No normal person likes buying auto insurance, especially when they are aware that their premiums are too high.
It’s well known that insurance companies don’t want you to look for cheaper rates. Consumers who shop around annually will most likely move their business because the odds are good of finding better rates. A study showed that consumers who did price comparisons regularly saved an average of $70 a month as compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the cheapest price for auto insurance is why you’re here, learning how to get price quotes and compare coverages can make it simple to find affordable coverage.
How to save money on Pontiac Vibe insurance in Jacksonville
The easiest way to find cheaper prices for auto insurance rates is to regularly compare prices from providers that insure vehicles in Jacksonville.
Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of individual coverages and the changes you can make to prevent rate increases. Many rating factors that result in higher prices like accidents, traffic tickets, and an imperfect credit score can be improved by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices for many different companies. Click to view companies
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find better rates and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Step 4: Provide notification to your current agent or company of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment and signed policy application to the new company. Once the application is submitted, safely store the proof of insurance certificate in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
An essential thing to point out is that you use similar limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this ensures an accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Lots of insurance companies contend for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a insurance company to discover the definitive lowest cost out there.
Finding more affordable Jacksonville insurance rates can be quick and easy. All you need to do is spend a few minutes getting comparison quotes to see which company has low cost Jacksonville car insurance quotes.
Comparing rate quotes online is fast and free, and it takes the place of having to drive around to and from local Jacksonville insurance agencies. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you have a need for the professional guidance of a local agency. Although you can obtain prices from the web but still have the advice of a local agent.
The companies in the list below have been selected to offer quotes in Florida. If more than one company is shown, it’s a good idea that you visit several of them to get the best price comparison.
Auto insurance rates and discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but there may be some discounts that may help make it more affordable. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but some discounts are required to be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.
- Online Discount – Certain companies will provide an incentive for buying your policy on your computer.
- Auto/Home Discount – When you have multiple policies and insure them both with the same insurance company you will save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less since newer vehicles are generally safer.
- Discount for Good Grades – Being a good student may save you up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
- Waiver for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like Allstate, Progressive, and GEICO will let one accident slide before they charge you more for coverage with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a certain period of time.
As is typical with insurance, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. If you do the math and it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way. But any discount should help reduce your auto insurance premiums.
The illustration below shows the comparison of Pontiac Vibe insurance rates with and without some available policy discounts. The information is based on a male driver, no accidents or driving violations, Florida state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, marriage, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-car discounts applied.
A list of companies and the discounts they provide are:
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including good student, multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, federal employee, anti-theft, five-year accident-free, and membership and employees.
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts for anti-theft, age of vehicle, good student, location of vehicle, good driver, accident-free, and multi-policy.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for switch companies, good student, early shopping, alternative fuel, and mature driver.
- Auto-Owners Insurance has savings for good student, company car, multi-policy, paperless, and air bags.
- Liberty Mutual has discounts for new graduate, safety features, new vehicle discount, multi-car, hybrid vehicle, and multi-policy.
- SAFECO discounts include multi-car, bundle discounts, homeowner, teen safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
- Progressive may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, good student, homeowner, multi-policy, online quote discount, continuous coverage, and online signing.
- USAA may have discounts that include good student, new vehicle, defensive driver, annual mileage, driver training, safe driver, and vehicle storage.
Check with every insurance company how you can save money. Savings may not apply to policies in your state. To view insurers that offer multiple discounts in Florida, click this link.
Rates and information analytics
The coverage table shown below highlights a range of insurance premium costs for Pontiac Vibe models. Having insight into how policy rates are determined can help drivers make smart choices when selecting a coverage provider.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vibe 1.8 | $312 | $532 | $362 | $22 | $108 | $1,336 | $111 |
Vibe 2.4 | $312 | $532 | $362 | $22 | $108 | $1,336 | $111 |
Vibe AWD | $352 | $628 | $362 | $22 | $108 | $1,472 | $123 |
Vibe GT | $352 | $628 | $362 | $22 | $108 | $1,472 | $123 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data based on married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free. Price estimates do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can change premiums greatly.
Higher deductibles save money
One of the most common car insurance questions is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The following tables show the rate difference when you choose different physical damage deductibles. The first data set uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vibe 1.8 | $322 | $544 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,371 | $114 |
Vibe 2.4 | $322 | $544 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,371 | $114 |
Vibe AWD | $364 | $640 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,509 | $126 |
Vibe GT | $364 | $640 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,509 | $126 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vibe 1.8 | $262 | $438 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,180 | $98 |
Vibe 2.4 | $262 | $438 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,180 | $98 |
Vibe AWD | $296 | $516 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,292 | $108 |
Vibe GT | $296 | $516 | $354 | $20 | $106 | $1,292 | $108 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in specific garaging location which can revise rates considerably.
Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $250 deductible costs about $17 more each month or $204 a year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $250 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average at a minimum 15 months between claim filings, you would save money if you decide on a higher deductible.
The information below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can affect Pontiac Vibe annual premium costs for different categories of driver ages. The rates are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are applied.
How violations and accidents impact rates
The diagram below highlights how traffic violations and at-fault claims can impact Pontiac Vibe yearly insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The rates are based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Difference between liability only and full coverage rates
The information below shows the comparison of Pontiac Vibe insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The rates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied.
Are you wasting money on full coverage?
There is no set rule to exclude full coverage on your policy, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s say your Pontiac Vibe claim settlement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, you would only receive $7,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If it’s costing you more than $700 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not a good idea. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
What if I want to buy from local Jacksonville car insurance agents?
A small number of people just prefer to talk to a local agent and that is OK! Most agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help file insurance claims. An additional benefit of comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get lower auto insurance rates and still buy from a local agent.
Upon completion of this short form, your insurance data is transmitted to insurance agents in Jacksonville who want to provide quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to find an agent because prices are sent to you directly. In the event you want to quote rates from a specific company, just jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding the right insurer requires you to look at more than just the price. Any good agent in Jacksonville should know the answers to these questions.
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- How often do they review coverages?
Is an exclusive or independent auto insurance agent right for you?
When searching for local Jacksonville agents, it helps to know the two different agency structures and how they function. Car insurance agents in Jacksonville are classified as either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either can sell affordable car insurance policies, but we need to point out the subtle differences because it can factor into your selection of an agent.
Exclusive Agents
These type of agents can only write with one company such as State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They are highly trained on their company’s products which can be an advantage.
Shown below are Jacksonville exclusive agents willing to provide comparison quotes.
Jim Haskins – State Farm Insurance Agent
6983 103rd St #2 – Jacksonville, FL 32210 – (904) 777-4577 – View Map
Vonnie Wiggins – State Farm Insurance Agent
11757 Beach Blvd #7 – Jacksonville, FL 32246 – (904) 641-0090 – View Map
Randy Taylor – State Farm Insurance Agent
3041 Monument Rd #1 – Jacksonville, FL 32225 – (904) 642-2400 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agents
These type of agents do not write with just one company so as a result can place your coverage through many companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If you want to switch companies, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part. If you need cheaper car insurance rates, we recommend you get insurance quotes from at least one independent agent so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
The following are Jacksonville independent agencies that are able to give comparison quotes.
Zellner Insurance Agency
4114 Sunbeam Rd #101 – Jacksonville, FL 32257 – (904) 356-1492 – View Map
Brightway Insurance
8206 Philips Hwy – Jacksonville, FL 32256 – (904) 527-3029 – View Map
Beans Insurance Agency, LLC
3041 Dunn Ave – Jacksonville, FL 32218 – (904) 766-1995 – View Map
How do I know if I need professional advice?
Always keep in mind that when comparing a policy for your vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are unique to you.
For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your situation might need professional guidance.
- What is GAP insurance?
- Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- What are the liability requirements in my state?
- Is water damage covered by my policy?
- Which companies are cheaper for teen drivers?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Why Your Insurance Prices might be higher
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for insurance. If you have some idea of what influences your rates, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find cheaper rates.
The following are a partial list of the pieces utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
- More mileage equals more premium – The higher the mileage driven in a year’s time the higher your rate. Almost all companies charge rates based upon how much you drive. Cars not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your declarations sheet states the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money. An improperly rated Vibe can cost quite a bit.
- Getting married is a good thing – Having a wife or husband may save some money when shopping for insurance. Marriage usually means you are more responsible and insurance companies reward insureds because drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
- Your occupation is a factor – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Careers such as military generals, architects, and accountants have higher rates than the rest of us because of intense work-related stress and extremely grueling work hours. Conversely, jobs like farmers, students and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- A good credit score can save money – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have good credit tend to file fewer claims as compared to drivers with bad credit. So if your credit could use some work, you could potentially save money when insuring your Pontiac Vibe by taking the time to improve your credit score.
- Do you have enough liability insurance? – The liability coverage on your policy provides coverage when you are determined to be liable for damages from an accident. This coverage provides legal defense coverage which can cost a lot. It is affordable coverage when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Be proud to be claim-free – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Companies in Florida generally give the best rates to drivers who are not frequent claim filers. Insurance coverage is intended for the large, substantial claims.
Car insurance does more than just protect your car
Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in Jacksonville, car insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability insurance if you want to drive legally. 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 Vibe with a loan, most lenders will make it mandatory that you have physical damage coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Pontiac at a much higher premium rate and require you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards both your Pontiac Vibe and your assets. Insurance will also pay for all forms of medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. But the average American driver overpays more than $865 each year so we recommend shopping around at every policy renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
You can find cheap coverage
As you quote Jacksonville car insurance, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.
Throughout this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to get a better price on Pontiac Vibe insurance in Jacksonville. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable Jacksonville car insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the best premium rates are with the smaller companies.
Cheaper Pontiac Vibe insurance in Jacksonville can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Jacksonville agents, so get free Jacksonville car insurance quotes from both of them to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agencies.
Steps to buying low-cost Pontiac Vibe insurance in Jacksonville
If you want to save the most money, the best way to get cheaper car insurance rates is to compare prices once a year from insurance carriers who sell insurance in Jacksonville.
- Read and learn about how auto insurance works and the steps you can take to prevent high rates. Many things that result in higher prices like at-fault accidents and poor credit can be controlled by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Request price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agencies can quote rates from multiple sources. Begin your rate comparison
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Give proper notification to your current agent or company of your intention to cancel your current policy. Submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application to your new carrier. As soon as you can, store the certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
One piece of advice is that you’ll want to compare identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many different companies as possible. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and maximum price selection.
Other information
- How do I File a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Anti-Lock Brake FAQ (iihs.org)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)