No one in their right mind is fond of buying insurance, especially when they are aware that it costs too dang much.
It’s a known fact that auto insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. People who get price quotes annually are inclined to buy a different policy because there is a good chance of finding a policy with more affordable rates. A recent study showed that drivers who compared rates once a year saved an average of $3,450 over four years as compared to drivers who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding the most affordable auto insurance in Miami is your objective, then having an understanding of the best way to quote and compare car insurance can make the process less intimidating.
How to find the cheapest rates for Suzuki Vitara insurance in Miami
Really, the only way to get budget Suzuki Vitara insurance in Miami is to compare prices at least once a year from different companies in Florida.
- Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of what coverages are included in your policy and the steps you can take to keep rates down. Many risk factors that result in higher prices like accidents, traffic violations, and a negative credit rating can be rectified by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agents can quote prices for many different companies. View a list of agents
- Step 3: Compare the new quotes to your existing policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you can save money and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Step 4: Give notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new insurance company. Immediately upon receiving it, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance with the vehicle registration.
The key thing to remember is that you use similar limits and deductibles on each price quote and and to get rates from all possible companies. This enables the most accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.
There are many insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s nice to have a selection, more choices can make it harder to get the best deal for Suzuki Vitara insurance in Miami.
To find the cheapest Suzuki Vitara rate quotes, there are several ways of comparing rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. One of the best ways to do a complete rate comparison is simply to get online rate quotes.
It’s so simple to compare car insurance rates online replaces the need to drive around to insurance agencies in your area. Comparing online rate quotes makes this unnecessary unless you prefer the extra assistance that only an agent can give. It is possible with some companies compare online quotes and still use a local agent. When comparison shopping, comparing all the rates in your area will increase your chances of finding a lower rate. Not every company allows you to get Miami Vitara insurance quotes over the internet, so you should also compare prices on coverage from those companies, too.
The car insurance companies shown below offer quotes in Miami, FL. If you wish to find the best cheap auto insurance in Miami, FL, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to find the lowest rates.
Why you need car insurance
Despite the high insurance cost for a Suzuki Vitara in Miami, insurance is a good idea for several reasons.
- Most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific level of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 have a lien on your Vitara, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Suzuki at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay for it.
- Insurance protects your Suzuki Vitara and your assets. It will also cover many types of medical costs incurred 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 damage is caused by hail or an accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying car insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially with large liability claims. The average driver in Florida is overpaying over $850 per year so you should quote your policy with other companies at every renewal to ensure rates are inline.
Lower rates by qualifying for these seven discounts
Car insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but you may be missing some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but once in a while a discount must be manually applied before being credited.
- Active Military Service – Being on active duty in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Life Insurance – Not all car insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you lower prices if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Responsible Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low annual miles can earn discounted premium rates on garaged vehicles.
- Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive better car insurance rates.
- Accident Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents have much lower rates as opposed to drivers with a long claim history.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies and place coverage with the same company they may give you a discount of at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
One thing to note about discounts is that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
Companies and some of their more popular discounts are shown below.
- Travelers has discounts for student away at school, driver training, new car, multi-car, multi-policy, and home ownership.
- 21st Century includes discounts for air bags, theft prevention, student driver, automatic seat belts, and defensive driver.
- State Farm may include discounts for passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, good driver, student away at school, driver’s education, and safe vehicle.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including federal employee, anti-theft, military active duty, membership and employees, anti-lock brakes, seat belt use, and multi-policy.
- SAFECO offers discounts including anti-theft, teen safe driver, anti-lock brakes, drive less, accident prevention training, teen safety rewards, and multi-car.
- AAA offers discounts for multi-policy, AAA membership discount, good student, pay-in-full, multi-car, education and occupation, and anti-theft.
Before you buy a policy, ask all the companies the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply in Miami. To choose car insurance companies who offer online Suzuki Vitara insurance quotes in Florida, click here to view.
When should I contact an agent?
Some people prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a great decision One of the best bonuses of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that you can find cheaper premium rates but also keep your business local. And supporting neighborhood agents is definitely important in Miami.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t even need to contact any agents because prices are sent immediately to you. You can find better rates without a big time investment. If you have a need to compare prices from one company in particular, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.
If you would like to find a good Miami insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents and how they work. Agents in Miami can be described as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type do not write with just one company so as a result can place your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and get you the best rates possible. If you want to switch companies, your policy is moved internally which requires no work on your part.
When comparing auto insurance prices, it’s recommended you compare prices from several independent insurance agents for maximum quote selection.
Below are Miami independent agencies that can give you price quote information.
All Security Insurance Agency, Inc.
373 N Royal Poinciana Blvd – Miami Springs, FL 33166 – (305) 887-9544 – View Map
E and L Insurance Services
1241 SW 27th Ave – Miami, FL 33135 – (888) 700-4049 – View Map
Tadeo Insurance Agency, Inc.
9120 SW 40th St – Miami, FL 33165 – (305) 553-1760 – View Map
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive can usually just insure with one company like Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Miami who can help you get rate quotes.
Allstate Insurance: Ramon Balladares
2455 SW 27th Ave #210 – Miami, FL 33145 – (305) 859-8556 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Eduardo Ferraz
1110 Brickell Ave Ste 105 – Miami, FL 33131 – (305) 379-3666 – View Map
Rick Gonzalez – State Farm Insurance Agent
8830 Coral Way – Miami, FL 33165 – (305) 226-3412 – View Map
Selecting a car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price quote. These questions are important to ask:
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Florida?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Miami?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
Car insurance 101
Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as falling objects, hitting a bird, vandalism, theft and damage from flooding. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Vitara caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with another moving vehicle, driving through your garage door and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible on your Vitara to bring the cost down.
Coverage for liability – This will cover damage that occurs to people or other property by causing an accident. Coverage consists of three different 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 that translate to a limit of $10,000 per injured person, a total of $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $10,000. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for things such as medical services, loss of income, court costs and legal defense fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but consider buying as much as you can afford. Florida requires drivers to carry at least 10/20/10 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.
The chart below shows why minimum state limits may not be adequate coverage.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Due to the fact that many Florida drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (10/20/10 in Florida), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Medical expense insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for bills for doctor visits, funeral costs, X-ray expenses, ambulance fees and dental work. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Don’t give up on cheaper rates
Discount Suzuki Vitara insurance in Miami is attainable both online and from local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller providers only sell through independent agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice full coverage to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage at the best cost, not the least amount of coverage.
Steps to buying discount Suzuki Vitara insurance in Miami
It takes a little time, but the best way to save on auto insurance rates is to start comparing prices yearly from companies who provide car insurance in Miami. This can be done by following these guidelines.
- Read about how auto insurance works and the things you can control to keep rates low. Many rating criteria that increase rates such as accidents, careless driving, and your credit history can be controlled by paying attention to minor details.
- Get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can give you price quotes for many different companies.
- Compare the new quotes to your existing rates to determine if you can save on Vitara insurance in Miami. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
One piece of advice is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same amount of coverage on each quote and and to get prices from as many companies as you can. This ensures a level playing field and the best price quote selection.
Much more information about auto insurance in Florida is available at the links below
- Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Miami Auto Insurance Quotes for a Honda Accord? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for a Honda Civic in Miami? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Drivers Under 21 in Miami? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Miami Car Insurance Quotes for a Learners Permit? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Low Credit Scores in Miami? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Miami Auto Insurance Rates for a Nissan Sentra? (FAQ)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)