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how we make money.Car insurance in Florida is among the most expensive in the country. Drivers in the state pay an average annual premium of $2,914, though Lakeland drivers enjoy lower average rates of $2,780 per year. Some of the reasons for these high premiums include a high rate of uninsured drivers and extreme weather during certain months.
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Because of the high car insurance premiums in Florida, it’s important to shop around for the best rates. Policygenius can help you find the most affordable rates and the best coverage in Lakeland.
Key Takeaways
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance in Lakeland, with average rates of $1,444 per year
State Farm and GEICO offer the lowest average rates for Lakeland drivers with bad credit
Florida drivers must have a minimum of $10,000 of property damage liability coverage and personal injury protection
When you sign up for car insurance, your insurer will consider a variety of factors to determine your premium. But even though companies rely on the same factors, the rate can still vary quite a bit from one company to the next. And the company that offers the cheapest rates in one location or to one person may not be the cheapest for everyone. As you can see below, State Farm currently has the cheapest average car insurance rates in Lakeland, followed by GEICO.
Company
Average cost
JD Power Rating
State Farm
$1,444
881
GEICO
$1,479
871
Travelers
$2,192
861
Nationwide
$2,290
876
Mercury Insurance
$2,907
849
Not only will the city where you live affect your insurance rates, but so will your zip code within that city. Certain parts of Lakeland might pay higher insurance rates because of more uninsured drivers, more accidents, a higher crime rate, and more. As you can see below, certain zip codes in Lakeland have a higher average rate than others.
ZIP code
Average cost
33801
$2,808
33803
$2,720
33805
$2,769
33809
$2,811
33810
$2,787
33811
$2,775
33815
$2,787
How can you choose the right car insurance company for you, with so many options on the market? When you’re shopping around for insurance, it’s important to consider not only who can offer the best coverage, but also who can offer it at the best rate.
Here at Policygenius, we can help you find the best car insurance price available, and our insurance experts can answer any questions you have about choosing a policy.
Your driving history is one of the most important factors that insurance companies will consider when determining your insurance rates. Drivers with accidents, speeding tickets, and other offenses on their motor vehicle report can expect to pay higher insurance rates to compensate insurance companies for the added risk.
And as you can see below, certain offenses are likely to have a bigger impact on your insurance rates than others. Failing to stop at a red light might only increase your rates slightly, while an at-fault accident or a DUI may cause your rate to spike more.
Violation
State Farm
GEICO
Travelers
Nationwide
Mercury Insurance
At-fault Accident
$1,695
$2,168
$2,931
$3,224
$4,759
DUI
$1,580
$2,808
$3,291
$4,851
$4,094
Driving with a suspended license
$1,580
$1,562
$3,291
$4,851
$2,825
Driving with an open container
$1,580
$1,562
$2,781
$4,851
$4,094
Driving with expired registration
$1,580
$1,562
$2,781
$2,672
$4,016
Driving without Lights
$1,580
$1,562
$2,781
$2,297
$4,016
Failure to show documents
$1,580
$1,562
$2,781
$2,672
$4,016
Failure to stop at a red light
$1,580
$1,562
$2,781
$2,672
$4,016
Studies have shown that credit score can be an accurate predictor of insurance claims. In general, drivers with low credit scores are more likely to file an insurance claim, while drivers with higher credit scores are less likely to file a claim. Because Florida is one of the states that allow insurers to use your credit score as a factor in determining your insurance rates, bad-credit drivers tend to pay higher insurance rates.
Company
Rates for drivers with bad credit
State Farm
$2,750
GEICO
$2,936
UAIC
$3,281
Nationwide
$3,515
AIG
$3,537
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Nearly every state requires drivers to carry car insurance, and Florida is no exception. As in most states, Florida requires drivers to carry property damage liability insurance with at least $10,000 of coverage. If you cause a car accident, this liability coverage will help to cover the cost of any property damaged in the accident.
It’s also important to note that Florida is not considered an at-fault car insurance state. So instead of requiring drivers to carry bodily injury liability insurance in case they are at fault in an accident, the state instead requires everyone to carry personal injury protection (PIP) of $10,000. If you’re injured in an accident, whether you were at fault or someone else was, your PIP coverage will pay your medical bills.
Florida also requires more coverage for certain vehicles. For example, vehicles registered as taxis are required to carry bodily injury liability coverage of $125,000 per person and $250,000 per accident. They must also have property damage liability coverage for $50,000.
Florida is unique in that it requires drivers to show proof of insurance before they can register a vehicle. And if you are caught driving without the required insurance, you may have your driver’s license and license plate suspended for up to three years. The cost to reinstate them after the suspension is $500.
While Florida has some of the country’s highest insurance rates, there are also things you can do to save money without having to sacrifice the quality of your coverage.
Shop around: The difference between the average cost from the cheapest and most expensive insurer in Lakeland is more than $1,000. One of the best ways to save money is by shopping around to see which company will offer you the lowest rate.
Increase your deductible: Your deductible is the amount you’ll pay out of pocket before your insurance covers the rest. In general, insurance rates decrease as the deductible increases.
Save money with discounts: Insurers offer a variety of discounts to reduce your premium by bundling your policies, having safety devices in your car, driving safely, and more.
State Farm has the cheapest insurance rates in Lakeland, with an average premium of $1,444 per year. The second cheapest provider is GEICO.
Florida has some of the highest insurance rates in the country. The average car insurance premium in the state is $2,914.
Florida is the most expensive state for car insurance for a variety of reasons, including severe weather in the state, as well as the high number of uninsured drivers.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the factors that affect your car insurance rates are your driving record, driving habits, location, age, gender, vehicle, credit score, and insurance coverage.
Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:
Bodily injury liability: 50/100
Property damage liability: $50,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100
Comprehensive: $500 deductible
Collision: $500 deductible
In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by state or insurer.
Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers ages 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles/year.
Rates for driving violations and “Poor” credit determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.
Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.