How to Get a Quote for Car Insurance

Getting a quote for car insurance need not be a hassle, as you don’t have to physically walk into an insurance company before you obtain one. Those days are behind us. I’ll show you how to get a quote for car insurance quickly in this post.

The good news is that it can be done with the click of a button, from the comfort of your home. Sampling the quotes of several car insurance companies through their website has never been easier. 

You can do that yourself, but there are even better ways to get a quote, so you save yourself time and end up with the cheapest and most capable insurer in your state. These ways are through a captive agent and an independent agent. 

But first, what do car insurance quotes mean?

The cost of a policy is estimated with a car insurance quote. Since each insurance company uses its personalized factors for determining a quote based on your needs, the costs you receive will likely differ from one insurer to the next.

It is for this reason that comparison shopping matters. Your chances of locating a reasonably priced policy that satisfies your needs increase with the number of auto insurance quotes you obtain.

Read: How to Get Car Insurance in 9 Easy Steps

How to get car insurance quotes

1. Determine what coverage you require

After an accident, having car insurance reduces your out-of-pocket expenses, providing you with a financial safety net for sorting the losses and damages from the accident. Determining the amount of coverage you require beforehand is essential because your auto insurance quotes will increase with the amount of coverage you purchase. 

Minimum liability coverage is an option that will provide you with the bare minimum needed to comply with state regulations. Regrettably, it does not extend to damage to your personal vehicle, it might not be sufficient to pay for all of your medical expenses and car necessary repairs.

Almost every state requires liability coverage and there are varied minimum liability coverage in each state. 

The state minimum coverage is awfully low and inadequate to cover you in an accident. So, you’ll need to buy more than the minimum coverage if you need to be sufficiently covered in an accident, or else you risk paying for most of the accident damages out of pocket.

If you want coverage for damage to your own vehicle following an accident that you cause, as well as for other occurrences like theft or vandalism in addition to liability coverage, you can select the full coverage auto insurance.

It usually costs more than twice as much to have full coverage as opposed to having just liability coverage because comprehensive, collision, and liability coverage are often included with full coverage auto insurance. 

This combination offers total protection against a range of financial losses, including damages to the car of another driver for accidents you caused, damages from vandalism or natural disasters, and damage to your own car.

In most cases, minimum coverage auto insurance only includes liability coverage, which pays for other people’s medical expenses and property damage in the event that you cause an accident. You can choose to forgo full coverage insurance and just add either collision or comprehensive coverage to your policy.

Read: Different Types of Car Insurance for Accidents

2. Gather personal data about yourself

Before getting a quote, you’ll be asked to disclose certain information about yourself. Ensure you give out the correct information at all times. Some data you might be asked to divulge are:

• Basic details, like your name, age, and marital status

• If you currently have auto insurance, and if yes, the name of your current provider

• Details about your driver’s license and any other policy you might have

• Your car’s mileage information, including how often you drive and how much it has been driven so far

• Details about your car, like its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and whether you own it or lease it

• Every driver on the policy will have their driving history for the previous five years reviewed, including any tickets, accidents, and infractions

• Credit-based insurance score, which has an impact on how much auto insurance quotes cost. Nevertheless, insurers are not permitted to use credit to determine rates for auto insurance in California, Hawaii, or Massachusetts

3. Compare auto insurance quotes by yourself online

You can request a quote by yourself by visiting the websites of different auto insurance companies online. Doing this will result in getting it cheaper because you would have cut the middleman costs of having a captive agent or independent agent guiding you through the process.

4. Get quotes by using a captive or independent agent

While shopping for quotes online is the most convenient option, there’s a likelihood that you might not get the best quotes out there that are cheaper and more suitable for you. That’s when using experienced hands like a captive agent or independent agent comes into play.

Captive agents

Captive agents work for a single insurance provider. Their responsibility is to give you a car insurance quote and assist you in locating the best deal with their insurer. They know all the deals and inner workings of the insurer and can help you get a quote that better meets your policy needs.

To manage your peculiar circumstances, you might want to work with a captive agent if your insurance needs are rather complicated, like if you need multiple types of policies or have multiple cars.

Remember that captive agents can only promote products from a single company, so they might be inclined to upsell in order to earn a higher commission.

Independent insurance agents and brokers

Independent agents and brokers have relationships with multiple insurers across all states, allowing them to provide a wider range of options and policies. 

Working with one exposes you to more convenient quotes and policies from a larger pool of insurers since they sell policies for both large national insurance companies and small local businesses.

They aren’t affiliated with only one insurance company, so while they might have more options to choose from, they might not assist you with a particular insurer as deeply as a captive agent would’ve done.

Independent brokers, unlike independent agents, charge a broker’s fee and are required to disclose commission rates to customers. This transparency allows you to know exactly how much money the broker is making from your transaction.

How to get cheap car insurance quotes

Throughout the nation, drivers’ premiums for auto insurance are rising; however, there are a few steps you can take to potentially lower your quote.

1. Regularly seek out new quotes

Make it a habit of sampling newer insurance quotes every year or every six months. Frequently comparing auto insurance quotes will make you always aware of more affordable options, so you know when to switch insurers to reduce the cost of your policy. 

2. Raise your credit score

It is not always simple to build credit, but it can have an impact on auto insurance rates. Research indicates that drivers with poor credit end up paying twice as much for car insurance, even if they have a great driving record.

3. Exercise caution when driving

If you have had any motor vehicle accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, or other infractions within the last three to five years, your auto insurance will almost certainly cost more. 

Finding less expensive insurance might be made possible by learning defensive driving techniques and engaging in safe driving practices.

4. Search for deals

Taking a driver’s safety course, owning a home, and belonging to certain organizations can all result in lower auto insurance premiums. Ask your insurance agent for any of such deals that could result in a discount on your premiums.

5. Increase your deductible amounts

Reducing your monthly premium can be achieved by choosing to pay a higher deductible in the event of a collision or comprehensive claim. You only need to select the deductible amount that you can conveniently pay out of pocket when an accident happens.

What is the price of an instant quote for auto insurance?

Quotes for auto insurance are usually free. They estimate your potential premium by taking into account various unique factors that are specific to you, such as your age, place of residence, driving history, insurance history, and car make and model, amongst others.

Read: How to Become a Car Insurance Agent