Choosing car insurance may be more tedious than trying to find the right job or the perfect wedding dress. Between Flo and the gecko, there are enough television ads to make your head spin. Not only are there a ton of insurance companies out there, but there are also a ton of options within the selected plans. “To get full tort or limited tort is the question,” Shakespeare might say nowadays, if he were purchasing auto insurance in Pennsylvania.
Insurance of any kind is a gamble. Considering the likelihood of an accident is the same as asking if you can predict the future. If you choose a lower deductible, thinking you are a pretty good driver, your premium decreases. However, what if later that year you get distracted with your child or dog in the backseat for one second and you accidentally slam into the car in front of you? Accidents can happen to the best of drivers. Banking on yourself versus the unknown makes the decision especially challenging.
Sometimes it is just easy to stick with the insurance you have always known or what your father had as his car insurance. Studies suggest that 43% of the population pays about $450 more than necessary each year for car insurance. In 2017, the price of car insurance increased four times more than the inflation rate. Looking at the numbers, you might want to jump in the fire and shop for new insurance.
What Can Simplify the Auto Insurance Shopping Experience?
About 50% of shoppers visit car insurance website after website, and only one in four compares companies for prices and coverage plans. There has to be a simpler, more effective way to shop.
Customer reviews provide first-hand experience with a company, from customer service to accident forgiveness. Consumer Reports rates car insurance options based on user experiences. Important criteria included insurance companies’ quick responses to customers and the companies’ ability to effectively handle claims. To reach the top of the list, companies had to score a 90 or above. The three top companies of 2017, which have actually been high on the list since 1992, were NJM, USAA, and Amica. Some of these companies are only available in certain states and for certain members of the population, e.g., veterans. If you subscribe to Consumer Reports, then you can view the entire list of top car insurance companies and reasons for the ratings.
Comparison Websites
People comparison shop for almost everything these days: hotels, flights, and even vacuum cleaners. To find car insurance companies, you do not have to fumble around with keywords on Google, e.g., “compare auto insurance Florida,” and hope something good results. QuoteLab offers a free, convenient online marketplace that lets you compare auto insurance quotes. Statistics show that if customers compare quotes from at least three car insurance companies, then they are more likely to save money. All that is needed is for you to fill out a short questionnaire. In less than five minutes, you are linked to various insurance companies that match your responses about driving history, type of insurance desired, and geographic location. Prices come directly from actual insurance agents; they are not QuoteLab quotes. You can consider it one-stop shopping to retrieve all the answers you need. The QuoteLab website even offers researched articles and FAQs to help address your additional inquiries.
QuoteLab reviews suggest that the website saved customers both time and money when shopping for insurance options. QuoteLab claims that its users save, on average, $455 a year. If this sum rings a bell, then you probably remember that $450 is about how much people overspend on car insurance each year.
Where to Start?
You might still be wondering, “This information is nice, but where do I begin?” When seeking car insurance options, consider a few tips to jump start the process and lessen that overwhelmed feeling. These tips are also good for insurance companies to consider, too, since their number one goal should be customer-driven.
- Start small. Ask a few friends or family members, over dinner, what insurance plan they use and why. Take notes.
- Start to explore the Consumer Reports list of top car insurance companies. Focus on the options that apply to your state and situation rather than all of them.
- Check out QuoteLab reviews. Explore the website. Even read some of the articles to get a sense of what you want in a car insurance plan. Make a list of the criteria you must have.
- Fill out the survey on QuoteLab. Compare a few options and talk to the agents. Ask them questions. Do not feel pressured to make a decision right away.
- Once you make a decision, remember that you do not have to stay with the company forever. You can always make a different decision down the line. As you know, there are many, many car insurance companies competing for your business.
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