There are many price analysis options available to people who are looking for car insurance, and the most popular one of them, of course, is to compare auto insurance quotes online. However, it is very important to know some basic facts about how the auto insurance market works and about how shopping for car insurance be done with efficiency. With that in mind, here are five basic rules for an effective online car insurance shopping:
- Make a list of your car’s specifications. This means your car’s make, model, year, vehicle identification number (VIN), the zip code of where the car is marked during night and any safety or anti-theft devices installed on the car after being purchased. You also need to get the license numbers of every driver to be insured under the policy, as well as the date when they were first licensed, and to have a copy of your driving record.
- Consider your credit history. Make sure your credit history is “clean”, otherwise you might have trouble getting an affordable policy. Having a clean credit history means that you are a trustworthy customer.
- Visit your state’s insurance department website. You can find information about various insurance companies licensed within your state. Many insurance departments also have complaint indexes, highlighting which companies have received the most complaints. This will surely help you decide which companies to avoid.
- Do not look solely at the price. While a lower price is always desirable, quality is of utmost importance. Make sure that the terms of your policy match your last auto insurance policy, and that you will get an equal amount of coverage, or at least the minimum amount required by law in your state.
- You can try it offline if you still are not satisfied. For some people, online shopping is not good enough, and they feel the need to talk to real human beings. For such people, insurance agents are probably the best option – but, of course, they too are easier to find online.