coverage which requires no work on your part. When comparing rate quotes, you need to compare prices from at least one independent agent to get the most accurate price comparison. Most have the option of insuring with additional companies that you may not be familiar with which could offer lower prices.
Shown below are independent insurance agencies in Jacksonville who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Rosetta’s Insurance Agency, Inc.
6715 Wilson Blvd – Jacksonville, FL 32210 – (904) 677-0441 – View Map - Brightway Insurance
8206 Philips Hwy – Jacksonville, FL 32256 – (904) 527-3029 – View Map - Connect America Insurance Agency
8825 Perimeter Park Blvd #303 – Jacksonville, FL 32216 – (904) 494-8898 – View Map
There’s no such thing as the perfect insurance policy
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply.
For example, these questions might help in determining whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- When should I have rental car coverage?
- What policy terms are available?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- How can I get my company to pay me more for my totaled car?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area.
Smart consumers save more
In this article, we presented many tips how you can find cheap Scion xB insurance in Jacksonville. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of getting cheaper Jacksonville car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the lowest prices come from some of the smallest insurance companies. These companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
Cheaper car insurance in Jacksonville is attainable on the web as well as from independent agents in Jacksonville, and you should compare rates from both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller providers only sell coverage through local independent agents.
Additional detailed information is located at these sites:
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Jacksonville Car Insurance Rates for Drivers with Good Credit? (FAQ)
- How Much are Jacksonville Auto Insurance Rates for 17 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Active Military in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Jacksonville Auto Insurance for State Employees? (FAQ)
- How Much are Jacksonville Car Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Jacksonville Car Insurance Quotes for a Honda Accord? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Low Credit Scores in Jacksonville? (FAQ)
- Tools for Teen Driving Safety (State Farm)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)