Auto Insurance Comparisons
When was the last time you shopped for auto insurance? Of course shopping for auto insurance isn't quite as fun as shopping for a new car or a new pair of shoes, but the money you could save by doing so may well buy you those shoes!
Not too long ago, you would have to set aside an entire day or even longer to visit auto insurance salespeople in their offices in California. You would sit down with them while they did lengthy calculations based on the car or cars you drove, your age, your education, your credit rating, your marital status, your driving record, and where you lived. It was an insulting and personal examination and evaluation of your status as a person, reflected in a dollar amount. If you were a good person, you did not pay too much. If you were a bad person, your auto insurance rates were high. It's no wonder that people stopped shopping for auto insurance policies. Many people stayed with one broker and one insurance company for all their needs, for their entire life, simply because it was too much of a hassle and an embarrassment to go through the evaluation process.
Thank goodness for the internet! You no longer have to sit in front of anyone but your computer. You can type in all your information and let a computer program do the personal evaluation for you. There is no “telling look”, making judgments of your character, and no nervous moments while you wait for a dollar amount to be pulled out of thin air. For the most part, auto insurance rates are now based on very complex, though not necessarily fair, logarithms.
Comparing Auto Insurance Policies
Once you have decided that it might be worth your while to start shopping for auto insurance comparisons, there are a few things you might want to do first:
- Get all of your paperwork together before you begin. You will need Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) for all of your vehicles, including make, model, and style of the cars. You will also need the Social Security numbers and drivers licenses of all drivers who will be insured.
- If you own a home or want to secure renter's insurance, make sure the auto insurance companies you will be evaluating also offer that type of insurance. By “bundling” your insurance needs, you will save a lot of money.
- Set aside a few hours and keep your phone handy. Although much of the work will be done online, you may actually have to speak to a human being! Be prepared to repeat much of the information you already typed into the system, and be patient.
No, shopping for auto insurance is not as fun as a trip to the mall, quite simply because you feel like you are paying for something you will never need. But by spending time doing your shopping this way, you will save a lot of money.