If you want to save money, you must know how to navigate the car insurance quote process. We will show you how to get auto insurance quotes and what to do once you receive the rates. Because we have already evaluated the various insurance companies, we know who the top providers are. Now, we will share with you the auto quote process from the leaders in the industry.
In this article:
What Is An Auto Insurance Quote?
Insurance quotes are simply the estimate of what you will pay with a potential carrier. These auto quotes are subject to change, based on what information you choose to share. The more open you are with the answers, the closer the estimate will be to the actual premium.
If you choose to get one quote, it won’t take you long, especially if you do it online. Those who choose to use an insurance agent might need to spend a little more time. Plus, if you plan to comparison shop, you will need to check the insurance rates from multiple providers. While this might take some additional time, you can save a lot of money by comparing quotes.
What Determines The Rate of A Car Insurance Quote?
Insurance providers consider several aspects when providing you with an auto quote. While each has its own set of criteria, the Insurance Information Institute claims that these are the top factors.
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
Driving Record | If you have no accidents and a clean driving record, you can expect lower premiums. Insurance companies assess the risk based on what has occurred in the past. Safe drivers normally receive a discount and access to perks, such as accident forgiveness. |
Location | Car insurance quotes base the premium on where you live. Urban residents will pay more than those who live in rural settings. In addition, parking in a garage can sometimes help to lower your rate. |
Miles Driven | If you commute long distances every day, you pose a greater risk than someone who only drives occasionally. |
Age | Younger drivers often pay substantially more because they don’t have experience. On the other hand, seniors can also see an increase in premium costs as they continue to age. |
Credit Score | A high credit score indicates that you are responsible and less likely to file a claim. If you have damaged credit, you are deemed a risk. |
Vehicle | Providers have a list of the most expensive cars to insure and the cheapest. If the vehicle costs a lot and the parts are expensive, you can bet the insurance cost will be high as well. |
Coverage Needed | If you have liability insurance only, you will pay far less than if you have comprehensive and collision, but you will be responsible for more out of pocket. |
Deductible Size | You can choose a low deductible to minimize out-of-pocket expenses, but this raises the cost of the insurance policy. |
Gender | Statistically speaking, women receive lower-cost insurance premiums because they participate in less risky behavior. |
Are Auto Insurance Quotes Free?
You should never have to pay for a car insurance quote. If you do, there is something wrong with the company, and you should look elsewhere. Insurance providers are looking to get your business, which is why you can receive free car insurance quotes. Most companies allow you to research the free auto insurance quotes online or by calling customer service.
How To Get Car Insurance Quotes
When the time comes to get your free auto insurance quotes, we recommend the following steps.
- Research what’s required of you by the state: The mandatory insurance coverage does vary by state, so it’s helpful to know what you need. It’s typically recommended to get more than the minimum coverage, but this is a good place to start.
- Get a copy of your existing auto insurance policy: You can get a quote based on the same coverage limits to determine which provider is offering the best deal.
- Have your driver’s license handy: You will need the ID cards of anyone else that will be on the policy as well.
- Gather your vehicle information: The insurer will need to know the year, make, model, and vehicle identification number (VIN). All of this should be listed on your current policy paperwork.
- Choose coverage levels: Once you’ve shared all of your personal information, you will want to choose the level of coverage. Consider the various coverage options for bodily injury, property damage, comprehensive, and collision. You must fully understand the policies and know what the coverage levels mean. If you under-insure, you could be liable in the event of an accident.
- Choose additional perks: Some companies will provide added benefits for a cost. You can add coverage such as rental cars, roadside assistance, and GAP coverage.
- Ask for available discounts: Many companies have a list of discounts given for things such as safe driving, good grades, and bundling policies. If these discounts aren’t automatically offered, be sure to ask. You can save a lot of money simply by working with the same provider that has your homeowner’s insurance or life insurance. You might consider starting there for your quotes.
Compare Auto Quotes
We always recommend getting multiple free auto insurance quotes and comparing the coverage levels. This helps you to decide which company is providing the best plan. You want to look at the prices and coverage levels, but there is so much more to think about. As we did in our top insurance provider evaluation, it helps to compare the providers based on several criteria.
- Price: Even if you get one higher-priced quote, don’t just automatically assume that every quote will be that way. Rates vary greatly from one company to the next. You will likely find a provider that offers cheap car insurance if price is your main criteria.
- Discounts: Because there are special discounts available, the initial price isn’t all you want to look at. If you drive safely, have a good credit score, or maintain a good grade in school, you might get even larger discounts.
- Financial Stability: You want to work with a company that can pay the insurance claims. Look for ratings through AM Best to ensure a stable financial reputation.
- Customer Service: When the time comes to file a claim, you don’t want the runaround. You want to work with a company that excels at customer support. To find the data, you need to determine the provider’s standing, use tools such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), J.D. Power, and online reviews.
Do Some Providers Offer Better Auto Quote Processes?
If you are planning to do comparison shopping, you don’t want to deal with clunky websites and hard-to-navigate screens. That’s why it’s valuable to look at the quote process itself to see which providers excel in this department.
Personally, we are fond of the Progressive Name Your Price Tool that allows you to customize your plan to suit your budget. In addition, the company is happy to share the quotes from other top providers to help you determine who provides the most affordable car insurance quotes. This tool is handy if you are running short on time and can’t shop for car insurance.
Aside from that, J.D. Power conducted the 2019 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. Among the rankings, it might surprise you to learn that Erie Insurance topped the charts for the seventh consecutive year. The study polled 14,000 insurance shoppers to measure satisfaction. This score was determined by three factors, including price, policy offerings, and distribution channels.
The top providers, according to the research, were as follows.
| Place | Company Name |
|---|---|
1st | Erie Insurance |
2nd | Amica Mutual |
3rd | Auto-Owners Insurance |
4th | Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group |
5th | Esurance |
6th | Safeco |
7th | American Family |
It’s important to note that USAA would have ranked in second place based on the provider’s score, but it wasn’t included because of the exclusivity.
Top Insurance Providers To Get Auto Quotes
Among those companies, we have our own personal preferences when it comes to receiving free car insurance quotes. Here are the brands we recommend.
| Company | Our Rating | Best For | AM Best Financial Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
USAA | 5.0 | Military | A++ |
Geico | 4.5 | Students & Military | A++ |
Progressive | 4.5 | Military | A+ |
State Farm | 4.5 | Students & Teens | A++ |
AAA | 4.0 | Students & Teens | A+ |
Free Quotes From USAA
If you are a military member, veteran, or family member, you can receive cheap insurance rates from USAA. Not only does this company excel at providing affordable plans, but USAA is also known for superior customer service.
Whether you are getting a quote or filing a claim, you will find that customer satisfaction scores rank high. The 2019 Auto Insurance Study done by J.D. Power indicates that this provider is a leader in the industry.
On top of that, the company provides a free USAA Mobile App that you can use to manage your account and track insurance claims.
Additionally, you can opt for the following perks with USAA:
- Accident forgiveness
- Rental car reimbursement
- Car Replacement Assistance (CRA)
- GAP coverage
- Roadside assistance
Unfortunately, the plans aren’t available to everyone, so you might not qualify for coverage.
Free Quotes From Geico
Geico is one of the most popular names in the insurance world, but the company provides more than just a familiar brand. Auto insurance quotes tend to be low, even if you have a not-so-perfect driving record or low credit.
While the provider manages to keep an A+ rating with the BBB and high marks in the 2019 Auto Insurance Study, we can’t figure out what happened with the other research. Take notice that the 2019 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study only ranks Geico as an average company as far as the shopping process.
Still, it’s worth taking the time to run through a quote and see what rates you qualify for. With all of the available discounts, you will likely get a decent discount.
In addition, you can choose some of these perks with your coverage.
- Ridesharing insurance
- Mechanical Breakdown Coverage
- Roadside assistance
- Rental car reimbursement
Free Quotes From Progressive
If you want to try out the price comparison tool from Progressive yourself, you likely won’t be disappointed. It’s simple to use and allows you to take some of your time back. Progressive is also known for having lower rates if you have a tarnished record than some other companies.
While Progressive only ranks at average levels among the 2019 Auto Insurance Study and 2019 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, we still believe it is a quality option. If you don’t want to do the comparison research on your own, why not let Progressive do it for you?
In addition, the company provides some optional benefits, including:
- Roadside assistance
- Rental car reimbursement
- Loan/lease payoff
How Often Should You Get Free Auto Insurance Quotes?
By now, you understand that getting car insurance quotes is essential to finding the best price. With that said, how often should you rerun the quotes to see what the new rates are? We hate to recommend leaving a provider you are happy with, but it never hurts to shop around. With that said, don’t leave a company based solely on price, because good service is worth its weight in gold.
Still, we recommend shopping at every renewal. That doesn’t mean you need to jump at every lower rate, but it helps you determine where you stand and lets you know what’s available.
Many people find that the car insurance rates jump a little every time it automatically renews. If you remain stagnant and never shop around, you might find out one day that you are paying far too much. Just imagine what you could do with the extra money you save.
