Jacksonville, Florida, is one of the most expensive cities for car insurance in the United States. However, just because the average rates are high, doesn’t mean that there aren’t affordable carriers. It may take some shopping around, but thanks to the variety of packages being offered, consumers have the chance to find the best possible deal. In this article we will help you to find cheap car insurance in Jacksonville, FL.
Cities in Duval County, Florida
- Jacksonville
- Jacksonville Beach
- Atlantic Beach
- Neptune Beach
- Baldwin
- Brooklyn
Insurance discounts available to you.
Accident-Free – 3 – 5 years of having no at-fault accidents
Multiple polices – When you bundle insurance policies you will pay less for insurance.
Military discount – Military personnel and military families are able to save on car insurance.
Multiple auto – Adding multiple vehicles onto your insurance policy could save you over 15% on auto insurance.
Good Student – Adding an honors student onto your insurance policy can result in an insurance discount.
Average car insurance rates in Jacksonville
Car insurance rates in Jacksonville can vary. Depending on what your needs are, each company has a variety of packages, leaving consumers to pick the right mix of services and benefits that fit their budget.
The San Marco Neighborhood in Jacksonville is going to cost you around $1300. The Mandarin neighborhood is going to cost you around $1200. The area that live in is factored into the cost of your monthly auto insurance premium.
How Jacksonville ranks compared to other cities
Florida has some of the highest car insurance rates in the United States thanks to its booming population and growth. Jacksonville’s rates are just 12% higher than the state’s average premium. The average Jacksonville auto insurance premium is around $1,200 – $1,300 a year. This is lower than premiums in Miami, Tampa, and auto insurance premiums in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Families living in Jacksonville who have young drivers on their policies tend to see rates as high as $2,000 per year. At the same time, senior citizens get much lower rates, around $450 a year. The best way to find cheaper rates in Jacksonville is to shop around, and see which companies might have personalized premiums that fit your budget.
Jacksonville Accident Statistics
Florida has been known to have incredibly high accident statistics all over the state – and that rate has been increasing since 2014. Florida saw 395,532 crashes in 2016. Unfortunately, As the population in Florida grows, the state has seen an increase in negligent drivers, in addition to their heavily populated cities and busy roads.
Jacksonville, FL was named the most deadly city in Florida, thanks to its location on the I-95, the third deadliest highway in the United States. The I-95 sees 55.1 fatal accidents per 100 miles, with Jacksonville being the deadliest city on this highway that runs from Florida to Maine.
Police records show that accidents in Jacksonville have mostly been caused by alcohol, speeding, and distracted driving. Duval County in 2016 showed incredibly high DUI violations, 2,997 in one year, and 35,587 speeding violations. These high numbers contribute to the high auto insurance prices in Jacksonville.
Traffic Tickets
Traffic ticket averages also factor into the cost of auto-insurance. Jacksonville’s Duval County sees some of the highest ticket rates in the state. Recent statistics show that Duval country drivers averaged more than 85,000 traffic citations in just one year. Speeding violations accounted for about 35,000 of those tickets, while over 12,000 were handed out for careless driving.
Legal Minimum Coverage in Florida
The state of Florida is a no-fault insurance state, which means that regardless of who caused the accident, insurance companies are required to pay medical costs, at least up to the policy’s limit.
Drivers in Florida must have $10,000 worth of no-fault or personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, and $10,000 worth of property damage liability (PDL) insurance. The minimum PIP requirements will also cover any other household members that are involved in car accidents, and any passengers who may be in the car at the time of an accident. The PDL insurance should cover you for any damages caused to someone else’s property during an accident.
Jacksonville Traffic
Based on TomTom’s studies in 2016, Jacksonville residents see 18% extra travel time compared to the rest of the state, with the highest congestion during the evening.
Jacksonville residents spend an extra 24 minutes in traffic per day, which is a 2% increase from the previous years. Ranked nationally, Jacksonville was the 41st worst city in the US for traffic. However, other Florida cities fared much worse. Miami ranked number 7 on the list, Tampa was at number 11, and Orlando was at number 18.
Crime Rates
While Jacksonville, FL ranks highly when it comes to things like amenities and cost of living, the crime rate in Jacksonville is fairly high. Jacksonville ranks 48% higher than the national average in the US, and 35% higher than the rest of the state.
Jacksonville saw 5,504 reported incidents of violent crime in the last year, which is 62% higher than the rest of the country, and 35% higher than the state average. Property crimes also accounted for 31,538 incidents. This is 33% higher than other Florida cities, and 46% higher than the national average.
USAA – One of the cheapest insurance companies that you will find, USAA caters strictly to military members. They have excellent discounts for young drivers, or those away on deployment that need to store their vehicles for a long time. USAA also has some of the best rated customer service in the country. Even the Better Business Bureau gave them an A+ rating. J.D. Power’s Claims Satisfaction Survey gave USAA a 5 out of 5 for service satisfaction. With excellent financial strength, and an A++ (superior) rating from A.M. Best, USAA will continue to provide excellent services for this country’s military.
Allstate – Allstate is perfect for those customers who need a good network of agents and very personalized service. On the other hand, they are known for having higher rates than other companies, and average customer service. The upside to Allstate is that they offer discounts for those who package their insurance policies, rewards for safe driving, accident forgiveness, good students, and more. Additionally, Allstate is one of the few companies that provides rideshare insurance for Uber and Lyft drivers. The BBB rates Allstate with an A, which is just average. However, the financial strength of the company is fantastic. The third largest insurer in the United States, Allstate was given an AA- (fourth highest rating) by S&P, and an Aa3 by Moody’s (also fourth highest).
Local Allstate insurance agent:
- Stephanie Ando – 3546 St Johns Bluff Rd S Unit 109, Jacksonville, FL 32224
- Tony Hassert – 7403 Merrill Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32277
- Barney Stewart, IV – 4540 Southside Blvd Ste 902A, Jacksonville, FL 32216
- Jolita Ray – 8535-2 Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32256
- Barney Stewart, IV – 4540 Southside Blvd Ste 902A, Jacksonville, FL 32216
State Farm – For Florida customers, State Farm provides excellent services and multi-policy deals. They have a variety of local agents who will get to know you and personalize their services to best suit your needs. While the Midwest and southwest states report getting excellent service and quotes from agents, other states in the country report just average service. State Farm also provides discounts for loyalty, safe driving, installing safety equipment, good student, multi-policy, and multi-car discounts. State Farm is considered to have superior financial strength, according to A.M. Best, which gave them an A++ (highest possible rating), and S&P’s, which gave them an AA (very high). Since service complaints vary across the country, the BBB gave State Farm an A- for the way they deal with claims.
Local State Farm insurance agent:
- Michael Nickas – 10920 Baymeadows Rd suite 7, Jacksonville, FL 32256
- Kathy Scott – 6018 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32217
- Michael Nickas – 10920 Baymeadows Rd suite 7, Jacksonville, FL 32256
- Kim Lego – 13241 Bartram Park Blvd #2609, Jacksonville, FL 32258
- John Brooks – 11362 San Jose Blvd #19, Jacksonville, FL 32223
GEICO – GEICO has fantastic online services for customers who prefer to deal with their insurance policies online rather than through an agent. Customers also report that GEICO has excellent offers for multi-policy rates. Average policy rates through GEICO are generally less expensive than some of their counterparts, unless you’ve have an at-fault accident in the last few years. GEICO offers discounts for safe drivers, but premiums do go up for those involved in accidents. They received an A+ from the BBB, and J.D. Power studies gave GEICO 4 out of 5 for service. At the same time, being one of the largest insurers in the US, A.M. Best gave them an A++ (superior) rating.
Local GEICO insurance agent:
- Morris Busbia -1003 Atlantic Boulevard Jacksonville, FL 32233
- Frank Butterfield – 1600 Park Avenue, Suite 2 Orange Park, FL 32073
Direct Auto & Life – This company is great for anyone who is having a hard time getting insurance from other companies. With service being provided to most Southern states, Direct Auto & Life is a good choice for many Floridians. Direct offers a variety of plans so that consumers can get comprehensive auto and life insurance coverage. However, they only received a B+ from the BBB, having a high number of complaints regarding delays in policy claims. A.M. Best gave Direct Auto & Life an A- rating, which is excellent. So, despite being a smaller company, their financial future is solid for customers.
Acceptance Auto Insurance – Acceptance is another excellent auto insurer that specializes in policies for non-standard and high-risk drivers. For consumers who are having trouble finding another agency they qualify for, Acceptance has looser rules in regard to eligibility. As a result of that, their premiums do tend to be on the higher side. Their customers report getting relatively good service, with the BBB rating them with an A+. Financially, A.M. Best gave them an A-, which is a stable score.
Amica – Known as a great company for the rates they provide, as well as their customer service. They offer excellent rates to young drivers, as well as those who need multiple policies with a low price. Their customer service record is nearly spotless, and consumer report that their claims process is easy and painless. They offer discounts for loyalty, being claim-free, enrolling in auto pay, and even just using their online services. They have a “superior” financial strength rating from A.M. Best, which is an A+. For service, J.D. Power rated them “better than most” in the 2017 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. They also won top awards and were rated “the best” in J.D. Power’s 2017 Auto Insurance Claims Satisfaction Study, making them one of the greatest companies for customer service.
Bottom Line
Car insurance rates in Jacksonville, Florida really vary on a case-by-case basis. The best thing for residents to do is to shop around and compare price quotes. With so many companies offering different discounts and policies, consumers can find the right balance between service and rates.