Easy Techniques to Pay Less on Miami, FL Car Insurance

Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of car insurance company choices in Miami? You’re not the only one! Consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a ton of work to locate the lowest price.

Consumers should take time to compare rates once or twice a year because insurance rates fluctuate regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance on the web, but we’re going to give you some solid techniques on how to quit paying high car insurance rates.

Buying more affordable car insurance in Miami can be fairly easy. If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you can use this information to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. Florida consumers just need to understand the proper methods to find the lowest price on the web.

How to Compare Car Insurance Costs in Miami

Most companies provide coverage prices online. Getting quotes is pretty painless as you just type in your personal and coverage information into the quote form. Upon sending the form, the system sends out for information on your driving record and credit history and provides a quote.

Online price quotes makes comparing rates easy, but the time it takes to visit several different sites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to get many rate quotes in order to find the lowest price.

Isn’t there an easier way to compare rates?

A more efficient way to lower your rates requires only one form to return rates from a bunch of companies at once. This type of form saves time, eliminates repetitive work, and makes quoting online much more enjoyable. After sending the form, it is quoted with multiple companies and you can pick any of the quote results.

If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. It takes 15 minutes at the most and can result in significant savings.

To find out what other companies charge, simply click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended that you enter the coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This way, you will have comparison quotes based on identical coverages.

Don’t miss these discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but discounts can save money and there are some available to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about before you get the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.

  • Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
  • E-sign – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
  • New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Good Student – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last until age 25.
  • Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military can result in better rates.

It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in Florida, follow this link.save money concept

Your insurance agent down the street

Some people prefer to buy from a licensed agent. Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. The best thing about price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find the best rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local businesses is important particularly in Miami.

After filling out this quick form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to leave your house as quotes are delivered directly to your email. Now that’s easy!

The difference between Miami insurance agents

If you’re trying to find a local agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Miami are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. Either one can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different because it can impact the type of agent you choose

Independent Agencies or Brokers

These agents are not required to write business for one company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller regional carriers which may provide better rates.

Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Miami that may be able to provide competitive price quotes.

  • Frias Insurance Inc – 2742 SW 8th St # 19 – Miami, FL 33135 – (305) 643-3430
  • All-Motors Assurance Agency – 4150 NW 7th St # 100a – Miami, FL 33126 – (305) 649-3947
  • Fulton Agency Inc – 8525 NW 53rd Ter # 109 – Miami, FL 33166 – (305) 639-9660
  • Good Rate Insurance Inc – 1918 W Flagler St # B – Miami, FL 33135 – (305) 649-9883
  • Randall Iten Agency – 12651 S Dixie Hwy # 207 – Miami, FL 33156 – (305) 256-6631
Agency Captives

This type of agents can only place business with one company such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. They receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often purchase coverage from captives partially due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Listed below is a short list of captive insurance agents in Miami willing to provide price quote information.

  • Liberty Mutual – 13027 SW 88th St – Miami, FL 33186 – (305) 385-3449
  • Allstate Insurance – 6262 Bird Rd # 3i – Miami, FL 33155 – (305) 661-7116
  • State Farm Insurance – 9485 SW 72nd St # A150 – Miami, FL 33173 – (305) 227-3555

For a complete listing of captive insurance agencies in Miami, go to this page.

Picking an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:

  • Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
  • What insurance companies do they work with?
  • Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
  • How long has their agency been in business in Miami?
  • Is working in the agency their full-time job?
  • Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
  • Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
  • What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?

After receiving acceptable answers to all your questions and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that can adequately provide car insurance.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s needs are different.

Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining if you might need an agent’s assistance.

save money in Florida

  • What can I do if my company denied a claim?
  • What is the minimum liability in Florida?
  • When should I not file a claim?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
  • Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
  • I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
  • Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
  • Do I need motorclub coverage?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Save Money with These Tips

It’s important that you understand the factors that help determine car insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Do you need those extra coverages? – There are a ton of additional coverages that can waste your money on your car insurance policy. Coverages for personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships are examples of these. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
  • Multiple policies with one company can save – Some insurers will give a discount to customers who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it’s still a good idea to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Drivers may still find a better deal by buying car insurance from a different company.
  • Your car insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations like lawyers, social workers and financial analysts have higher average rates in part from high stress levels and long work days. Conversely, occupations like farmers, engineers and homemakers get better rates.
  • Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
  • Where you live can impact rates – Being located in a small town is a positive aspect when buying car insurance. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident and a lower car theft rate. Drivers who live in large Florida cities tend to have more traffic problems and longer commute times. Longer commute distances means higher likelihood of an accident.
  • Theft deterrents lower rates – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent car theft.
  • With age comes lower rates – Older drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Youthful drivers have a tendency to be more careless behind the wheel and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.

Final considerations

Discount car insurance is available from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Miami agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Consumers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, unfair underwriting practices, being labeled a high risk driver or delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company can be easier than you think.

We just presented many ways to shop for car insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from the smaller companies.

Additional information can be read on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website located here. Florida drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read consumer alerts, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.