Common Auto Insurance Myths Busted by a State Farm Agent

Walk into any coffee shop and you will hear confident advice about auto insurance, usually from someone who has never filed a claim. I have, many times, on behalf of clients. After years at a local insurance agency, I can tell you that a handful of stubborn myths cost drivers real money and cause avoidable headaches. My aim here is practical: clear up the noise so you can make clean decisions, whether you are shopping a State Farm quote, considering a new car, or just trying to get your teen on the road without wrecking your budget.

This phrase creates more confusion than any other. There is no policy called full coverage. What people usually mean is a package that includes liability, comprehensive, and collision. Each one protects you in different ways, and each one has limits, exclusions, and deductibles.

Liability pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others. It does not repair your car. Comprehensive covers non-collision events like theft, hail, falling objects, flood, or hitting a deer. Collision covers your car if you hit another vehicle or a fixed object. Add-ons like rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, rideshare coverage, and medical payments are optional.

A client once assumed full coverage would pay for the laptop stolen from his car. It did not. Auto insurance covers the car itself and its permanent equipment. Personal items inside fall under Home insurance or renters insurance. If you keep tools or equipment in your vehicle for work, ask your State Farm agent about how to insure them properly. You do not want to mix business exposure into a personal auto policy and find out after a loss that coverage is limited.

The trade-off: adding comprehensive and collision protects your car, but premiums and deductibles need to fit your cash flow. If your vehicle is worth 3,000 dollars and you carry a 1,000 dollar deductible on both comp and collision, you are paying for benefits that may not be worth the cost. I often walk clients through the math by comparing expected savings from raising deductibles versus their emergency fund. Insurance is there to handle big, sudden costs, not every ding and scratch.

The color of your car does not affect your premium. Carriers, including State Farm insurance, price based on the vehicle identification number, which encodes the year, make, model, safety features, engine size, and sometimes trim package. A red Honda Civic and a blue Honda Civic with the same specs rate the same. Your driving history, location, mileage, and coverage choices matter far more than paint.

Why the myth persists: red cars get noticed, and red-light tickets stick in memory. Citations do affect your premium in most states, but the ticket raises your rate, not the paint.

Not all claims are created equal. At-fault accidents and certain violations are the most predictive of future risk and can affect your rate for three to five years, depending on state rules. Not-at-fault accidents often have less or no impact when your insurer recovers costs from the other party. Comprehensive claims, like hail or glass, typically have a smaller impact, if any, especially in regions where weather losses are common.

Here is a real scenario. A client in our town had a deer strike in October, a classic comprehensive claim. We repaired the front end, he paid his deductible, and his premium at renewal did not budge. Contrast that with a driver who rear-ended another vehicle at a traffic light. That at-fault collision showed up as a surcharge at the next renewal and stayed on the record for several years.

There is also a threshold for frequency. A single minor not-at-fault loss is one thing. Three glass claims in 18 months tell a different story. If you replace a windshield every six months, your carrier may apply a frequency factor at renewal. When you are unsure whether to file, call your State Farm agent first. We can talk through the likely impact, your deductible, and whether it makes sense to handle a small repair out of pocket.

State minimum liability limits were set many years ago. Vehicles and medical costs have not stood still. If your state minimum for bodily injury is 25,000 dollars per person and 50,000 per accident, a single ambulance ride, ER visit, imaging, and a few months of physical therapy can top those limits quickly. If you are at fault and your coverage runs out, the injured party or their insurer can pursue you personally for the rest.

A common structure for practical protection is 100,000 per person, 300,000 per accident for bodily injury, and 100,000 for property damage. For many families, I prefer 250,000 or higher on property damage, because it is not hard to tag a luxury SUV and a loaded pickup in one crash and crest six figures. Pair that with an umbrella policy, typically starting at 1 million, and you have real peace of mind for a surprisingly modest premium. A State Farm agent can run side by side quotes so you can see the incremental cost. Most clients are relieved at how small the jump is from inadequate to robust protection.

In most personal auto policies, insurance follows the car. If you loan your vehicle to a friend and they cause an accident, your policy is usually primary. Their insurance might step in after yours, but your policy stands first in line. There are exceptions, and state law can shape outcomes, so you should not lend your keys lightly.

Conversely, if you are driving someone else’s car with their permission, their policy generally comes first. Your policy could provide excess liability or medical coverage, depending on Auto insurance terms. The key is permissive use and no commercial purpose. If your friend is driving for a delivery app, personal policies often exclude that exposure entirely without a rideshare or business endorsement.

Anecdote: a client lent his pickup to a neighbor to haul mulch. The neighbor backed into a parked car. We handled the repair under the truck owner’s policy, not the neighbor’s. The neighbor’s insurer did not contribute, because our policy was primary on the vehicle. That was a hard lesson for a generous person who thought he was merely helping for Saturday morning.

In many states, insurers are allowed to use a credit-based insurance score, which is not the same as your FICO but draws from similar data. The score helps predict the likelihood of future claims and is one factor among many. Three states prohibit its use for auto insurance pricing: California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts. If you live elsewhere, expect your credit profile to play a role, often a modest one.

This does not mean someone with thin credit will be punished for life. Insurers typically refresh this data at renewal, and you can request a re-rating after material improvements. Pay down revolving balances, avoid late payments, and do not open multiple new accounts right before shopping a State Farm quote. Those steps help in more ways than one, but you should not contort your finances just for insurance. It is one ingredient, not the whole recipe.

Older does not equal cheaper. Premiums depend on repair costs, safety tech, theft trends, and claim frequency. A ten-year-old luxury model with costly parts and a high theft rate can run higher than a brand-new midsize sedan with advanced safety features. Conversely, a brand-new performance model with expensive sensors in the bumper can spike your comprehensive and collision rates.

Safety systems can help. Automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive headlights correlate with fewer and less severe accidents. Over time, that can ease premiums. But if those same systems live in a bumper that costs 2,000 dollars to recalibrate after a minor tap, the parts and labor still count.

When clients are car shopping, I often run quotes on two or three contenders in advance. It takes a few minutes and can save surprises. You can call your Insurance agency near me, rattle off the VINs on the lot, and get a quick sense of the differences before you sign.

Original equipment manufacturer parts are not guaranteed under every policy or in every state. Many carriers, including State Farm insurance, allow the use of aftermarket or recycled parts that meet specified standards, unless state law says otherwise. The goal is safe repairs at a fair cost. For newer vehicles under warranty, some programs and shops align OEM parts with the vehicle’s age and the part’s role in safety.

If you have strong preferences about parts, bring them up before the repair starts. Ask your agent or the claims team how your policy handles parts selection, calibration, and ADAS systems. I have had clients succeed in getting OEM glass on vehicles where camera recalibration was critical. Others chose to pay the difference for a cosmetic trim piece. Communication early in the process helps everyone.

Roadside assistance is a great add-on. It is also not a blank check. Towing benefits have limits, often by distance or cost. If you break down 85 miles from home and your plan covers 50 miles, you will pay the difference. Some programs cap the number of events per policy period. And not every situation is eligible. Winching a vehicle out of a remote trail is not the same as a battery jump in a grocery store lot.

Check your policy language. If you drive long distances, consider the extended version of roadside and keep the claims phone number in your glove box. A State Farm agent can also add trip interruption coverage on certain policies to help with lodging and meals if you are stranded overnight after a covered breakdown or accident. The extra few dollars per month make sense for frequent travelers.

Personal auto policies typically exclude the period when the rideshare or delivery app is active. The rideshare company’s insurance may cover certain phases, but there are gaps, especially when the app is on and you have not accepted a ride. Many carriers offer a rideshare endorsement that fills those gaps. Without it, you may find yourself uncovered for damage to your own car or stuck with a high deductible.

I worked with a client who was sideswiped while waiting for a ride request. The app was on. Without the rideshare add-on, his personal policy would have denied collision coverage for his vehicle. With the endorsement, we covered the repair under his deductible and avoided a messy back and forth. If you deliver food or packages, ask about business use too. Insurers treat commercial exposure separately for good reason.

Permissive use is common, but it is not the same as being a rated driver. If a friend borrows your car regularly, your insurer can require they be listed and rated on the policy. If you exclude someone from your policy and they drive anyway, coverage can be denied. The details vary by state and carrier, which is why a quick call to your agent beats guessing.

The hardest conversations I have are after a claim with an excluded driver. The paperwork exists for a reason. When in doubt, list the person. It is usually cheaper to rate a driver honestly than to explain an uncovered loss.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage protects you when the other driver has no insurance or not enough to cover your injuries. Health insurance does not replace it. UM coverage pays for pain and suffering and lost wages in many states. Health insurance does not. UM coverage also applies to passengers and can kick in when you are a pedestrian or cyclist struck by a vehicle, depending on state law.

I have seen UM claims change a family’s trajectory after a serious hit and run. Bumping UM limits to match your liability limits is one of the best values in auto insurance, dollar for dollar. If you are carrying 250,000 per person in liability, match UM to the same level. A State Farm quote can show the increase, usually modest compared to the potential benefit.

Loans do not function like insurance. If your car is totaled, the insurer pays the actual cash value of your vehicle. If you owe more than that amount, you are still on the hook for the difference. Gap coverage fills this hole. If you leased or financed with a small down payment, consider adding gap.

I have seen a 38,000 dollar car with an actual cash value of 32,500 dollars at the time of loss while the loan balance sat at 35,100 dollars. Without gap, the owner had to write a check for 2,600 dollars just to hand the totaled title to the lender. With gap, that shortfall is paid. You can buy gap from a dealer or add it through your insurer in many cases, and the latter option is often cheaper.

The look-back period for violations and accidents depends on your state and the insurer’s rating plan. Many carriers review three to five years. Some major violations stay longer. Safe driving discounts also take time to earn back. If your record is clearing soon, ask your agent to requote at renewal. We can time coverage reviews around milestone dates so you are not overpaying a day longer than necessary.

Telematics programs can help speed up the good-news side of the story. State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save, for example, uses mobile data to score habits like braking, acceleration, and time of day, and eligible drivers may earn discounts for safe patterns. It is not for everyone, especially if you commute at 2 a.m. or live in stop-and-go traffic, but for many clients it has trimmed 10 to 20 percent off premiums after a few months.

I hear a lot of guesses. Here is the short, honest list of usual suspects that change premiums in predictable ways.

Note what is not on that list: the color of your car, the day of the week you bought your policy, or the rumor that carriers raise rates after storms to recoup losses. Regulation prevents arbitrary spikes, and insurers file rating plans well in advance. Broader market changes and inflation absolutely affect premiums, but they do so across the board.

Bundling Auto insurance and Home insurance is one of the easiest ways to improve coverage and save. The discount can be meaningful, but the bigger value is coordination. A single State Farm agent can align liability limits on both, make sure you have matching loss assessment coverage if you have a condo, and tie in an umbrella so gaps do not appear. Claims service also tends to be smoother when you are working with one company.

There are times when bundling is not the lowest price. If you have a specialty home that requires a niche carrier, or a classic car that belongs on an agreed value policy, splitting makes sense. I always quote both ways. Sometimes a 200 dollar savings is not worth giving up a better claims experience. Other times, the bundle discount pays for higher limits you actually need. An Insurance agency centered on advice will walk you through both paths.

Do not let a stranger dictate your claim. Start with your own insurer. We can open a claim, arrange repairs, and pursue the other party for payment behind the scenes. If the other driver’s carrier accepts liability quickly, great. If not, you still have a path forward. You also have rights about the repair shop you choose and the parts used. Pushy calls from the other side are common. You do not owe them a recorded statement without speaking to your own claims team.

Here is a simple sequence that has served my clients well after a crash:

Small choices in the first hour can shape the next six months. The claims team exists to carry that load. Use them.

Price matters. So does what happens on your worst day. Every renewal, look at three things in this order: limits, exclusions, then cost. Limits determine how much protection you truly have. Exclusions describe what the policy will not cover. Price is the tie-breaker when the first two are equal.

I recently met a family who moved to our area with a policy that looked inexpensive. They carried state minimum liability, no uninsured motorist, and no collision on a 25,000 dollar car that still had a loan. They also had a teen ready to drive. We restructured to 250,000 per person and 500,000 per accident liability, matched UM, added collision and comprehensive with a 500 dollar deductible, and applied good student and telematics discounts. The premium climbed, but not by the amount they feared. The gap between a wobbly setup and a durable one was less than their monthly cell phone bill.

An experienced State Farm agent can save you more time than any online form, if you come prepared. Bring your VINs, driver’s license numbers, estimated annual mileage, and a copy of your current policy declarations. If you have business use or a rideshare side hustle, say so upfront. If you occasionally tow a camper or use a roof tent, that matters too. We are not nosy, we just want to anticipate exposure so the claim pays as expected.

If you are searching for an Insurance agency near me and find one with strong local reviews, you will likely get someone who knows the tricky intersections, the hail-prone neighborhoods, and the body shops that can calibrate a Subaru eyesight camera properly. That local memory matters when the weather turns or the deer move.

Insurance is about trade-offs made with clear eyes. Bigger deductibles save money, but only if you can comfortably pay them when things go sideways. High limits protect assets you have and the income you would like to keep. Add-ons like rental reimbursement sound small until you are waiting three weeks for parts and paying 48 dollars a day for a compact sedan. A measured approach beats panic buying after a friend’s horror story.

If you have read this far, you already have an edge. You know that red paint does not cost extra, that minimum limits are a gamble, and that rideshare work changes everything. You also know you can test ideas with real numbers. Ask your Insurance agency to run a State Farm quote two or three ways: higher deductibles with rental, lower deductibles without, and your current structure as a control. With side by side comparisons, your judgment will take over. That is how you buy insurance like a pro.

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Name: Franklin Rodriguez - State Farm Insurance Agent

Category: Insurance Agency

Address: 2323 N Swan Rd, Tucson, AZ 85712, United States

Phone: +1 520-750-8016

Plus Code: 64X4+QR Tucson, Arizona

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• Saturday: Closed


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People Also Ask (PAA)

What types of insurance are available?

The agency offers auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, life insurance, and business insurance coverage in Tucson, Arizona.

Where is Franklin Rodriguez – State Farm Insurance Agent located?

2323 N Swan Rd, Tucson, AZ 85712, United States.

What are the business hours?

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How can I request a quote?

You can call (520) 750-8016 during business hours to receive a personalized insurance quote tailored to your needs.

Does the office assist with claims and policy reviews?

Yes. The agency provides claims guidance, policy updates, and coverage reviews to help ensure your protection stays up to date.

Landmarks Near Tucson, Arizona

• Saguaro National Park – Iconic desert landscape with towering cacti.


• Reid Park Zoo – Popular family-friendly attraction.


• University of Arizona – Major public research university.


• Tucson Botanical Gardens – Beautiful desert garden exhibits.


• Sabino Canyon Recreation Area – Scenic hiking and outdoor destination.


• Park Place Mall – Shopping and dining center near Swan Road.


• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – Renowned desert wildlife museum.