Insurance rates in Tampa, FL can be pricey thanks to this city’s excellent climate, beaches, and tourism industry. In any city like Tampa, it’s recommended to shop around for insurance quotes before settling on one. The upside to living in a populated city is that you’ll have a ton of options when it comes to finding cheap car insurance in Tampa, FL.
Cities in Hillsborough County, Florida
- Apollo Beach
- Balm
- Brandon
- Dover
- Durant
- Gibsonton
- Lithia
- Lutz
- Mango
- Odessa
- Plant City
- Riverview
- Ruskin
- Seffner
- Sun City
- Sun City Center
- Sydney
- Tampa
- Thonotosassa
- Valrico
- Wimauma
Average Car Insurance Rates in Tampa
When you compare auto insurance rates in Florida you will immediately know that Florida is expensive for insurance. Tampa is the third most expensive city in Florida for car insurance, behind Jacksonville and Miami. The growing population, traffic, and crime rates, all contribute to the city’s high insurance rates.
A lot of Florida residents choose to live in rural towns outside the city, where car insurance is cheaper, but they can still commute into the metropolis. Looking for auto-insurance plans with a combination of coverage and customer service is your best bet.
How Tampa Ranks Compared to Other Cities
Tampa was listed as the third most expensive city in Florida for auto-insurance prices. In Tampa drivers pay around $1800 a year on auto insurance.
In general, Tampa is the third largest city in Florida, so it’s no surprise that residents pay well above the state average. In fact, Tampa residents pay about 68% more than the rest of the state. However, the good news is that Florida is one of those states with a large disparity in its average insurance premium costs, so sometimes the key is just finding the right area to live.
There are also certain neighborhoods within Tampa that see cheaper insurance premiums. For example, residents of downtown Tampa see an average premium that’s nearly $400 higher than their New Tampa and South Tampa neighbors.
Tampa Accident Statistics
Florida has very high accident statistics. With constant converging tourists and a population boom, Florida sees hundreds of thousands of accidents. Tampa was rated one of the worst cities for pedestrians and bicyclists in 2017, and called one of the worst cities for deadly accidents in the US.
To compare, the national rate of death from accidents is 11.1 deaths per 100,000 people, while the state of Florida averages out to 13.1. Tampa itself sees 12.6 deaths for every 100,000 people. Police have made statements that the majority of accidents are due to intoxication and careless errors. Florida sees many DUIs and Tampa is not immune to that.
Traffic Tickets
Statistically, Tampa saw more citations given out in 2016 than most other cities in Florida. About 109,636 traffic tickets were given out last year. Most of these were for minor instances, like ignoring stop signs, or blowing through red light cams. Accident and traffic statistics directly contribute to auto-insurance prices, which is why finding an area of Florida that sees less accidents is of the utmost importance to anyone looking to move.
Legal Minimum Coverage Requirements in Tampa
Tampa goes by Florida state laws, which require residents to have some minimum coverage. Florida is a no-fault insurance state, which means auto-insurance companies must pay a certain amount of medical bills no matter who caused the accident.
Florida’s minimum limits include $10,000 of no-fault of personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, and $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL) insurance.
This will cover you, or any members of your family, that are injured in any auto accidents. This will also cover damages caused to other cars or homes if you cause an accident.
Tampa Traffic
Tampa traffic has been steady over the last few years, with residents spending approximately 27 minutes per day in traffic. This adds up to an extra 105 hours per year. According to Tomtom, Tampa drivers have about 24% extra travel time, with peak traffic happening during the evening.
Tampa ranks 120th in the world, which is pretty good! Florida’s other populated cities, like Miami, and Jacksonville, definitely see much higher traffic rates.
Crime Rates
Crime Rates in Tampa are actually lower than other cities in Florida. The rate of crimes being committed in Tampa is 17 percent lower than the rest of Florida, and 9 percent lower than the national average.
For the crimes that do happen in Tampa, the majority of documented crimes involve property crime and violent crime, two statistics that drastically affect car insurance. Regarding violent crime, Tampa is 18 percent higher than the rest of Florida, and 31 percent higher than the rest of the country.
Electric Auto Insurance – Considered, on average, Tampa’s cheapest insurance company. Electric offers a variety of discounts for clients, especially those who happen to have electric or hybrid cars. They also report excellent added coverage, like the ability to replace your car’s broken parts with OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts for two years, and total car replacement coverage if you are involved in an accident. Customers report good service, and the BBB rated Electric Insurance with an A+. A.M. Best gave Electric an A rating for its financial strength, which is excellent.
GEICO – An excellent company for those who love convenience, GEICO boasts excellent technological advancements with their website and app. Also known for their fairly low rates, GEICO has options for Tampa customers who want to bundle their insurances. GEICO premiums do go up if you’ve been in an accident, however, most customers report that they’ve had no customer service issues with this insurer. 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. GEICO offers discounts for safe drivers who install new air bags, brakes, anti-theft devices, and more. An overall excellent choice for consumers who have several properties to insure.
Local GEICO insurance agents:
- David W. Donoho – 2703 West Kennedy Boulevard Tampa, FL 33609
- Gustavo Espinosa – 18423 US Highway 19 N., Clearwater, FL 33764
Allied – Has pretty decent digital ways of dealing with your insurance policy, although Allied mostly relies on local agents to provide you with personal service. Allied is great for anyone looking for discounts on policies for bundling insurances, getting a new vehicle, remaining accident free, and even being a good student. Recently, Allied combined with another insurance company to become part of the company Nationwide. This way, Allied has become a Fortune 500 company, receiving an A+ from S&P’s and A.M. Best.
Mercury – Known for their great services for young people who are looking for a low-cost car insurance company, Mercury actually has low average rates for most customers. However, while it is on the relatively cheaper side, Mercury’s consumer ratings get mixed reviews for their lack of services and discount options. They do offer some basic discounts for customers though, including multi-policy discounts, installing anti-theft devices, good student discounts, and multi-car discounts. J.D. Power gave Mercury an ‘average’ rating when it comes to auto-insurance service, but Mercury still scored an A+ from the BBB. The company is in great financial shape, being awarded an A+, the second highest rating that A.M. Best offers.
Florida Farm Bureau – One of the best companies serving the Midwest, the Florida Farm Bureau has generally affordable rates, especially in combination with the large number of discounts they offer customers. They have local offices offering friendly agents that will work with you to find the best policy. Farm Bureau also gets high ratings from consumers for their quick claim payout rates, resulting in an A+ rating from the BBB. The company has been rated an A by A.M. Best, which is an excellent rating, with a stable outlook for the future.
Local Florida Farm Bureau insurance agents:
- AMY C ENGLE – 100 S Mulrennan Rd Valrico, FL 33594
- AUSTIN J CONNORS – 24024 State Road 54 Lutz, FL 33559
- JEFFERSON L SUMNER – 305 S Wheeler St Plant City, FL 33563
- THOMAS O HALE -100 S Mulrennan Rd Valrico, FL 33594
Infinity – Great for drivers who are having trouble finding a policy that will cover them, Infinity is one of the largest writers of non-standard insurance policies in the US. Mostly operating through local agents, Infinity will work with you to find coverage that fits your needs. Like any other non-standard insurance company, premium rates will be a little higher than standard companies, but they are easy to get service from. Like any company, Infinity does offer discounts for safe drivers, paying in full, and multi-car discounts. A.M. Best rated Infinity with an A for financial strength, which is excellent for the company and its customers.
Liberty Mutual – Liberty Mutual boasts convenience, with their high-tech website and app, where customers can do virtually anything with their account. Liberty Mutual is also known for providing a lot of discounts for drivers. For drivers who manage to avoid accidents for five years, Liberty Mutual has excellent rates, rewarding safe driving. The BBB rated Liberty Mutuals customer service with an A, which is a good rating. The company is in ‘excellent’ financial health, according to A.M. Best, which rated them an A.
Local Liberty Mutual insurance agents:
- Denise Sanders – 3550 Buschwood Park Dr, Ste. 300 Tampa, FL 33618
- Ian W Brown -3550 Buschwood Park Dr, Ste. 300 Tampa, FL 33618
Other comparisons in Florida
- Auto Insurance providers for the city of Fort Lauderdale.
- Auto insurance providers for the city of Orlando.
Bottom Line
It is possible to find cheap car insurance in Tampa, FL, if you’re willing to shop around and look at a variety of quotes before making a decision.
With sunshine, beaches, and tourists piling in, Tampa is continuing to experience a boom in population and economy. Compared to the rest of Florida cities, Tampa residents spend less time in traffic and less money on their car insurance.
The key is to see what different companies have to offer, and finding a medium between cheap premium prices and excellent customer service. Compare insurance rates now to get the best price in your area.