Your ultimate cheap car insurance quotes comparison and shopping guide.
insurance > car insurance quotes
So your old auto insurance policy is expiring, or you just bought a new car (mazel tov!) and now it’s time to compare car insurance quotes from the best car insurance companies and get yourself the best, cheapest car insurance policy with sufficient coverage.
Auto insurance comparison can become frustrating to deal with, time consuming and expensive. And yet, it is a must, for you to follow national and state-mandatory laws and regulations that pass legislation to protect drivers from unexpected financial losses that involves driving.
Through this page, you can compare car insurance quotes, companies, coverages and plans with ease, read our reviews and customer reviews and make the best decision for your needs.
This page covers auto insurance from the bottom up - from facts and statistics, explanation of terms and types of auto insurance, to helping you compare cheap auto insurance quotes online for free, through quality car insurance comparison of companies, customer reviews and professional reviews.
Car insurance is a contract between you and an auto insurance company by which, in exchange for a premium, the company covers the potential cost of possible damages and financial loss that are a result of driving.
We’ve all been there, accidentally bumping in to a car while trying to back into a parking spot, stopping short and getting rear-ended…the list of car accident possibilities is seemingly endless. But one thing is for sure, getting the damaged fixed can be incredibly costly!
That's were auto insurance comes in to play. There are many different types of auto policies. Some cover typical accidents. Others consider theft, weather risks, bumping in to animals and depreciating car values. Confused by what all of this means? Let's take a deeper look…
Car insurance quotes are estimates for what your auto insurance policy would actually cost and cover for you by the specific carriers. These quotes can be estimated by the carrier itself, or by car insurance agencies, agents and brokers (licensed producers).
Auto insurance quotes are determined by the information available to the quoter, be it a company, agency, agent or broker. Mostly, your quotes are personalized and tailored to your own specific needs as per your driver history, background, vehicle information and other information. The more information the companies have, the more accurate your quotes are going to be.
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Comparing auto insurance quotes will give you a more comprehensive view of your options. Well, a wide variety of choices will easily overwhelm you at first. Your decision-making may get clouded, but you have to decide on an insurance product and company that fits you.
Some insurance companies would bombard you with attractive options, even discounts or freebies. However, you must dismiss that “halo effect” and decide on what car insurance coverage matches your actual needs, budget and profile.
Rates would also differ because it depends mainly on certain factors such as credit history, age, gender, car type and value, driving record, location or ZIP code, number of miles per year, state and a whole lot of other factors.
With that in mind, it would be impossible to compare the quotes of a 20-year-old male from Hawaii with the auto insurance prices a 60-year-old female driver from Michigan would receive. A lot of variables would be counted in to determine the auto insurance rates for a specific client or individual.
When comparing rates, after making sure you have all your needs covered, check the company's average score, as well as car insurance promos or discounts that you may qualify for. Once you have shortlisted some of the best car insurance companies that have the right auto insurance coverage, products, rates and ratings, you should do a background check and read some reviews and ratings that other customers have left on their company page.
This will help you gain a more refined or realistic perspective of what the company can offer and how they treat their clients and policyholders. While the advertising mumbo jumbo can reel you into a company’s offers, feedback from real users would give you a fresh and real-time perspective on the credibility, performance, service, coverage and trustworthiness of an auto insurance company.
When shopping for car insurance, you are most likely to choose a titan in the industry or a reputable, large, well known auto insurer. Well, this makes sense, after all, you would want to invest in a company that has earned its stripes in the industry. The staying power of a company has a lot to say about its resilience, financial strength and relevance in the market. It is assumed that large-scale auto insurance companies are sometimes more resilient and more likely to be able to afford paying your claims. But this is not always true and this is why you should check a company's online reputation and reviews by their customers ahead of choosing it.
On the other hand, there are also perks that follow through by signing up with a smaller car insurance company. Well, these startups are able to offer a fresh, modern, digital and customized service to their clients because the young blood in the industry tends to bring in innovation and personalization first in their roster of services. Along with other things. One of these companies is Root.
Dig up more information on this website about car insurance companies and understand their online reputation. Read customer reviews, ratings and testimonials online and observe how their customers have experienced them. This reveals a lot about the company's overall experience and reliability.
Check on your state’s insurance department to determine the car insurance type mandated by law. In general, most states would require liability insurance and with minimum coverage for property damage and bodily injury.
Ask for recommendations and referrals from family and friends regarding auto insurance companies and agents. Word-of-mouth remains a very strong determining factor when deciding on what car insurance company to trust.
Get maximum auto insurance quotes from as many different companies as possible: Request product brochures and quotes from different insurance companies through this website or through a local agent/agency and then compare them one by one. You want all of the options on your table before making such important decision. What's the rate? what it covers? how reputed is the company? Pay a bit more attention to the little details such as payment options, deductibles, exclusions, discounts, and hidden fees.
Make a shortlist of your preferred car insurance providers, quotes and offers and then verify their legitimacy and licensure with your state’s insurance department.
Take note of some questions you might have about the car insurance coverage and other details. Ask car insurance company representatives and/or agents if your credit history would affect rates in different companies, if the coverage would cover rental cars when traveling, or if speeding ticket/driving history would affect the premium.
Prioritize paying your premiums on time. Non-payment of premiums could result in a lapse in your vehicle insurance coverage. There are auto insurance carriers who would offer direct withdrawal from your checking account to prevent lost coverage.
There are factors that determine your car insurance quotes like your gender and age that are out of your control. However, there are a couple of factors that you have total control of, like your credit score, driving record, mileage, type or brand of car, and the amount of car insurance coverage.
Basically, your car insurance cost would depend on the risk factors auto insurance providers take in to account. So, basically, they would want to weigh in on the probability that you’ll be filing claims on your car insurance.
In order to qualify or get the cheapest car insurance rates, you have to research and compare the rates of different car insurance companies. You have to look into the car insurance providers that have that good match of affordability plus excellent customer service.
You also have to check on your own credit report and driving record to make sure it’s clean and in good standing. Basically, a car insurance company would assess your likelihood of getting into an accident and filing claims. So, if you have citations for DUI, incurred accidents, or have other driving violations, then you will be considered a high-risk client and would have higher insurance rates than someone who has a clean driving record and high credit score.
In fact, if you’re a safe driver, there are several car insurance companies that would give you discounts for that plus also get lower rates over time. An app is used to monitor and assess your driving behavior, which will be the basis for discounts.
Also, if you happen to have a car that is costly in terms of repair and replacement, then your car rates would also increase. However, with older cars, your car insurance company could give you discounts or a reduction in prices.
Choosing the lowest amount of auto insurance coverage also helps you save on your car insurance fees. Additionally, you may also opt to choose a higher deductible, which translates to less risk for your auto insurance company and minimal costs for you.
Another option to get cheap auto insurance quotes is to take advantage of the auto insurance discounts that your company has. Discounts such as paperless billing, good student discounts, multi-policy discounts, and multi-car discounts will give you more savings on your auto insurance fees.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
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Definitely. Unless you live in New Hampshire. That’s right. 49 out of the 50 states require that you have an active car insurance policy. In New Hampshire, you must be able to prove that you are able to afford any damage done to your car, which can cost thousands upon thousands of dollars... so, don't live in New Hampshire! (Just kidding!)
92% of insurers now take credit into account when determining auto insurance quotes. Why? Taking your credit in to account helps them predict their losses and the risk they are carrying by covering you.
So now you might be wondering what other factors can play a role in determining your auto insurance rates. Here are a few:
We suggest you take a minute to think about your risk as a driver to the car insurance company.
All of this impacts your auto premiums. This shouldn’t deter you, however. The cost of a car accident is still much higher!!
Car accidents cost the United States about $231 billion every year. Yes, you read that right. And accidents usually cost in the thousands. That's why being covered is so important and mandatory in most states.
Your policy will have liability coverage limits. In auto insurance, this limit is usually broken down in to three components:
Be sure to know what the liability limits are on your auto insurance plan.
In fact, it is important that we spend some time looking at the typical car insurance cost. We know that finding a cheap auto insurance price is probably extremely important to you, but it is more important to make sure that you are well covered as well in case the unexpected happens... so sometimes it is better not to take the cheapest quote you get, but the cheapest one you get for the policy that covers you best.
Your premiums will likely be paid either every month, every six months or annually. It is very important to stay up to date on your payments.
When it comes to getting the best deal on your car insurance rates, there are a number of paths you can follow. You can use car insurance comparison sites, contact a broker or agency, or simply go direct to the insurer. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, but given the huge choice of options, it can be hard to work out which one works best for you.
That’s why we’ve put together “The ultimate shopping guide for auto insurance quotes.” We’ve looked at 12 key parameters that you need to consider when you’re looking for low cost auto insurance, namely:
Time: how much time and effort is needed to source the car insurance quotes?
Online: can you search for auto insurance quotes online and buy car insurance online?
Phone: can you use your phone to call and get car insurance quotes?
Face to face: can you source affordable car insurance via a face to face meeting?
Rates: can you get cheap car insurance rates using this method?
Coverage: how good is the policy coverage offered and how much it fits your needs rather than providing you with insufficient coverage or a coverage that is beyond what you need?
Choice: can you compare car insurance rates from a range of companies?
Speed: how fast it is to get car insurance quotes? once you get the quotes, how long does it take to implement a new policy?
Saving: are there cheap car insurance quotes that offer worthwhile discounts and savings?
All States: do these free car insurance quotes can be applied in all states?
High Risk: is cheap insurance for young drivers, learners and other high risk drivers available?
Ease: how easy is the process when you compare car insurance quotes?
We’ll consider the main pros and cons of each approach to sourcing auto insurance quotes, and then we’ll use the same metrics to compare auto insurance from specific companies, brokers and car insurance comparison sites. We’ve used 1 to 5 scale ratings on our review:
When you’re looking for free auto insurance quotes, one of the best ideas is to contact insurance providers directly. Although you could use one of the price comparison sites to look for cheap car insurance online, there are some disadvantages to doing so. Firstly, some insurers don’t feature on such sites, and secondly, certain deals are only available if you go direct.
Of course, the biggest downside to contacting companies direct is that it takes a lot of time and effort on your part. The attraction of finding a great deal by going direct rather loses its appeal when you have to repeat all your details for the 15th time!
That said, you can be smart and short circuit the process. How so? By asking your friends, family and colleagues who they use for their auto insurance. Their advice will be based on real-life experience, and is guaranteed to be impartial. Armed with their recommendations, it’s much easier to draw up a more focused target list of companies to contact.
PROS
- Often you can get the best deals by going direct
- You’re not paying commission to a broker or online site
- Greater choice and flexibility on policy options
CONS
- Takes a lot of effort on your part to contact every single company
We’ve used 1 to 5 scale ratings:
| Parameter | Rating |
|---|---|
| Time | 1 |
| Online | 5 |
| Phone | 5 |
| Face to face | 3 |
| Rates | 5 |
| Coverage | 3 |
| Choice | 1 |
| Speed | 5 |
| Savings | 5 |
| All States | 5 |
| High Risk | 5 |
| Ease | 1 |
One of the greatest disadvantages of the Internet is that it’s made us forget the value, pleasure, and security of doing business face to face. You can use your computer to find cheap car insurance quotes, or make a call on your phone. But, sometimes, nothing beats the experience of a good old-fashioned personal business relationship.
Using a broker or an agency to get free car insurance quotes offers many advantages over buying your car insurance online. Yes, the process usually takes a little longer, particularly in the beginning, but over time, you may find that using a broker or agent will actually save you time.
Before going any further, it’s important to explain the difference between an insurance broker and an insurance agent. A broker is fully independent, and can recommend solutions from any insurance company that allows brokers to sell their policies. In that respect, the broker is working for you, the buyer. They make their money through commissions or fees on the products they sell.
An agent, on the other hand, is an extension of the insurer. A captive agent typically represents one or two companies, whereas an independent agent works on behalf of multiple insurers. Some captive agents are salaried, but for the most part, agents also make their money through commissions or fees on the products they sell. By the way, both brokers and agents should provide you with details of their commission structures on any products they sell.
But regardless of commissions and fees, both brokers and agencies are insurance experts. It’s their business to know about all the policy options, latest offers and new product developments. They know the auto insurance market inside out, and you can benefit directly from their experience. They’ll take the time to talk to you so they fully understand your exact needs and can then recommend affordable auto insurance that suits you down to the ground.
There’s more. The advice they offer is impartial, and because of their wide knowledge and experience, they’ll often recommend companies or deals that you didn’t even know existed. Brokers and agents also offer proactive advice, and are on hand to provide expert assistance in the event of a claim. If you’re a people person who wants a quality auto quote, an agent or broker is the way to go.
Having listed all the advantages of using an agent or broker, are there any downsides? The answer is a coded yes. The most obvious drawback is that using a broker typically takes up more of your time. Go online, and you can buy cheap full coverage car insurance at the click of a mouse. Using an agent or broker is a more drawn out process, although for many people that’s not necessarily a problem.
But there’s also another potential issue. When you’re choosing an agent or broker, you want to make sure that you get a good one! As with any line of work, there are highly professional insurance brokers and agents out there, but there are some who are not so good. You can make your own judgements, but in our experience, the best idea is to ask people you know for a personal recommendation.
We’ve used 1 to 5 scale ratings:
| Parameter | Rating |
|---|---|
| Time | 1 |
| Online | 2 |
| Phone | 5 |
| Face to face | 5 |
| Rates | 5 |
| Coverage | 5 |
| Choice | 5 |
| Speed | 3 |
| Savings | 5 |
| All States | 3 |
| High Risk | 5 |
| Ease | 3 |
For convenience, speed, and ease of use, it’s hard to beat auto insurance quotes comparison sites that offer free, instant car insurance quotes online. Simply enter your details once, press a button and hey presto - you have a detailed comparison of what’s on offer, making it easy to compare and contrast rates from a range of different companies. What’s not to like?
Well, actually, there are a number of potential downsides to using an online comparison site. First, it may be giving undue prominence to sponsored deals which aren’t necessarily the best solution for you. Second, the market coverage may be limited, meaning you could be missing out on certain deals that are only available direct. And probably most important of all, it may not be comparing like with like. Those cheap auto insurance quotes might look good on paper, but they may be hiding conditions like high deductibles, or no accidental damage.
Having pointed out some of the shortcomings of online comparison sites, it’s important to stress that for the most part, they’re a really useful and welcome tool. These sites make it easy to compare auto insurance quotes, and if your time is limited, they’re a great choice. You could spend a week phoning round all the different insurance companies, but if you end up saving yourself $25, was it really worth it? Plus, the other side of the equation is that there are some really great online deals that can save you serious amounts of cash.
PROS
- Just so quick and easy to use
- Rates from a range of companies
- Instant coverage is available
CONS
- You may be missing out on certain deals, plus some companies may not be listed online on certain sites
We’ve used 1 to 5 scale ratings:
| Parameter | Rating |
|---|---|
| Time | 5 |
| Online | 5 |
| Phone | 3 |
| Face to face | 1 |
| Rates | 5 |
| Coverage | 3 |
| Choice | 5 |
| Speed | 5 |
| Savings | 4 |
| All States | 4 |
| High Risk | 3 |
| Ease | 5 |
To sum up, driving and vehicle ownership can be fun and exciting. For many, a vehicle can reduce the time spent commuting to work, or can allow individuals to travel more flexibly around a town, city, state and even a country.
Vehicle ownership is liberating - let’s keep it this way by driving safely, avoiding car accidents and having the best coverage for any unexpected financial expenses.
And now that you're well aware of the bigger picture it's time for you to purchase the best car insurance online through a proper comparison.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
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Very professional service, I was expecting for a better coverage but the value for money was the best offer
Not recommending AAA - every year the premiums just go up.....
Zurich is NOT recommended!
USAA is a reliable insurance company that I wholeheartedly trust! However, their rates can get better. USAA's insurance coverage is excellent but the cost is a bit too much. Had them for both auto insurance and homeowners insurance, however they seem to cover just the slightest risk possible. I am shopping around before renewing.
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