What to Do Before Getting a Quote

Being prepared for car-insurance shopping will make the experience more efficient and rewarding. Before you start searching for car insurance quotes, you’ll want to have certain information and documents at the ready. Your auto quote will be more accurate if you begin the process with the correct information. Below, you will find a pre-quote checklist that will help you get ready to shop for and compare multiple auto insurance quotes.

Make Sure It Will Pay to Switch Carriers

Check your existing car insurance policy to see if your carrier offers a loyalty discount, or a discount for remaining a customer for a certain amount of time. Many carriers offer decreasing auto insurance rates the longer policyholders remain with them. Find out what this car insurance discount is with your carrier and weigh that against the savings to be had by switching carriers when you compare quotes.

Review Your Existing Policy

When you request more information, the companies will quote car insurance rates based on the levels of coverage you would like. The best way to do decide on these amounts is to consult your current auto policy. Find out what your coverage maximums are for property damage liability, bodily injury liability, and medical payments coverage (if you have it). Unless your limits are unreasonably high, try to stick with the same levels of coverage or higher as you shop for your automobile insurance quote.

What You’ll Need for a Quote

In order to provide you with accurate quotes, your prospective insurers will need certain information about you and your vehicle. As such, you should have your driver’s license, current auto policy, car title, and vehicle identification number (VIN) handy. Make sure you also know the year, make, and model of your vehicle as well as the safety and anti-theft equipment it has. Of course, you will also need to provide personal information like your address, occupation, number of miles driven per year, and so on.

Why Credit Counts in Evaluating Your Policy

Almost all car insurers will take your credit score into account when they offer you a quote. Car insurance companies look at a special type of credit report that helps them determine the level of risk you represent as a driver. You might wonder how your financial history could possibly affect how you drive. The answer is that, statistically, insurers have found that people with poor credit tend to file more auto insurance claims. As a result, a low credit score will inflate your car insurance premiums. If you are concerned about your credit, you might order your credit report and try to address as many issues as you can before you apply for automobile insurance quotes. Applying for online car insurance quotes may also slightly reduce car insurance premiums. Finally, just as your prospective insurers check your credit, you should also check your prospective insurers' automobile insurance ratings to make sure that you are partnering with an excellent carrier.