Comparing new car insurance rates online is a far simpler process than it was only a few short years ago. Part of this is due to the fact that there are not aggregators used to compare similar policies amongst multiple insurers. In fact, some insurers are so bold that they will even put the results of such aggregators onto their own website and tell consumers when going elsewhere is a good idea.
Here is how the process works. Start by choosing a few different insurers and then visit their website. Most insurers offer online quotes, and companies like Progressive even offer competitive quotes as previously mentioned. Input the make, model, year, and trim of the vehicle, along with other vital stats such as your name, age, social secutiy number, marital status, driving history, and how often the vehicle will be used. Note that not all websites are going to ask these questions, which could create a problem where you might think you are doing a fair apples-to-apples comparison but are not actually doing so.
Before covering the apparent but inaccurate comparisons, remember that there is some level of control given to visitors of these websites over the type of coverage can also vary. For example, not all websites allow for deductibles to scale by $100 segments like GEICO currently does, so choosing a $400 deductible might be a bad idea for a true apples-to-apples comparison, because other vendors might only have $250 and $500 deductibles. The same is also true of coverage limits and caps. These are the things that consumers visiting websites for auto insurance quotes can control.
There are still a few things that insurance-seekers have no control over, such as the actual fine print in any given policy. This means that even lining up all of the deductibles and caps as closely as possible could result in comparisons that are still not necessarily equal. Consider the following points, and be sure to look in the fine print when comparing:
- How are temporary car rentals handled?
- Are the temporary car rentals and payments handled? Via reimbursement or co-payment?
- Are the deductibles per-item or per –visit?
- Is there a minimum time window in which claims cannot be filed? If so, what is it?
It would be worth spending a little time scouring each policy and remember that those policies that are significantly lower are that way for a reason. That reason is likely to be found hiding in the black print, and it may not be worth living with if it takes too much money out of your pocket at the wrong time. There is no sense in paying even a penny for an insurance policy that does not meet your needs, so be sure to factor in as many considerations as possible when trying to make an honest apples-to-apples comparison.
Comments on this entry are closed.