Columbia County
Columbia County Driving Statistics and Analysis
Columbia County is home to an estimated 60,569 private and commercial vehicles. This figure accounts for approximately 0.33% of all vehicles registered in the entire state of Florida.
Over 80% of adult drivers in Columbia County commute to work by themself, and nearly 1 out of 3 of those commutes last for over 30 minutes.
With an estimated 20% of Florida drivers uninsured, about 12,000 vehicles in Columbia County alone could be uninsured or underinsured.
Approximately every fifth (≈19%) crash in Columbia County is a hit and run.
Motor Vehicle Crashes in Columbia County
Motor vehicle fatalities in Columbia County statistically occur at a rate of 26.40 per 100,000 vehicles on the road: approximately 16 fatal crashes per year.
In 2021, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) reported 1,732 crashes in Columbia County: 23 fatal crashes, with a resultant 24 deaths. Alcohol is determined as the main factor for the fatal crashes in Columbia County in an estimated 30% of all driving fatalities.
Auto Insurance Analysis
Nearly 61 thousand vehicles registered in Columbia County need insurance coverage. Basic Liability and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverages are required for all vehicles on the road to protect others from the damage you may cause in an accident. Depending on the type of vehicle and its use, the additional required insurance may be: Private Auto, Farm Auto, Comprehensive Coverage, Farm Transportation, Inland Marine, Gap, Ride-sharing, and so on.
Longer daily commute of nearly 14,000 Columbia County residents raises the cost of auto insurance because it increases the amount of time a driver spends on the road, which in return increases the chances of getting into a possible car accident.
The majority of Columbia County is rural, and although vehicles that utilize rural roads are less susceptible to vehicular collisions, wildlife-vehicle collisions are more likely to happen — this is especially true for Florida with its diverse ecosystem, where animals (such as deer, black bears, alligators, and various birds) frequently cross the road. According to a study by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), there has been a 92% increase in the black bear population in northern Florida from 2002 to 2015, making rural road crossings more likely. Although Personal Injury Protection coverage can cover your medical expenses and loss of income, having Comprehensive auto insurance will help with the cost of repairing the car after hitting an animal.
With every fifth of crashes as a hit-and-run and with 1 out of 5 drivers uninsured, Uninsured Driver Coverage is increasingly important for Columbia County residents.
To discuss your auto insurance needs in Columbia County, contact a knowledgeable Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Florida.
Columbia County Housing Statistics and Analysis
Majority (65%) of homes in the state of Florida are owner-occupied. Similarly, Columbia County’s estimated 29,816 housing unit market is split between Homeowner-occupied at 71% and Rentals at 29%.
The neighboring counties largely consist of homes occupied by owners as well, with Gilchrist County leading at approximately 83% as owner-occupied and around 17% of homes are available for or inhabited by tenants. Alachua County, on the other hand, has a 55% owner-occupied rate — this means nearly every other home is a rental.
Nearly 15% of housing units in Columbia County experience housing problems, overcrowding, issues with plumbing, or with the kitchen. In 1 out of 4 homes, residents spend more than 50% of their income on housing.
Housing Insurance Analysis
An estimated 30 thousand housing units in Columbia County need insurance coverage. At a minimum, all owners of these properties should have Homeowners, Condo insurance, and/or Business property insurance (for apartment complexes), to protect the underlying financial investment from possible loss or damage.
With approximately 9,000 housing units in Columbia County as rentals, landlords obtain Landlord Insurance, which covers the property itself and from the possible liability claims arising from the tenants and their guests.
Renters insurance Lake City: To protect their belongings from damage or loss, tenants buy Renters Insurance coverage. On average, it is inexpensive and it usually covers the tenant's property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Some landlords in Columbia County may require Renters insurance as a condition of the lease.
For consultation and advice about Homeowners, Renters, Condo, Flood, and other types of insurance in Columbia County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Florida.
A Florida P&C insurance agent:
analyzes your needs and restrictions,
researches the locally available plans that fit your needs,
provides you with the available options of coverage,
explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product
assists you with the application process
does not affect your cost of insurance. (agent’s service is usually paid by the insurer)
Columbia County Health Statistics and Analysis
In Columbia County, over 16% of adult residents lack proper health insurance coverage, which is lower than the state average (≈19%). Among its neighbors, Suwannee County (22%) has the highest uninsured adult rate while Alachua County (over 13%) has the lowest uninsured adult rate.
The highest uninsured adult rate in the state of Florida is in Hendry County, with 35% of residents uninsured, while the lowest rate is observed in St. Johns County at under 13% of the adult residents. In 2021, the average adult uninsured rate in Florida was around 19.2%.
More than 1 in 5 adults (or nearly 17,000 residents) in Columbia County report problems with health.
Nearly 37% of the Columbia County population do not participate in physical exercise activities.
Approximately 37% of the Columbia County residents are considered obese (with a BMI of 30 or more), which is higher than the Florida average of around 27%. Among the neighboring counties, all areas are also above the state average: Alachua County reports the lowest at over 27% of the residents, while Hamilton County reports the highest at 40% of residents considered obese.
In 2022, there were 14 health insurers in Columbia County, offering affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance on the Florida health marketplace.
Health Insurance Analysis
Health insurance is the most important insurance coverage, and nearly 10 thousand residents of Columbia County lack this necessity.
Florida is among the states that allow the sale of multiple types of health insurance and supplemental products. This makes it easier for Floridians to obtain coverage that fits their specific needs (both medically and financially): Marketplace ACA health insurance, Various types of Short-term insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Hospital Indemnity, Accident & Health, etc.
To help with obtaining affordable health insurance coverage low-income consumers are generally advised to apply for government subsidies, which can substantially lower the cost of insurance.
If you do not have pre-existing conditions, Short-term insurance may provide an alternative saving path. (* Some Florida multi-year short-term health insurance plans may cover certain pre-existing conditions after a year or more of coverage).
Discuss your health insurance needs with a knowledgeable state-licensed Florida health insurance professional with access to a variety of health insurance options available to Columbia County residents.
A Florida health insurance agent: analyzes your needs and restrictions, researches the locally available plans that fit your needs, provides you with the available options of coverage, and explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product. The agent assists you with the application process, and at any time you need to make a change to the policy, or shop for replacement coverage.
Columbia County End of Life Statistics and Analysis
Average life expectancy for the residents of Columbia County is between 75 and 76 years old, which is lower than the state average in Florida (80). Among the neighboring counties, Alachua County shows longer life spans at 79, adding 3 more years on top of Columbia County. On the other hand, Union County (68) is seen to have the lowest average life expectancy among the neighboring counties and in the state of Florida. Collier County has the highest average life expectancy with over 86 years old in the state.
In 2022 there were over 14,000 seniors (65 and older) residing in Columbia County.
Life Insurance Facts
In 2022, 47% of Americans did not own any type of active life insurance policy.
Life insurance premiums factor in the age of the insured when the policy begins, among other things. The younger you get life insurance, the more you save in premiums over the course of the policy.
Nearly 25% of the adults in Columbia County smoke, and this habit will likely increase the life insurance premiums of more than 14,000 adults by up to 4 times compared to non-smokers. A smoker’s life expectancy is deemed shorter, making them more of a risk than non-smokers.
Columbia County Final Expenses Statistics and Analysis
The average price of a funeral in Columbia County is around $5,400, which is lower than the Florida state average (of $5,900). Among the neighboring counties, Gilchrist County has the highest average funeral cost of almost $6,000, while Baker County has the lowest average cost at $4,900.
Life Insurance Analysis
With 46% of Americans dying with savings of less than $10,000, nearly 7,000 Columbia County senior residents could be placing the unnecessary and frequently unbearable financial burden on family and friends. Instead of grieving their loss, the family must concentrate on finding a way to pay. (Note: If funeral services are paid using life insurance, most funeral homes require the policy to be “assignable”)
Apart from the burial costs, the family has to pay for taxes and other debts incurred by the deceased.
Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance are the most frequently used life policies to cover “final expenses up to $50,000.
The usual life insurance policies to leave money to the family are variations of: Term Life Insurance and Cash Value insurance, such as Whole Life insurance, Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance, and Final Expense (FE).
To find out more about life insurance options in Columbia County, speak with a knowledgeable state-licensed and experienced life insurance professional who has access to multiple insurers and plan types for comparison.
Columbia County - Business
Commercial insurance needs vary among each of the over 16,000 business establishments in Columbia County. The three largest job-creating sectors, accounting for over 57% of all employment in the county in 2020 were:
Government (21.6%)
Manufacturing (21.2%)
Professional & Business Services (14.4%)
Commercial Insurance Analysis
Manufacturing businesses usually require insurance coverage for:
Production facilities and property
Employees’ health and safety
Product liability coverage to protect the company itself if their product hurts the consumer, etc.
Over 4,000 professional services and consulting businesses in the county can benefit from the professional liability insurance, also known as Errors and Omissions insurance (E&O insurance), that protects their clients in case the professional advice they give causes damages or losses.
To assess your business insurance needs in Columbia County, speak with a knowledgeable Florida-licensed commercial insurance agent with access to multiple insurers.
