Find Auto Insurance in Brandon FL

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What is the Average Cost of Car Insurance in Brandon?

Brandon, Florida, located in Hillsborough County, is considered a Tampa suburb. It’s an unincorporated community that is part of the Tampa – St. Petersburg – Clearwater Metropolitan Area. The city’s public schools are operated by the Hillsborough County Public School system.

The area’s population exploded in the 1980s with the building of numerous subdivisions. Residential growth continues, with a nearly 33% increase between 2000 and 2010. Because it is primarily a Tampa bedroom community, relatively few residents actually work in Brandon. Major industries in Tampa include business and information services, financial services, tourism, manufacturing, maritime services, and defense electronics.

In 2018, the Tampa – St. Petersburg – Clearwater Metropolitan Area ranked 213th nationally for the number of vehicle thefts, although the statistics do not rank Brandon per se. The average travel time for commuters is likely close to, or longer, than the time for Tampa commuters because of the fact that most of them drive into Tampa for work. The average time in Tampa itself is 27 minutes.

Insurance companies use local factors such as these (commute time, thefts, etc.) to help them decide what they will charge residents of certain areas for their insurance premiums.

What is Required for Brandon Drivers?

Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to auto insurance. That means that no matter which driver was at fault for a collision, their own insurance company will pay their medical expenses and lost wages. In Florida, all motorist must carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance and $10,000 in property damage coverage.

These minimums are very low by national standards. It may be a good idea to carry more than the minimum considering how much the medical bills from an accident can be. Unlike PIP, the at-fault driver is responsible for property damage, and most vehicles are worth more than $10,000. If you cause a crash in which a car is badly damaged, the owner of the vehicle may come after your personal assets in a lawsuit.

If an at-fault driver causes serious injury to another party, the latter may step outside of the Florida no-fault system and file a personal injury lawsuit. These exceptions to the no-fault rule include:

  • Significant and permanent loss of an “important” bodily function
  • Permanent injury
  • Permanent and significant or disfigurement
  • Death

Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code

Cheap Car Insurance in Brandon by Insurer

While everyone wants to pay as little for car insurance as possible, the cheapest policy is not necessarily the best deal for your needs. You should certainly comparison shop for car insurance and choose the company with the best rates and the policy offering you the type of coverage you require. But also, look for reviews regarding the company’s customer service. If an accident happens, the last thing you want is difficulty resolving your claim with the company.

Are you looking for cheap quotes for auto coverage near you?

Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in Brandon

The average annual insurance premium in the Tampa area is $3,062, which is high by both state and national standards. Florida does allow insurance companies to consider credit scores when determining their rates. Those with poor credit scores may pay as much as 54% more in auto insurance premiums than those with good credit.

Learn about how your credit score can negatively impact your insurance rates.

What is the Difference Between Full Coverage and Liability?

What is Liability Only Insurance Coverage?

Liability-only coverage is the cheapest option for automobile insurance. This coverage level only covers vehicles that are not at fault in an accident. Thus, if you carry liability-only coverage and cause an accident, the other driver will be covered by your policy. Any damage done to your car must be covered out of pocket, if at all.

Another way to think of liability insurance is that it protects you from claims made by another driver. Without the protection of insurance, you might be sued if you were to collide with another vehicle.

What Full Coverage Covers

Full Coverage is a commonly used term which covers more than just the damage you might cause in an accident, or the coverage you are liable for. If your policy covers your liability to another vehicle, the damage done to your vehicle (collision insurance), and any incidental damage done to your car by any non-auto elements (comprehensive coverage), then you have a policy that is indeed full coverage. If you have a new car, you may wish to cover it with such a policy, as you might want the peace of mind that any damage will be covered by insurance.

Difference Between the Two Types of Coverage

So, liability-only insurance coverage will pay for what you did to the neighbor’s bumper when you backed into it while rushing to work. It will pay for the hospital visit by a bicyclist you hit who has a broken leg. Liability-only only insurance will pay for the utility panel you hit at the RV resort when you had trouble backing in.

Collision will pay for any damage you did to your own vehicle when you backed into that utility panel at the RV resort. Comprehensive will pay for the damage your vehicle suffered when a tree fell on it in intense rains that weakened the soil.

The difference between liability and full coverage insurance policies is that liability only covers other people and their vehicle if an accident should occur where you are at fault, but, with a full coverage insurance plan, you and your vehicle would also be covered along with other’s and their vehicle as well.

Another difference between the two is that a deductible is associated with full-coverage insurance, but not with liability. There is also a difference in price, where full coverage will cost more than liability insurance.

Average Annual Car Insurance Rates in Florida by City

Additional cities in Florida you can check out.

Miami Gardens

St. Petersburg

Port St. Lucie

Ways to Obtain a Lower Cost Auto Insurance Policy

Find additional ways to save on your Brandon car insurance premiums with these insurance discounts:

  • Shop around –

    As you can see from these few examples, the rates insurers charge for the very same driver demographics can vary incredibly. The television commercials by the insurers tell us we can save hundreds of dollars on automobile insurance. Actually, you could save a thousand or more dollars on your insurance each year.

  • Drive defensively –

    If you can stay out of accidents and don’t accrue moving violations, you can save a lot of money on your automobile insurance. People with too many accidents and moving violations have trouble getting insured at any rate.

  • Drive an older car –

    If you have a car that is too old and not worth enough to carry collision insurance, you can save quite a bit of money. This especially applies to younger drivers whose insurance costs are much higher. If they can drive an older vehicle that would just require liability insurance and maybe some inexpensive comprehensive insurance, they can save at least a thousand dollars or more on insurance.

  • Buy collision insurance with a high deductible rate –

    The higher deductible rate you can tolerate in the event of a collision and the need to repair your vehicle, the lower your collision insurance cost will be. Your collision insurance rate will be really high if your deductible is only around $500. If you can tolerate $1,500 or so, you can save quite a bit of money on this portion of your annual insurance rate.

  • Bundle your home and automobile insurance policies –

    If you can buy your automobile and home insurance from the same company, you will likely save money. Most insurers offer a substantial discount for having your home and auto policy with them.

Are you looking for car insurance discounts? Learn more here.

Factors That Affect Your Car Insurance Premiums

As you can see, car insurance rates are influenced by a complex set of factors, all of them are determined by risk data for each insurance agency. How much each agency charges, though, based upon similar risk data, can vary widely. In the case of younger drivers, they can save literally thousands of dollars each year by shopping around. The insurance agencies will charge drivers different rates for their automobile insurance premiums by their age and marital status, driving record, area they live in, and whether they carry liability-only or full coverage insurance. If the customer opts for collision insurance, the carriers will charge more for a lower deductible.

Since there are so many factors to take into consideration in how much an insurance agency charges you for automobile insurance, it quite literally pays to thoroughly educate yourself about automobile insurance and to shop around for the best quote.

Find the best insurance rates with tickets and accidents using this guide.

Check Out Car Insurance Companies in Brandon and Reviews

Sources:

Helpful Brandon, Florida Vehicle Resources:

Live Traffic and Accidents
https://www.flhsmv.gov/florida-highway-patrol/traffic-incidents/

DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://www.flhsmv.gov/locations/hillsborough/

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