Car Insurance Pinellas Co. (Tampa: broker, homes, gated)

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by HWTechGuy

I just got my insurance renewal. We have three vehicles and drivers. Average per vehicle/driver is $1381/year. I am a bit north of you, however. It's about an 8% increase over last year.

As another poster said, wait until you price homeowners insurance. Mine went up nearly $1200 over last year.

I just can't bring myself to get upset about it. Even though homeowners insurance is super high, my total for taxes and insurance is still less than property taxes alone were at my old place a decade ago.

I look at the higher auto insurance prices in a similar matter. The income taxes I am not paying here more than offset the difference in auto insurance rates, and that is just for me alone - I didn't even factor in the taxes my wife would be paying.

You are not upset because you are in Spring Hill, one of the cheapest places (Hernando) in Tampa Bay to get homeowners insurance. That's not the case in Hillsborough or Pinellas, where the vast majority of people are EXTREMELY upset about insurance costs.

[Schuttzie]

Originally Posted by HWTechGuy

I just got my insurance renewal. We have three vehicles and drivers. Average per vehicle/driver is $1381/year. I am a bit north of you, however. It's about an 8% increase over last year.

As another poster said, wait until you price homeowners insurance. Mine went up nearly $1200 over last year.

I just can't bring myself to get upset about it. Even though homeowners insurance is super high, my total for taxes and insurance is still less than property taxes alone were at my old place a decade ago.

I look at the higher auto insurance prices in a similar matter. The income taxes I am not paying here more than offset the difference in auto insurance rates, and that is just for me alone - I didn't even factor in the taxes my wife would be paying.

Thank you, may I ask who is your insurance carrier?

We also are paying much less in property taxes than IL plus our car registration each year up there is now $200 per year, so it's much more than here after initial registration.

[HWTechGuy]

Originally Posted by sinatras

You are not upset because you are in Spring Hill, one of the cheapest places (Hernando) in Tampa Bay to get homeowners insurance. That's not the case in Hillsborough or Pinellas, where the vast majority of people are EXTREMELY upset about insurance costs.

My point is that my wife and I are saving over $30K a year in income/property taxes overall. So, I can't bring myself to wring my hands about costs here which are higher, namely home and auto insurance.

Would I be losing my mind if my homeowners insurance was $4200/year AND I was still getting soaked with state/local income taxes? Absolutely.

Would I be losing my mind if these costs were so high here that I couldn't make ends meet? Sure I would.

Life is too short to be angry all of the time.

Originally Posted by Schuttzie

Thank you, may I ask who is your insurance carrier?

We also are paying much less in property taxes than IL plus our car registration each year up there is now $200 per year, so it's much more than here after initial registration.

My property taxes in PA were like $7500 a decade ago. Currently, taxes on that home are $10K. For 2021, my taxes here were just under $3000, but I have a much larger house here. Up there, safety and emissions inspections would add $80/year for my truck and $60/year for my wife's car. Registration would be $120/year for my truck and $40/year for my wife's car.

My homeowners insurance is though a company called American Integrity. I've been with them since I bought my house, but did switch to another agent because the original agent sold me a bunch of add-on coverage that I didn't need and really didn't apply to my situation. Just got the renewal and it's about $4200/year. When I first bought my house, it was like $2500, but over the years it went up and down. It actually dipped below $2000 before creeping back up. Last year, it was roughly $3000 so I am seeing a $1200 increase this year.

Auto insurance is through Travelers. I switched from Geico last year and am paying the renewal next month.

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by HWTechGuy

My point is that my wife and I are saving over $30K a year in income/property taxes overall. So, I can't bring myself to wring my hands about costs here which are higher, namely home and auto insurance.

Would I be losing my mind if my homeowners insurance was $4200/year AND I was still getting soaked with state/local income taxes? Absolutely.

Would I be losing my mind if these costs were so high here that I couldn't make ends meet? Sure I would.

Life is too short to be angry all of the time.



My property taxes in PA were like $7500 a decade ago. Currently, taxes on that home are $10K. For 2021, my taxes here were just under $3000, but I have a much larger house here. Up there, safety and emissions inspections would add $80/year for my truck and $60/year for my wife's car. Registration would be $120/year for my truck and $40/year for my wife's car.

My homeowners insurance is though a company called American Integrity. I've been with them since I bought my house, but did switch to another agent because the original agent sold me a bunch of add-on coverage that I didn't need and really didn't apply to my situation. Just got the renewal and it's about $4200/year. When I first bought my house, it was like $2500, but over the years it went up and down. It actually dipped below $2000 before creeping back up. Last year, it was roughly $3000 so I am seeing a $1200 increase this year.

Auto insurance is through Travelers. I switched from Geico last year and am paying the renewal next month.

Yeah, Hernando is so much cheaper.

The property taxes on my 1960s ranch in Tampa bought decades ago are close to 10k. The homeowners insurance is 8k. The flood insurance is 3k. Car insurance is 2k. Electric and grocery prices are much higher in Tampa than when I lived in VA; and I travel all the time in the country and abroad so I see how much higher our grocery prices are currently in Fla. They are outrageous. Even California has cheaper grocery prices right now.

A giant loaf of French bread can be bought for 35 cents in Spain or France; try that here!

[HWTechGuy]

Originally Posted by sinatras

Yeah, Hernando is so much cheaper.

The property taxes on my 1960s ranch in Tampa bought decades ago are close to 10k. The homeowners insurance is 8k. The flood insurance is 3k. Car insurance is 2k. Electric and grocery prices are much higher in Tampa than when I lived in VA; and I travel all the time in the country and abroad so I see how much higher our grocery prices are currently in Fla. They are outrageous. Even California has cheaper grocery prices right now.

A giant loaf of French bread can be bought for 35 cents in Spain or France; try that here!

Those are northeast numbers. My cousin was paying $10K property taxes in NJ for an 8500 sqft McMansion. Now, they're paying under $3K in SC for a smaller (5000 sqft) waterfront home.

For groceries, we have had a great experience with Kroger delivery. Prices for what we buy are typically better than local offerings and the reward points can be used for gas at Shell. I typically have $1/off per gallon in rewards to use when I fuel up.

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by HWTechGuy

Those are northeast numbers. My cousin was paying $10K property taxes in NJ for an 8500 sqft McMansion. Now, they're paying under $3K in SC for a smaller (5000 sqft) waterfront home.

For groceries, we have had a great experience with Kroger delivery. Prices for what we buy are typically better than local offerings and the reward points can be used for gas at Shell. I typically have $1/off per gallon in rewards to use when I fuel up.

Yeah Kroger is cheaper but I am so bad at planning............

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by sinatras

Yeah Kroger is cheaper but I am so bad at planning............

The next day delivery is a killer… And is the reason why I continue to use Instacart if wanting delivery (2 hours.) Normally if I am ordering delivery groceries, it is for NOW. If I have a day to plan, I can just find time to peruse the stores in person.

[Schuttzie]

Originally Posted by HWTechGuy

My property taxes in PA were like $7500 a decade ago. Currently, taxes on that home are $10K. For 2021, my taxes here were just under $3000, but I have a much larger house here. Up there, safety and emissions inspections would add $80/year for my truck and $60/year for my wife's car. Registration would be $120/year for my truck and $40/year for my wife's car.

My homeowners insurance is though a company called American Integrity. I've been with them since I bought my house, but did switch to another agent because the original agent sold me a bunch of add-on coverage that I didn't need and really didn't apply to my situation. Just got the renewal and it's about $4200/year. When I first bought my house, it was like $2500, but over the years it went up and down. It actually dipped below $2000 before creeping back up. Last year, it was roughly $3000 so I am seeing a $1200 increase this year.

Auto insurance is through Travelers. I switched from Geico last year and am paying the renewal next month.

Thank you so much, I will look into Travelers!

edited: I just checked them out and it seems the rates are good, about $1500 but there doesn't seem to be an option for uninsured and underinsured motorists so I think we'll keep looking but thanks again!

[hokiepoke]

I had GEICO but their rate went up the roof after accident. I suppose you can say same about most insurance. Travelers won't even give a quote if there's too many incidents on records for us. AAA was actually decent but my experience was that visiting an agent in person at the office got me better rates than calling in and I'm a member as well.

We like to complain about high insurance and property taxes but I agree much of that is negated by not having to pay state income tax, annual auto property tax, annual inspections and high registration fees from other states. I used to live in Virginia in Fairfax county and it annoyed me to no end to have to pay hundreds of dollars in taxes for my car every year. Add insult to injury, I'm hearing from family that the car property tax went up because used car prices went up.

That said Florida isn't cheap anymore and hasn't been lately. But sunshine and palm trees is still kind of free if you can afford the rest.

[HWTechGuy]

Originally Posted by Schuttzie

Thank you so much, I will look into Travelers!

edited: I just checked them out and it seems the rates are good, about $1500 but there doesn't seem to be an option for uninsured and underinsured motorists so I think we'll keep looking but thanks again!

They absolutely have uninsured and underinsured motorist. I have that coverage. Down here, it's crazy not to.