Car Insurance in Plantation – 10 Ways to Cut Costs

Are you confused by the sheer number of car insurance choices in Plantation? Lot’s of other consumers are too. People have so many options that it can quickly become a real hassle to locate the lowest price.

You need to compare prices every six months because prices are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you had the lowest price two years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. So just block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re going to learn the best methods to find lower rates on car insurance.

Compare Quotes for Plantation Car Insurance

Most companies quote coverage prices on their websites. Getting quotes is pretty painless as you simply type in your coverage preferences into the quote form. After you complete the form, their system makes automated requests for information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price based on many factors.

Being able to quote online streamlines rate comparisons, but the time it takes to visit different websites and fill out multiple forms gets old quite quickly. But it’s absolutely necessary to get many rate quotes if you want to find the lowest possible prices on car insurance.

The better way to compare rates

A quicker way to locate the lowest prices uses one form that gets prices from many companies. It saves time, requires less work, and makes online shopping much easier. Immediately after you send the form, it gets priced and you can choose any of the quote results. If a lower price is quoted, you simply finish the application and buy the new coverage. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and can result in significant savings.

To save time and compare rates using this form now, click here and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you enter the coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will have a rate comparison using the exact same coverages.

Do car insurance companies bend the truth?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm and Allstate regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make an identical promise of big savings if you move to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who matches those parameters receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be quoted higher rates which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That is how companies can make those claims. This emphasizes why you absolutely need to get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Cut your car insurance rates with these ten discounts

Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list every discount very clearly, so we break down both the well known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

• Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
• Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
• Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts as compared to frequent claim filers.
• Theft Prevention System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
• Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
• Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
• Resident Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
• Organization Discounts – Affiliation with a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for car insurance.
• Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, you won’t be that lucky.

To see a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Plantation, click here.

Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?

Some people would rather talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get the lowest rates but also keep your business local.

Upon completion of this quick form, the quote information is emailed to local insurance agents who will compete to get your business. There is no need to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. Get lower rates AND a local agent.

Choosing an provider requires more thought than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:

• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
• Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?

Plantation auto insurance agents are either independent or captive

When researching an insurance agent, there are two types of agencies that you can select. Plantation agents are classified as either captive or independent.

Agency Captives

Captive agents are contracted to one company like Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents are trained well on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Consumers frequently choose to use a captive agent mostly because of high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

Below are captive insurance agencies in Plantation that can give you rate quotes.

• State Farm Insurance – 8040 Peters Rd # H108 – Plantation, FL 33324 – (954) 370-2345
• Allstate Insurance – 13230 W Broward Blvd – Plantation, FL 33325 – (954) 475-2166

Independent Agents

These agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When shopping rates, we recommend you get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.

Below is a short list of independent agencies in Plantation that are able to give comparison quotes.

• American Superior Insurance – 600 N Pine Island Rd – Plantation, FL 33324 – (954) 577-2200
• American Insurance Group – 10360 NW 17th Ct – Plantation, FL 33322 – (954) 370-7466

For a full directory of Plantation insurance agents, visit this site.

After getting acceptable answers to all your questions and an acceptable price quote, most likely you have located an insurance agency that can adequately provide car insurance. But remember, once you purchase a policy you can cancel a policy whenever you wish so don’t feel you are locked into your new company with no way to switch.

You are unique and your car insurance should be too

When buying the best car insurance coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different.

Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if your situation may require specific advice.

• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
• Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
• What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
• Should I buy only the required Florida minimum liability coverage?
• Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?

If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Car insurance 101

Learning about specific coverages of car insurance helps when choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (10/20/10 in Florida), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Liability – This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income, legal defense fees and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Florida requires drivers to carry at least 10,000/20,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.

Collision coverage – This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for claims such as damaging your car on a curb, scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for immediate expenses like chiropractic care, dental work, nursing services, EMT expenses and rehabilitation expenses. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like a broken windshield, vandalism, hitting a bird, hitting a deer and falling objects. The most your car insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.

More tips and info about car insurance is available at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Consumers can view a list of available companies, discover disciplinary actions, and read industry bulletins.

Additional helpful sites include this page for car insurance prices in Florida and this page of insurance agents in Plantation.

Keep this in mind

Consumers switch companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, lack of trust in their agent, delays in responding to claim requests or even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new car insurance company is less work than it seems.

In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company.

Lower-priced car insurance can be found both online in addition to many Plantation insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.