How to Comparison-Shop for Car Insurance

Auto insurance premiums can vary greatly between insurance providers. According to Edmunds.com, the difference in providers can vary by as much as $800 per year. You can shop around for auto insurance to find the best rate even if you have a current policy. Most insurance agencies will provide you with a rate quote online, and you can pull several quotes to compare rates.

Things You'll Need

• Current insurance policy or bill

Instructions

1. Contact the department of motor vehicles in your state and ask for a summary of the legal insurance requirements in your area. Most states require a minimum amount of insurance for bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Some states also require uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Write these totals down.

2. Decide on any additional insurance you need. If you have a newer car, you will probably want to add additional insurance. According to Edmunds.com, the recommended amounts for auto insurance are $50,000 bodily injury liability for one person injured in an accident, $100,000 for all people injured in an accident and $25,000 property damage liability. However, additional insurance policies are a personal decision. Write your insurance estimates down.

3. Decide on any additional auto insurance features you want, such as roadside protection, rental car coverage or towing. Write these features down.

4. Request your driving record from the DMV if you have received any traffic tickets in the past five years. You will need to know how many tickets you have received, and what the tickets were for, when requesting insurance quotes.

5. Review a recent bill from your auto insurance company to determine your current auto insurance rate.

6. Write down the vehicle identification number for your vehicle. You may need to provide it when obtaining an insurance quote.

7. Visit the websites of auto insurance companies, and complete their online forms to receive a quote for auto insurance. Save a copy of these quotes.

8. Compare the quotes you receive against each other and your current insurance policy to determine the best price for the best coverage.

9. Contact the insurance company with the best rates and policy by phone, and request new coverage.

10. Write a letter to your current auto insurance company stating that you are canceling your auto insurance and send the letter certified mail.

References

• Edmunds: How to Shop for Car Insurance
• Edmunds: 10 Steps to Buying Auto Insurance