Suwannee County
Driving in Suwannee County
Suwannee County has an estimated 36,904 registered automobiles, and this accounts for 0.20% of all vehicles in Florida.
More than 78% of adult drivers in Suwannee County drive alone to work, with over 11,000 of them commuting for 30 minutes or more.
It is estimated that 20% of Florida drivers are uninsured and over 7,000 vehicles in Suwannee County alone could be uninsured or underinsured.
About every 7th crash in Suwannee County is a hit and run.
Motor Vehicle Crashes in Suwannee County
Motor vehicle fatalities in Suwannee County statistically occur at 29.86 per 100,000 vehicles on the road: approximately 11 fatal crashes per year.
In 2021, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) reported over 662 crashes in Suwannee County: 17 fatal crashes, with a resultant 17 deaths (including 2 motorcyclists). Alcohol is determined as the main factor for the deadly crashes in Suwannee County in an estimated 30% of all driving fatalities.
Auto Insurance Analysis
Over 36 thousand vehicles registered in Suwannee 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, Commercial Transportation, Inland Marine, Gap, Ride-sharing, Short-term auto, and so on.
The majority of Suwannee 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 reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), there has been a 17% increase in the black bear population in central 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 6th crash as a hit-and-run and with 1 out of 5 drivers uninsured, Uninsured Driver Coverage remains important for Suwannee County residents.
To discuss your auto insurance needs and to find affordable car insurance in Suwannee County, contact a knowledgeable Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Florida.
Suwannee County Housing
There are around 19,832 housing properties in Suwannee County, which are primarily occupied by the owners themselves (74%), just like the majority of Florida (with the average of around 65%). Roughly 26% of the homes in Suwannee County are rental units.
Most of the neighboring counties are also dominated by owner-occupied homes, with Lafayette County leading the group with 84% of its homes inhabited by the owners. Gilchrist County has the second-highest figure at 83% (with nearly 17% of homes for rent).
Over 15% of housing units in Suwannee County experience housing problems, overcrowding, poor plumbing, or issues with the kitchen. In 1 out of 4 homes, residents spend more than 50% of their income on housing.
Housing Insurance Analysis
Almost 20 thousand housing units in Suwannee 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 over 5 thousand housing units in Suwannee County as rentals, landlords obtain Landlord Insurance, which covers the property itself and the possible liability claims arising from the tenants and their guests.
Renters insurance Suwannee: Tenants buy Renters Insurance coverage to protect their belongings from possible damage or loss. Typically, renters’ insurance is affordable and usually covers the tenant's property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Some landlords in Suwannee County may require Renters Insurance before putting pen to paper on a lease.
For consultation and to get a quote on Homeowners, Renters, Condo, Flood, and other types of insurance in Suwannee 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)
Suwannee County Health Statistics and Analysis
In Suwannee County, over 21% of adult residents lack proper health insurance coverage, which is higher than the state average (≈19%). Among the neighboring counties, Lafayette County has the highest uninsured rate of over 23% and the lowest is Columbia County with 16%. 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%.
Almost 1 in 4 adults (or nearly 11,000 residents) in Suwannee County report problems with health.
Over 36% of the Suwannee County population do not participate in physical exercise activities. Around 39% of the Suwannee 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: Lafayette County reports the lowest – at nearly 34% of the residents, while close to 40% of adults from Hamilton County may be considered obese.
In 2022, there were 14 health insurers in Suwannee County, offering affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance on the Florida marketplace.
Health Insurance Analysis
Health insurance is the most important insurance coverage, and almost 8 thousand residents of Suwannee 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 Suwannee 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.
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.
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 Suwannee 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.
Suwannee County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
A Suwannee County resident has an average life expectancy of 75.9 years old, which is 5 years shorter than the Florida state average of 80.2 years. Among the neighbors, Lafayette County has the longest life expectancy (77.2 years), while the lowest (75.2) belongs to Columbia County.
Across the whole state of Florida, Collier County has the longest life expectancy average at 86 years old, while Union County has the shortest at 69 years.
In 2022 there were approximately 9,700 seniors (65 and older) residing in Suwannee County.
Life Insurance Facts
In 2022, 47% of Americans did not have an active life insurance policy of any type.
Young adults frequently falsely believe that they do not need life insurance yet. However, age is among the most significant factors that affect premium rates. This is why young adults are advised to take out a policy while they are still young and healthy to save money in premiums in the long run.
Final Expenses – Suwannee County Funeral Home Cost
A traditional funeral in Suwannee County could cost the family and friends of the deceased an average of $5,000, which is lower than the Florida average of $5,900. Among the neighboring counties, Suwannee County’s average funeral cost is among the most affordable in the region, followed by Columbia County closer to $5,400. The highest in the area is Gilchrist County, with a $5,900-average.
Collier County has the most expensive funeral cost average in the entire state at around $9,600, while Putnam County and DeSoto County have the lowest, both at $4,600.
Life Insurance Analysis
With 46% of Americans dying with savings of less than $10,000, some Suwannee County senior residents could be placing an 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 life insurance as payment for the funeral services, most funeral homes require the policy to be “assignable”)
On top of the burial costs, the departed often pass away with unsettled debts and taxes for the family to take care of.
The most frequently used life insurance policies to cover “final expenses” up to $50,000 are Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance (also known as Burial insurance). Speak with an agent about senior life insurance options.
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.
To find out more about life insurance options and to get life insurance quotes in Suwannee County, speak with a knowledgeable state-licensed and experienced life insurance professional who has access to multiple insurers and plan types for comparison.
Suwannee County - Business
Commercial insurance needs vary between each of over 8 hundred business establishments in Suwannee County. The three largest job-creating sectors, accounting for over 55% of all employment in the county in 2020 were:
Manufacturing (22.2%)
Government (21.9%)
Professional and Business Services (11%)
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 its product hurts the consumer, etc.
Over 100 professional services and consulting businesses 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.
To assess your business insurance needs in Suwannee County and to get a commercial insurance quote, speak with a knowledgeable Florida-licensed commercial insurance agent with access to multiple insurers.
