Once you apply for a quote, every vehicle insurer considers your age, gender, credit score, driving history, claims record, zip code, details of your vehicle and many other details. Then, they are different from each other in many ways like offering different discounts and having their own business ethics and profit targets. It is difficult to know all the discounts you can qualify with each carrier and how they rate you. Luckily, auto insurance quotes take all your details into account, reflect the providers preferences and give you one price to consider and compare with the rest of the quotes.
On its own, one quote doesn’t tell you much but you can find out a lot about it by comparing it with many others. For example, you may like the company you got a quote from for whatever reason, feel that the quote you got is highly competitive and are inclined to accept it. However, it doesn’t take long to forget about it once you get several other quotes from even more impressive carriers with better coverage and cheaper prices. That is why it is very important to get multiple car insurance quotes and compare them to find the best deal.
Today consumers have many choices and this is evident when it comes to shopping around for vehicle insurance. They can use a third-party comparison website, agents, brokers and go directly to the insurer. Each option offers different benefits and they have their shortcomings.
Comparison websites provide an introduction to many companies and you may not even know some of them existed until then. It makes the job of finding companies and getting quotes from them easier. That is why they are very popular these days. Here are their main benefits and shortcomings;
| Advantages of comparison websites | Disadvantages of comparison sites |
| They offer the chance to get multiple auto insurance quotes from one source | Everything is automated so there is no interaction or further information in most cases |
| They save time as you don’t need to find companies one by one | Each comparison site may have a different set up and it may take time to figure out |
| Companies are keener to showcase what is good about them and their policies there | You may have trust issues with the site but you can stop any time if you don’t like the way it operates |
| They are usually transparent as to which company offers the quotes | It may take time to choose one comparison website but you can actually use two or three |
Agents and brokers need to be independent to be able to give you multiple vehicle insurance quotes from various companies. Alternatively, you need to speak to several tied agents and it may be time consuming. So, find yourself an independent broker or agent and let them get you a few quotes from the companies they work with.
| Advantages of agents and brokers | Disadvantages of agents and brokers |
| They know a lot about the policies and you can ask questions | They are much slower than online auto insurance quotes in delivering results |
| They are perfect if you need advice and explanation of the coverage | You need to spend more time with finding and talking to them |
| They are ideal for first time buyers and people with complicated cases | They are not ideal for people who prefers to do it on their own |
| They are preferred by people who like to know the face behind the work | They are not ideal for people who like to have online access to their policies |
Direct Quotes is another option. People are usually more willing to co-operate and provide sensitive details when they know the brand. However, choosing the companies to get direct vehicle insurance quotes at the start may limit your options and lead to starting the selection process too early. First you need to get your quotes and leave selecting the companies to later. But if you are only getting quotes from certain companies, you are making a selection already before you know nothing about their competitiveness or products. Then, it is difficult to escape from your prejudice.
| Advantages of going direct | Disadvantages of going direct |
| You know exactly where you are so may feel more comfortable disclosing information | It usually takes much longer to find companies one by one and get quotes |
| Some car insurance companies may offer cheaper prices since there is no middleman | They have a better chance of selling you a policy before you compare your options |
| You have more options as you can get quotes on their websites or by calling them | Comparison shopping works better if you see all the prices before choosing the insurer |
| You can also get quotes online and bind the policy on the phone with an agent | You may be already favoring the company by choosing them in the first place |
Getting multiple automobile insurance quotes and comparing them is one of the most effective and easiest ways of saving money on your premiums. Knowing the costs also allows you to choose and budget better. For example, if you cannot choose between two different cars to buy, you can check their insurance costs to help you out and avoid any surprises later on.
It is better to be prepared to make the process faster and easier. So, you should have the follow information handy as you will need them to fill vehicle insurance quote forms or answer questions from agents;
- Current policy declaration page
- Coverage you like to shop for
- Driver’s license numbers of all the drivers
- VINs of all cars on the policy and their details
- Your Social Security number
- Your current credit score
- Past driving history like accidents and tickets
- Possible discounts you are eligible for
- Loan provider’s name, address and insurance requirements, if applicable
Try to answer all the questions to the best of your knowledge because every answer is important in qualifying for discounts, lower rates and pricing your coverage. Once you fill one or two quote forms online you get the hang of it and becomes much easier and quicker to get multiple car insurance quotes
There are many factors affecting premiums like age, gender, driving record, past claims and insurance history, credit score, zip code, marital and homeownership status and details of the automobile. So, some people can get great rates from most companies they apply to and others may struggle to find affordable vehicle insurance.
However, a person with bad driving records or poor credit score has a higher chance of saving large sums by shopping around because every company would offer significantly different prices. On the other hand, the market is competitive when the applicant is a good risk and premiums would be lower as well that they may not save as much bucks. So, whatever the circumstances and details, everyone can benefit from getting multiple auto insurance quotes.