Sumter County

Sumter County Driving Statistics and Analysis

Around 121,228 personal and commercial vehicles consider the roads of Sumter County their home. This figure constitutes around 0.67% of all the registered vehicles in Florida.

Roughly 75% of adult drivers in Sumter County travel to and from work by themselves, and 1 in 3 of those commutes takes more than half an hour to complete.

An estimate of 20% of the drivers in Florida are uninsured, and about 24,000 vehicles in Sumter County alone could be uninsured or underinsured.

Nearly 1 in 5 crashes in Sumter County is reported as a hit-and-run.

Motor Vehicle Crashes in Sumter County

Automobile fatalities in Sumter County statistically occur at a rate of 14.58 per 100,000 vehicles on the road: roughly 18 fatal crashes yearly.

In 2021, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) reported 2,000 crashes in Sumter County, with 31 reported as fatal crashes resulting in 34 deaths (including 3 motorcyclists). Alcohol is determined as the main factor for the fatal crashes in Sumter County in an estimated 13% of all driving fatalities.

Auto Insurance Analysis:

1. More than 121 thousand automobiles registered in Sumter County need insurance coverage. Basic Liability and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) are one of the requirements by Florida law for all vehicles to safeguard others from possible damage that you may cause in an accident. There are various insurances available depending on the type of vehicle and how it is used. Some of these are: Private Auto, Farm or Commercial Auto, Comprehensive Coverage, Farm or Commercial Transportation, Inland Marine, Gap, Ride-sharing, etc.
2. Uninsured Driver Coverage remains crucially important for Sumter County residents, with 1 out of 5 drivers in Florida being uninsured and every fifth crash in the county reported as a hit-and-run.

To receive advice about auto insurance and to find affordable car insurance in Sumter County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Florida.

Sumter County Housing Statistics and Analysis

Similar to most of Florida, Sumter County’s 81,923 housing unit market is mostly made up of Homeowners, at nearly 90%, against 10% for Renters. Sumter County’s owner-occupied rate is the highest across Florida. Looking at Sumter County’s neighbors, Citrus County has the 2nd-highest owner-occupied rate, at nearly 82%, while Polk County reports the lowest, at around 69%. Statewide, Miami-Dade has the lowest-owner occupied rate of51%. The average owner-occupied rate in the entire state of Florida is 65%.
Around 11% of housing units in Sumter County experience housing problems. Some of these are plumbing problems, kitchen issues, and overcrowding. In around 25% of homes, residents spend more than half of their income on housing alone.

Housing Insurance Analysis:

1. Nearly 82 thousand housing units in Sumter County need insurance coverage. This is to protect the underlying financial investment from possible theft or damages. All owners of these properties should have Homeowners, Condo Insurance, and/or Business Property Insurance (for apartment complexes) at the very least.
2. With over 8,000 housing units in Sumter County listed as rentals, Landlord Insurance is obtained by landlords to protect the property itself from possible liability claims that can arise from the tenants.
3. Tenants usually get Renters Insurance coverage to safeguard their belongings from the possibility of damages or loss. Average renters’ insurance is affordable and it covers the tenant’s property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Some landlords in Sumter County require renters insurance as part of the lease conditions.
   For consultation regarding Homeowners, Renters, Condo, Flood, and other types of insurance in Sumter County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Florida.
   A Florida P&C insurance agent:

• Examines your needs and limitations
• Examines your current policy to ensure that the coverages reflect the housing market's current requirements and help update if needed
• Reviews the local plans that meet your requirements and is generally able to discover a better offer than a customer might get on their own
• Checks for available savings and bundling discount
• Lays out available options of coverage
• Describes the effect of the different options once the insurance policy becomes active
• Helps you with the process of application
• Does not influence your cost of insurance (Agent’s service is usually paid by the insurer)

Sumter County Health Statistics and Analysis

Sumter County has the lowest figure among its nearby counties in terms of proper health insurance, with over 13% of adults uninsured — lower than the Florida state average of 19%. Looking at Sumter County’s neighbors, Marion County has the highest rate of uninsured adults, with about 21%, followed by Polk County and Hernando County, with almost 19%. In the entire state of Florida, the highest uninsured adult rate is observed in Hendry County, with 35%, while St. Johns County reports the lowest rate at just under 13%.

Nearly 17% (almost 24,000) of the Sumter County residents report health problems.

23% of the Sumter County’s adult population does not engage in regular physical exercise activities, contributing to 29% of the residents being obese (with a BMI of 30 or more) — which is higher than the Florida average of 27%. Sumter County’s obesity rate is the lowest among its nearby counties, with Polk County holding the highest obesity rate at roughly 37%, followed by Marion County, where 33% of adults are considered obese

In 2022, there were 14 health insurers in Sumter County that provided affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance on the Florida health marketplace.

Health Insurance Analysis:

1. Health insurance is considered the most important insurance coverage, and more than 10 thousand residents do not have proper coverage.
2. Multiple types of health insurance and supplemental products are available in the state of Florida. This makes it very convenient for Sumter County residents, who have options to choose coverage that fits their specific needs (both medically and financially): Various types of Short-term Insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Marketplace ACA Health Insurance, Accident & Health, Hospital Indemnity, etc.
3. Low-income health insurance: For low-income consumers, applications for government subsidies are available if residents find health insurance too expensive. This will substantially lower the cost of insurance.
4. Short-term Insurance can offer an alternative saving path if you do not have a pre-existing condition. (* Some Florida multi-year short-term health insurance plans may cover certain pre-existing conditions after a year or more of coverage)

Explore your insurance needs with a state-licensed Florida health insurance professional with access to various health insurance plans available in Sumter County. Offerings of health insurance coverage and its pricing may differ between zip codes.

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.

Sumter County End of Life Statistics and Analysis

Sumter County has the longest average life expectancy among its nearby counties, with approximately 80.4 years — close to the Florida state average of 80.1 years. Looking at Sumter County’s neighbors, the second-longest life span is observed in Lake County, with 78.9 years, while the shortest is in Citrus County, with 75.7 years. Compared to the entire state of Florida, Collier County has the longest expected life span, with over 86 years, while the shortest life span is seen in Union County at under 69 years old.
Almost 84,000 seniors (65 and older) resided in Sumter County in 2022.

Life Insurance Facts:

1. 47% of Americans did not have an adequate life insurance policy of any type in 2022.
2. Age is one of the contributing factors to the cost of life iInsurance. if you get it at a younger age, you will save more in premiums over the course of the policy.
3. Approximately 19% of the adults in Sumter County are smokers, and this habit will definitely raise the life insurance premiums of almost 25,000 adults by up to 4 times compared to non-smokers. A smoker’s life is expected to be shorter, making them more of a risk than people who do not smoke.

Sumter County - Funeral Expenses Statistics and Analysis

Sumter County’s average funeral cost is around $4,700, which is less expensive than the Florida state average of $5,900, and is also more affordable than its neighboring counties like Hernando County’s $7,500 average and Marion County’s $6,500, both of which are reported as the highest average funeral cost in the region. These prices already typically include basic service fees, casket, embalming, transportation, viewing, and burial.
Statewide, Collier County tends to have the most expensive funerals at about $9,600, while Putnam County and DeSoto County have the lowest, both closer to $4,600.

Life Insurance Analysis:

1. An average of 46% of Americans die with less than $10,000 in savings. This means that 39 thousand Sumter County seniors could be placing an unnecessary financial burden on their family and friends. They need to find ways to settle payment instead of grieving their loss.
   (Note: if using life insurance as payment for the funeral services, most funeral homes require the policy to be “assignable”)
2. The deceased also frequently leave taxes and other debts besides burial costs that the family may have 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. Term Life Insurance and Cash Value Insurance, such as Whole Life Insurance, Indexed Universal Life (IUL) Insurance, and Final Expense (FE), are the most used life insurance policy variations to leave money to the family.
   Speak with an experienced and licensed Florida insurance professional about life insurance options and to get life insurance quotes in Sumter County. Knowledgeable insurance professionals with access to multiple insurers can help you evaluate your needs and then offer you different solutions to fill them.

Sumter County - Business

Commercial insurance differs between each of the over 2.1 thousand business establishments in Sumter County. The three largest job-creating sectors, accounting for nearly 57% of all employment in the county in 2020 were:

• Professional and Business Services (20.9%)
• Manufacturing (19.5%)
• Government (16.4%)

Commercial Insurance Analysis

1. Professional services in the county can benefit from 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.
2. Manufacturing businesses usually require insurance coverage for:

• Production facilities and property
• Employees’ health and safety
• Product liability coverage protects the company itself in case the product hurts someone and the injured party files a claim or a suit against the manufacturer.
  To assess your business insurance needs and to get a commercial insurance quote in Sumter County, 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.