DeSoto County

DeSoto County Driving Statistics and Analysis

DeSoto County highways are home to around 32,213 personal and business-type vehicles. This figure represents approximately 0.2% of all vehicles registered in the entire state of Florida.

Over 69% of adult drivers in DeSoto County commute to work by themselves, and nearly 1 in 3 of those commutes last for over 30 minutes.

With an estimated 20% of Florida drivers uninsured, about 6,500 vehicles in DeSoto County alone could be uninsured or underinsured.

Nearly every fifth crash in DeSoto County is a hit and run.

Motor Vehicle Crashes in DeSoto County

There are 21.73 traffic-related deaths in DeSoto County for every 100,000 cars on the road: around 7 fatal crashes per year.

In 2021, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) reported over 676 crashes in DeSoto County: 13 fatal crashes, with a resultant 13 deaths (including 2 motorcyclists). Alcohol is determined as the main factor for the fatal crashes in DeSoto County in an estimated 37% of all driving fatalities.

Auto Insurance Analysis

1. Over 30 thousand vehicles registered in DeSoto 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, Commercial Auto, Comprehensive Coverage, Non-owners car insurance, Inland Marine, Gap, Short-term car insurance, and so on.
2. The amount of vehicles on the roads keeps going up every year, and with nearly every fifth crash as a hit-and-run and with 1 out of 5 drivers uninsured, Uninsured Driver Coverage remains important for DeSoto County residents.
3. With nearly half of Desoto County as 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 reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), there has been an increase in the black bear population in the South Central region of 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.

To discuss your auto insurance needs and to find affordable car insurance in DeSoto County, contact a knowledgeable Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Florida.

DeSoto County Housing Statistics and Analysis

The estimated 15,684 dwelling units in DeSoto County are split between homeowners (70%) and renters (30% ). In comparison to DeSoto County's surrounding neighbors, Glades County and Charlotte County are tied for the highest owner-occupied rate in the region, with 80%, while Hardee County posts the lowest homeownership rate, tying the Florida State average of 65%.
Across Florida, Sumter County has the most homes occupied by owners (nearly 90%) while Miami-Dade County offers the highest percentage of its real estate as rentals (49%).
Nearly 17% of dwelling units in DeSoto County are burdened by housing problems such as overcrowding, inadequate plumbing, or kitchen issues. In 1 out of 4 homes, residents allocate more than half of their income to housing.

Housing Insurance Analysis

1. Nearly 16 Thousand housing units in DeSoto 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.
2. With over 4,700 housing units in DeSoto 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.
3. Renters insurance Arcadia: Tenants buy Renters Insurance coverage to protect their belongings from possible damage or loss. Average renters’ insurance is inexpensive and usually covers the tenant's property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Some landlords in DeSoto 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 DeSoto 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,
• reviews your current policy, to make sure that the coverages are reflective of the current needs and housing market- helps to update, if needed,
• researches the locally available plans that fit your needs and is usually able to find a better deal than a consumer can find on their own,
• checks for available savings and bundling discounts,
• 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)

DeSoto County Health Statistics and Analysis

In DeSoto County, about 30% of adult residents lack proper health insurance coverage, which is higher than the Florida average (≈19%) and is also the highest in the region. Neighboring counties’ uninsured rates from lowest to highest: Charlotte County (over 18%), Sarasota County (nearly 19%), Manatee County (almost 20%), Highlands County (over 23%), and Glades County is tied with DeSoto County as the highest at 30%. 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 4 adults (or about 11,400 residents) in DeSoto County report problems with health.
Nearly 36% of the DeSoto County population do not participate in physical exercise activities.
Approximately 31% of DeSoto County residents are considered obese (with a BMI of 30 or more), which is higher than the Florida average of over 27%. Among the neighboring counties, Sarasota County reports the lowest – at over 21% of the residents, while almost 40% of adults from Hardee County may be considered obese.
As of 2022, there were 14 health insurers in DeSoto County, offering affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance on the Florida health marketplace.

Health Insurance Analysis

1. Health insurance is the most important insurance coverage, and over 9 thousand residents of DeSoto County lack this necessity.
2. Florida is among the states that allow the sale of multiple types of health insurance and supplemental products. This makes it easier for DeSoto County residents 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.
3. Low-income insurance: If health insurance is not being purchased due to unaffordability, low-income consumers are generally advised to apply for government subsidies, which can substantially lower the cost of insurance.
4. 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 plans available to DeSoto County residents. Offerings of health insurance coverage and its pricing may differ between zip codes.
   A Florida health insurance agent: analyzes your health 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.

DeSoto County End of Life Statistics and Analysis

The average life expectancy for the residents of DeSoto County is around 80.5 years, almost identical to the Florida State average of (80 years). Among the neighboring counties, Glades County shows the longest life span at over 84.1 years, while the shortest in the region is recorded in Highlands County at 78.3 years old.
Statewide, the shortest life span is seen in Union County, at under 69 years old while the longest is observed in Collier County at 86 years.
In 2022 there were approximately 8,781 seniors (65 and older) residing in DeSoto County.

Life Insurance Facts

1. In 2022, 47% of Americans did not have an active life insurance policy of any type.
2. Life insurance premiums are based on the age of the insured when the policy begins, among other factors. That is why young adults are generally advised to take out a policy while they are still young and healthy, to save money on premiums over the course of the policy.
3. Over 26% of the adults in DeSoto County smoke, and this habit will likely affect the life insurance costs of about 8,300 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 people who do not smoke.
4. Permanent Life Insurance also has a cash value component, which can be used while the insured is still alive: to borrow against, for emergency expenses, or as tax-free retirement income.

DeSoto County Final Expenses Statistics and Analysis

The average funeral cost in DeSoto County is around $4,600. This amount is the lowest among the region and is tied with Putnam County for the lowest across Florida. Looking at DeSoto County’s immediate neighbors, Sarasota County is observed to have the highest average funeral cost, at $6,400, closed followed by Manatee County, with $5,800. The average funeral cost in the entire state of Florida is around $5,900.

Life Insurance Analysis

1. With 46% of Americans dying with savings of less than $10,000, seniors 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 using senior life insurance as payment for the funeral services, most funeral homes require the policy to be “assignable”)
2. Besides the burial costs, the deceased frequently leave taxes and other debt behind for the family to take care of. Discuss your senior life insurance options with licensed Florida professionals.
3. The most frequently used life insurance policies to cover “final expenses” up to $50,000 are: Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance.
4. The most commonly used life insurance policies to leave money to the family are the 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 and to get life insurance quotes in DeSoto County, speak with a knowledgeable state-licensed and experienced life insurance professional who has access to multiple insurers and plan types for comparison.

DeSoto County - Business

Commercial insurance needs vary between each of over 700 business establishments in DeSoto County. The three largest job-creating sectors, accounting for over 61% of all employment in the county in 2021 were:

• Trade, Transportation and Utilities (26.2%)
• Government (21.1%)
• Natural Resource & Mining (14%)

Commercial Insurance Analysis

Retail businesses typically insure all business-owned or leased property and the employees. Besides that, every customer-facing operation typically requires liability insurance, in case the visitor gets hurt on the premises or by using the product. If the business stores and transports goods, it needs inventory insurance and inland marine coverage.
To assess your business insurance needs in DeSoto County and to get a commercial insurance quote, speak with a knowledgeable Florida-licensed commercial insurance agent with access to multiple insurers and premium finance options. Always try to compare at least 2 or 3 options before deciding on the coverage.