4 Tips For Finding Cheaper Florida Car Insurance (Even If You Have A Driving Conviction)

You probably met your current insurer through a TV ad and figured being on TV makes them the best insurer. While that could be true, insurance companies are not always good to policyholders. Often, they show their other side when a policyholder gets into an accident or gets a conviction for a traffic violation.

Insurance costs can become significantly high if you get a conviction for a serious traffic violation or cause an accident. But you do not have to settle for exorbitant insurance premiums, especially if you know how to get cheap car insurance even if you have had a traffic violation conviction. 

Tips for Finding Cheaper Insurance

1. Don’t Assume Your Company Has the Best Deals.

You could think your insurer offers the best deals because they are popular. The truth is popularity doesn’t always mean fair rates. So it would be best to shop around before settling for an insurer. 

Often big names are popular because they have a budget to run ads on practically any platform. You may be surprised to find a local insurer offering far better deals than an established national insurer. 

Also, customer experiences can differ significantly. Big brands may not have the time to offer individualized services since they have many clients, and losing one may not be much of a problem. For smaller companies, every client is treated like royalty since they want to create a name for themselves.

2. Bundle Your Insurance

You may consider bundling your policies into one if you have multiple cars in your household. Most insurance providers offer discounts for multi-car policies, but you may need to confirm if your insurer offers such discounts. 

While your driving history will still impact your multi-car policy, you could enjoy some relief on the total amount paid. Combining your policy into one only applies to persons in the same family. If you are sharing a home with friends, this discount won’t apply to you.

3. Drive Safely

Poor driving history will always attract higher premiums. But you do not have to remain a bad driver all your life. Luckily, maintaining a clean record after a conviction for a traffic violation will decrease your insurance premiums with time. 

Often insurers will look as back as five years in your driving history when determining your risk. With every passing year with a clean record, you get cheaper premiums when renewing your policy until your rates get back to normal. 

While you cannot bring your risk of causing an accident to zero, behavioral changes such as avoiding distractions, speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol can significantly lessen your chances of getting in an accident.

4. Getting SR-22 Car Insurance More Cheaply

The Florida DMV can temporarily withdraw a driver’s driving privileges after conviction for a serious traffic violation. It also requires proof of carrying minimum coverage to have your license reinstated. This proof is referred to as the SR-22 certificate and is issued by an insurer to a policyholder hoping to reinstate their driving privileges.

While the SR-22 certificate is not expensive, insurance premiums for SR-22 holders can be significantly costlier than for other drivers. But you do not have to stick with your old insurer. You can leverage this SR-22 car insurance comparison resource for help getting a fair deal on insurance after a conviction. 

Final Words

The cost of insurance in Florida differs based on several factors. However, a poor driving history, such as a conviction for a serious traffic violation, can increase the cost of insurance by a vast margin. 

But if you have had a conviction and are having trouble accessing cheap insurance, the tips offered in this post can help you.

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