Gainesville Insurance Quotes
If you live in Gainesville, Florida, you live in one of the “Best Places to Live and Play” according to a 2007 Quality of Life rating. Abundant sunshine, plenty to see and do, and low cost of living all contribute to the overall happiness of Gainesville residents.
But the cost of Gainesville insurance is high compared to the rest of the nation –Florida auto insurance rates rank 5th in the nation with averages over $1,000 a year. Why so high? A few of these factors include:
- Traffic fatalities. In 2007, Florida had the third highest rate of traffic fatalities in the nation.
- Uninsured rate. A 2009 study by the Insurance Research Council found that a whopping 23% of drivers in Florida are uninsured.
- No-fault standing. Florida is a no-fault state, meaning that your insurance company must pay 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages up to $10,000, regardless of whether the accident was your fault or not. This tends to make costs higher.
Getting Adequate Gainesville Insurance Coverage
Compared to the rest of the nation, Florida auto insurance requirements are low: the only insurance you are required to have are $10,000 in Property Damage Liability and $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection. As a result, many Floridians will insure above and beyond the required amounts to adequately protect themselves in the event of an accident.
In order to save as much money as possible in the event of an accident, it’s a good idea to have the following coverage included in your Gainesville insurance quotes. It may not be required, and it may up the cost of your insurance a little, but you’ll end up saving tens of thousands of dollars or more in the event of an accident.
- Collision insurance. No collision insurance means you have to pay out of your own pocket for damages incurred to vehicles in an accident. This includes the cost of your vehicle damage in the event you were hit by someone driving uninsured as well as the damage to the car you hit.
- Extended Personal Injury Protection. Even though you are required to have $10,000 coverage, this doesn’t go very far in the hospital if you and your passengers are seriously injured in a car accident. Higher coverage will cover your lost wages and medical bills that are over $10,000.
- Bodily Injury Liability. This is a good idea because regardless of how safe you drive, you may be the one “at fault”. This not only puts you responsible for the other party’s medical bills, but it also means you can be sued. BIL coverage covers the cost of the other drivers’ bills as well as any legal costs and judgments incurred as a result.
- Uninsured/Underinsured. With an uninsured rate as high as Florida’s, you will want to include Uninsured Motorist Coverage in your Gainesville insurance quotes. This will keep you protected if you are hit by a motorist without insurance or whose insurance doesn’t adequately cover the damage.
Gainesville Insurance Quotes
While Gainesville insurance can be costly, you can still save money on your auto insurance by shopping around and comparing multiple Gainesville insurance quotes. NetQuote.com is a free site that can give you multiple quotes in seconds, so you know you are getting adequate auto coverage at the best price.
