Auto Insurance Online

Worldwide, an estimated 250 million car owners find and purchase affordable auto insurance online.

Auto Insurance Online Benefits

Price and convenience are both the primary benefits of obtaining auto insurance online. With the insurance agent’s fee eliminated, you can save money by investigating insurance rates yourself. You may evaluate as many insurance companies as you choose to compare and view the information at your convenience.

Options for auto insurance online include dealing directly with insurance companies or insurance referral services. An insurance referral service does not sell the policies but maintains aggregate data on several auto insurance companies.

Without an agent, pressure to buy a particular policy is removed, but you may elect to purchase insurance online. Some companies provide an online proof-of-insurance card that is available for immediate use.

Necessary Information

You can receive auto insurance estimates without providing significant personal data. However, you will need to provide some information on both the automobile and its driver. Exact quotes and insurance policy purchases require additional information. The personal data provided is similar to that when dealing with an insurance agent directly.

If you seek insurance quotes for yourself, or someone else, be prepared to provide the following details:

• Automobile: Year, make, model, and safety features (e.g. alarms, airbags)
• Driver Details: Name, age, location, credit status rating (poor to excellent), driving record (number of violations in recent years)
• Usage: Purpose of the vehicle, estimated mileage to and from work or school, and yearly mileage

Finding Auto Insurance Online

Insurance portals compare the rates of several auto insurance companies simultaneously. For best results, research more than one provider. Some services target discount auto insurance. Other referral services maintain information from more well-known insurance companies, but these may include higher rates.

The following list includes the most popular insurance referral services and companies that provide quotes,insurance and related information:

Progressive Insurance

Progressive Insurance is the third-largest provider of insurance policies sold though independent agents. Insurance quotes may be obtained via the Progressive.com Web site or by phone. Progressive insurance quotes typically take ten minutes or less to complete. However, individuals are required to get a Progressive Direct quote first, before obtaining comparison information. Comparisons rates include well-known insurance companies, not limited to:

• Allstate
• American Standard
• American Family
• Erie
• Liberty
• Nationwide
• State Farm Insurance
• Traveler’s

Insurance.com

Insurance.com, owned by ComparisonMarket, operates one of the leading independent auto insurance agencies online. Individuals receive free, “unbiased”, real-time, quotes and insurance company ratings. Auto insurance may be purchased online via the Insurance.com Web site. Their insurance company comparisons include the following companies:

GEICO

GEICO is the fourth-largest private passenger auto insurer and the fastest-growing major auto insurer in the U.S. The company offers military discounts, among its insurance savings programs. GEICO is often not included in insurance comparisons. Find out more about Geico by WannaKnow’s insurance experts or search their Web site directly at Geico.com.

Disadvantages

Finding auto insurance online is both cost-effective and convenient, but without an agent’s assistance, you need to be educated on insurance coverage. Insurance comparisons may not offer identical coverage and the least expensive policy may not be the best. Some areas of insurance you need knowledge of include:

• Comprehensive and liability insurance
• Benefits of a higher deductible
• Savings for select categories of drivers (AARP members, good student discounts etc.)
• Advantages of using your home insurance provider
• Insurance company policies and reputation

More Insurance Information

Many insurance companies provide frequently asked questions (FAQs) on their Web sites. Insurance.com maintains a FAQs section on various types of drivers and needs, including SR-22 filings, teenage, and senior drivers. Visit Insurance.com’s Web site at Insurance.com.
[tag]auto-insurance,online[/tag]