4 tips for buying car insurance online

Getting car insurance online may seem confusing—or even intimidating—but shopping online may actually make it quicker and easier to compare quotes and find the coverage that is right for you. Whether you are getting car insurance for the first time or are a long-time driver who has always used an agent to get car insurance in the past, there are a few tips that can make shopping online for car insurance quotes simpler. Here are four tips for comparing car insurance online.

1. Gather your information

Most car insurance websites or search engines will require your name and address to get started. You will also want to have the following information available:

• Driver’s license number
• Make, model and year of your vehicle
• Your vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN. This is often printed on the dashboard and visible through your vehicle’s front window. It can also be found in other locations.
• A brief description of any car accidents, tickets, or insurance claims you have filed in the last several years.

2. Understand ways to purchase car insurance online

First, use a search engine to find insurance carriers in your state. When looking at search results, avoid clicking on the first result or ad you see. Instead, look for websites for insurance companies or comparison sites. You may want to focus on websites that include information about specific policies and costs, not just general information.

Visit multiple insurance company websites and learn about what they cover, the costs, and any exclusions they may have. Most websites allow you to quickly get a quote based on the information you gathered in step 1. This makes shopping faster, as you can opt to get several quotes in very little time.

3. Compare multiple insurance rates all at once

If you want to make the process even easier and visit fewer websites, there are sites where you can search multiple car insurance providers at once. Known as car insurance aggregators or comparison tools, these sites allow consumers to search rates and get quotes from multiple insurance providers at once. These work by searching other sites and rates and putting the information all in one place. There are several comparison tools in the marketplace. While you will still want to visit the individual providers’ websites to get detailed information, this may be a good place to start.

You may want to get at least three car insurance quotes online, so you can determine what the typical rates are in your area for drivers like you. When you are shopping online, it is also important that you are looking at policies that have the same liability limits and deductibles. You can only get accurate comparisons if you are looking at the same types of policies.

You can also research customer ratings and reviews of various car insurance companies to determine what companies are the best to work with.

4. Understand how car insurance quotes are created

There are multiple factors that affect car insurance rates. Companies have their own methods of determining how much weight they put on any one factor—and that can change costs significantly.

Using basic information including your age, gender, marital status, and education level, insurance companies may develop a risk profile. Insurance companies use statistics to determine risk, so if people like you—meaning who are the same age or gender—are statistically more frequently involved in crashes, that fact may make your insurance rates higher. For instance, often very young drivers or very old drivers are considered higher risk. Teen drivers in particular will often face the highest rates overall because their inexperience as drivers makes them much more likely to be involved in an accident.

Other significant factors include the type of coverage you are looking for, your personal driving records, and details on your vehicle. If you have several tickets or accidents on your record, you will likely pay more for insurance. Also, if you are driving a luxury or specialty car that will be difficult to repair or replace, you can expect to pay more for insurance.

Location also matters in car insurance quotes. If you are living in a dangerous neighborhood where car thefts are frequent or in an urban area with a high rate of traffic accidents, this may make your quote higher. Companies may consider something called your credit-based insurance score and/or your history of car insurance policies. They will want to see that you have kept your insurance up to date and paid your bills on time. They will look to see how many recent insurance claims you have made.

Get started for free

Shopping online makes it easier to find car insurance on your own time. Getting multiple quotes online will help consumers get the best insurance policy for their car. Using the simple tips above, all drivers can get ready to ride.

Visit TruStage™ to get a quick quote or to learn more about car insurance. The TruStage™ Auto and Home Insurance Program works with leading insurance carriers to deliver competitive car and home insurance savings.