Car insurance companies are all different

It's important to re-examine your car insurance at least once a year and every time you acquire a new car. Insurance companies frequently change their rate structures. A company that offers the best rates today may be the highest cost company after they raise their rates.

Furthermore, a company that offers the best rates for minimum-coverage, high-deductible insurance may not offer the best rates for the higher level coverage you need for leasing. Actually, you may be able to find a car insurance company that offers high level coverage for about the same rate as another company's low level coverage.

Recommendations

Before the Internet came along, it was quite a chore to shop for auto insurance. Now, it's a breeze because most companies have web sites. Insurance brokers are also online, making it extremely easy to get multiple instant quotes from different companies from a single source. They save you the trouble of contacting individual insurance companies because they do it for you. The services of these online brokers are free to consumers. They make their money from the insurance companies.

You are under no obligation to accept any quote offered by these companies. There are no fees or costs involved to get quotes from them. It's a no-lose deal. If you don't get rates you like, you can shop elsewhere.

When asking for a quote, you'll get the most accurate quote if you provide all the information requested, including your social security number. If you choose to withhold some of this information, you can still get a "ballpark" quote.

Because some companies base rates partially on credit scores, providing your social security number allows the company to access your credit records for a more accurate quote. These credit inquiries are considered "soft" inquiries and do not count against your score.