How You Can Save on Car Insurance

Cut your car insurance rates with 10 easy tips

Before you compare rates, check out these money-saving tips for your car insurance.

1. Earn a low mileage discount. If you work from home, carpool or use public transportation, look for companies with discounts for low mileage, pay-as-you-go, or carpooling. And, tell your current insurance company if you're driving less these days; rates may be lower if you drive less than 10,000 miles each year.

2. Increase your deductibles. You may save 10 percent or more on your comprehensive and collision premiums if you increase your deductible from $250 to $500. And, if you car is really old, it may be time to drop comp and collision coverage completely—but only if you're willing to pay for repairs yourself.

3. Drive a hybrid. Some companies offer a 10% hybrid discount for cars in most states. (They also have a hybrid discount for boats and yachts!) If you're not ready for a hybrid, pick a low-profile car with high safety ratings, because your insurance will be lower, too. The Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a good place to start.

4. Drop coverage you may not use. If you're paying for Roadside Assistance, Towing and Rental Car coverage, you might do without—especially if you have AAA or roadside help provided by the auto company. While these are low cost coverages, dropping them might save you an additional $50–75 a year.

5. Keep an eye on your credit report. Payment history is an important factor for most auto insurance companies. Paying your bills on time and maintaining a good credit history may qualify you for lower rates in many states. When it comes to insurance bills, using EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) could save you monthly installment fees, which can be as much as $5 to $7 per payment.

6. Don't let your policy lapse. A short-term decision like missing a car insurance payment may result in a cancellation—and rates for a new policy that can be 25 to 50% higher than you're currently paying. If you can't pay the full amount due, ask whether a partial payment will keep your policy active.

7. Ask about student discounts. Most companies offer a 10 to 15% discount for high school and college students who maintain a B average. And, if your college student is more than 100 miles from home without a car, the rates are discounted year-round.

8. Drive safely. You may be eligible for a price break on your policy if you have a clean driving record for the past three years (five years for some companies). So, slow down, because even one or two traffic violations can increase your rate by $200–$400, depending on state laws.

9. Add an anti-theft device. While some cars have alarm systems, an aftermarket anti-theft device or tracking system, such as LoJack®, may give you a discount on comprehensive coverage, by reducing the chance of your car being stolen. If you park on the street or in urban areas, the peace of mind will be priceless.

10. Be a smart online shopper. Comparison shopping online can save you time and money. Just make sure you understand whether you're getting a "quick quote," which is just an estimate, or a bindable online auto insurance quote. There can be a big difference between an estimate and the final rate.

Do You Know the Auto Insurance Basics?

You're a driver, so you know how crazy it gets on the road. Between distractions and the rush to get somewhere on time, accidents can and do happen. Fenders get bent, and sometimes people get hurt. Even if you're just parked in your driveway, a tree limb can crash through your windshield, or someone can steal your car. When the worst happens, auto insurance is there to protect you.

Why buy auto insurance?
Auto insurance can protect you against the financial risk associated with personal injuries and property damage caused by auto accidents, theft, vandalism, or natural disasters.

All states require you to purchase at least a minimum amount of liability coverage. Other types of auto insurance coverage may be optional or required, depending on state regulations. If you have a car loan or lease, the lender will also generally require that you purchase coverage for the car itself.

Liability coverage
This is the state-mandated legal coverage you'll be required to have (learn more):

Bodily injury liability: Protects your assets if you are held liable for an auto accident in which other people are injured or killed.
Property damage liability: Covers repairing or replacing the autos or other property of other people.
This coverage will also pay for the legal costs associated with defending you against lawsuits related to accidents. To adequately protect your assets, you probably want to purchase much more than the minimum amount of coverage required in your state.

Collision, comprehensive, uninsured and underinsured motorist, and medical payments coverages
Although these coverages are optional in most states, it often makes sense to purchase them, unless you can afford to pay for losses yourself.

Collision: Pays to repair or replace your car if it's damaged in an accident. (Learn more.)
Comprehensive: Insures your car against damage caused by something other than an auto accident (e.g., theft, fire, flood, vandalism). It is also called other-than-collision. (Learn more.)
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Unless you live in a "no-fault" state (where your own insurance will cover your losses), this coverage insures you against certain losses caused by other drivers with little (underinsured) or no (uninsured) auto insurance. It can cover things like lost wages as well, and provides coverage to your passengers, and those listed on your policy while riding in other cars or as pedestrians. (Learn more.)
Medical payments coverage or personal injury protection (PIP): Covers various medical and/or funeral expenses for you and your passengers, as well as those listed on your policy while riding in other cars or as pedestrians. (Learn more about: medical payments coverage and PIP coverage.)
Additional coverages
Most of these coverages are optional, relatively cheap, and provide a lot of protection, although they may not be helpful in all circumstances.

Gap coverage: Pays the difference between the actual cash value of your car and the amount you owe on your loan or lease if your car is totaled in a covered accident. It is sometimes called loan/lease coverage. (Learn more.)
Towing and labor or roadside assistance: Towing and labor usually covers the cost to tow your car to a repair facility or make minor repairs after a covered accident. Roadside assistance usually covers towing, minor repairs, and fuel delivery, even if there was no accident.
Rental reimbursement: Pays the cost of renting a replacement car if yours is not drivable due to a covered accident. Some auto insurance companies will send you a check for part of the allowed amount if you don't rent a replacement car. (Learn more.)
And then the insurance company pays for everything, right?
That would be nice, but it's not always true. Here are some things you'll always need to cover yourself:

Deductibles: The amount of money that you've agreed to pay out of your own pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. You can have different deductibles for different coverages, and liability coverage never has a deductible.
Exclusions: Events or situations your policy specifically omits from coverage, such as property damage or personal injury you intentionally cause, or damage to your own car due to mechanical failure or wear-and-tear.
Costs above policy limits: Any expenses that exceed the caps on the dollar amounts of coverage you're entitled to receive under your policy.
Driving a good bargain
Many factors affect your auto insurance premium, including your age, the state in which you live, the make and model of your car, where your car is parked at night, and your driving record. Although you can't do much about some of these factors, here are some things you can do to help lower your premiums:

Increase your insurance deductible.
Eliminate optional coverages if you don't need them (e.g., rental reimbursement if you have other means of transportation).
Eliminate collision and comprehensive coverage if you drive an older car that wouldn't cost much to replace, and if you could afford to pay for repairs if necessary.
Ask about available discounts (e.g., low-mileage discounts, discounts for safety or antitheft devices) for your auto insurance (if applicable in your situation).
Avoid buying a vehicle prone to theft or expensive to repair.
Drive safely to establish a good driving record.
Maintain good credit.
Shop around
It's important to shop around for auto insurance coverage. Insurance premiums for the same coverage on the same car can vary widely among different insurers. A particularly good time to investigate your alternatives is when your current insurance policy is up for renewal, but you can shop and change policies at any time. Get quotes from several reputable companies, but don't let price be your only consideration. Make sure the coverage offered by each insurer meets your needs, and find out if the insurer has a solid financial strength rating.

8 Things You Should Know About Auto Insurance

How Knowing More Can Help You

Trying to understand auto insurance can be as tricky and confusing as trying to untie the Gordian knot. (We hear the knotty Gordian problem can be solved with a sword.) However, some "insider" knowledge can help you understand your options and what you can do to save money and get the most out of your auto insurance.

1) Some of the most helpful coverages are the cheapest.
Auto insurance may be expensive, but if you're already spending a lot, shouldn't you get a lot? Optional coverages such as gap coverage, roadside assistance, rental reimbursement, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and comprehensive coverage can provide a lot of protection for a little price increase. Comprehensive coverage is usually the most expensive of these coverages, but is still usually about half the price of collision coverage and a third the price of liability coverage.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is especially important, considering the benefits it offers and the number of uninsured drivers on the road, particularly during this period of economic hardship. Take a look at your coverage options. Paying a little more now may save you a lot in the future.

2) Many factors can affect your car insurance rate.
Auto insurance companies use many different criteria when evaluating an insurance application during a process called underwriting. Each car insurance company has many guidelines regarding which groups of drivers they want to accept and how much they will charge those groups they consider a greater risk. The guidelines are different for each company, meaning that two companies comparing the same driver can arrive at vastly different conclusions.

During the underwriting process, car insurance applicants are placed in a group based on how much money and how many claims the insurance company believes it may have to pay. Underwriting is done automatically by software behind the scenes. At this time, the insurance company will look at motor vehicle records to see how many accidents or tickets a driver has received. Many insurance companies also use an insurance history report to see if the driver has made any car insurance claims, and how much money was paid. Although accidents and violations can only affect the rates you receive for three years, many companies will look back five or more years when deciding if they want to offer you insurance. In addition, many auto insurance companies look at the credit history of the applicant. Although they use credit history to determine which group an applicant belongs to, they don't actually look at a credit report.

3) Insurance prices vary (a lot) by company.
You've probably seen commercials saying you can save money by switching to a certain car insurance company. How can so many companies make this claim? The reason is that "auto insurance is a highly competitive business and one of the most effective ways to reduce insurance costs is simply to shop around," according to Jeanne Salvatore, senior vice president of the Insurance Information Institute. "Drivers should look for an insurance company that will provide a good price along with excellent service."

Prices for the same policy from the same company, however, are set by law. They are approved by the state and can't be changed by an agent, so you can't get a better price for the same policy simply by going to a different agent or trying to negotiate the price. The best plan is to decide what coverages and options you need and comparison shop to get the best price.

4) If you let your policy lapse, you'll pay more in the long run.
Most insurance companies view drivers who are licensed but don't have insurance as risky or irresponsible. Because of this, if you let your policy lapse, you'll probably pay more when you go to buy car insurance. To avoid this, if you don't want to pay for insurance or are planning to let your policy expire because you want to switch companies, make sure to purchase car insurance before your current policy is cancelled.

5) Higher deductibles can lower your premium.
Insurance prices are based on how much money the insurance company believes it could have to pay. If you agree to pay for a larger portion of your own damages by raising your deductibles, your car insurance company automatically knows they won't have to pay as much for your claims. Because of this, they will usually give you a lower premium. If you decide to raise your deductibles to save money, be sure you can afford to pay the deductible if you have to make a claim.

6) Insurance discounts can make a difference.
Most insurance companies offer auto insurance discounts for things like a safe driving record, car safety features, anti-theft devices, electronic payments, payment in full, and more. Make sure you're getting rewarded for being a safe driver and for having a safe car by shopping around for car insurance that appreciates your record.

7) Coverage affects what you pay.
The majority of your car insurance premium generally goes toward the legally-required liability portion of your policy. It's typically not a good idea to reduce this portion in an attempt to save money, because you'll be responsible for any amount of damages above your policy limits. However, other coverages, although generally helpful, could be reduced or eliminated to lower your premium. If you have an older car that's not worth very much, or if you won't have a problem paying for a new car, collision and comprehensive coverages may not make economic sense. Talk to your car insurance company or agent about the best options for you.

8) The car you drive can affect your auto insurance rates.
The Highway Loss Data Institute compiles insurance accident statistics for most types of cars. Many insurance companies use data like this when setting prices on your insurance. For example, if the car you drive is very expensive to repair, the company is going to have to pay more if you get in an accident. Conversely, if the car you drive is extremely safe and protects occupants well, your insurance company will not have to pay as much if you're involved in a crash. If your model of car is generally less likely to be stolen, your car insurance company is less likely to have to pay to replace it. All of these car related factors can raise or lower the auto insurance quotes you receive, so it makes sense to keep insurance in mind when purchasing a car. Of course, since rates are based on much more than just the car you drive, your overall rate may be more or less than someone driving the same car.

Usage-Based Car Insurance

The next big thing in car insurance could be a small device placed in your vehicle that tracks your driving habits and determines just how safe a driver you are. In California, usage-based insurance savings could be worth an average of $276 per vehicle for the majority of state households (according to a report by the Brookings Institution) but many are concerned about the potential loss of privacy.

How Does it Work?
Proposition 103 requires insurers to set their insurance rates based upon specific factors, including the number of miles driven each year. Assembly Bill 2800, which passed in the California Senate Appropriations Committee, allows insurers to more accurately base premiums using mileage information.

Consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog expressed concerns around the bill, stating that the bill "...would force drivers to choose between fair insurance rates and protecting their privacy."

However, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, proposed a plan with three options for reporting mileage:

with electronic monitoring of mileage
submission of maintenance records or
having regular odometer checks by insurance company representatives.
Poizner's proposal would maintain the incentive of usage-based insurance while giving consumers more freedom to choose exactly how the information would be gathered.

The Company Line
The LA Times reported that most insurance companies were generally in favor of the plan. Annual mileage is an important factor in setting insurance premiums: fewer miles driven means fewer accidents and lower rates. Insurance companies are also intrigued by the fascinating—and potentially disturbing—additional information that some of the electronic monitoring devices can report, helping those companies determine which drivers are more likely to have accidents—and who should pay more for insurance.

A Real World Example—MyRate℠ by Progressive
Progressive's MyRate℠ program is a usage-based insurance program that uses an installed device similar to that of the usage-based proposal, though their device and program are more sophisticated. Their device uses cell phone technology to call a central computer to report driving information to the company. It's being tested in several states before a national rollout, once regulatory approval is attained.

Richard Hutchinson, Progressive's MyRate℠ General Manager, said that the program was designed "...primarily for lower-risk drivers who are consistent and safe. They drive at low risk times of day and they keep alert for others on the road. They don't make fast lane changes or follow too closely behind other drivers so they don't have to over-react or slam on the brakes."

While the MyRate℠ program differs from the California proposal in that it tracks more than just mileage, these additional factors relating to the driver's behavior are reported back to the insurance company and are part of an overall assessment and combine to either lower rates—or raise them.

Winners and Losers
Usage-based car insurance is best suited for low-mileage drivers. If you drive more miles than you have reported to your company in the past, you may find your premiums increasing, regardless of your driving habits.

Currently rates are based on the information actually reported to the companies by the drivers. Most drivers estimate annual mileage, and few realize that there may already be potential discounts available if they drive less than 10,000 miles each year. Sometimes these potential savings don't come up until drivers compare rates between auto insurance companies.

Save Money, Save the World?
Environment Defense, a nonprofit environmental group, estimates that usage-based car insurance could reduce driving and congestion by 10% to 12%, while reducing air pollution and other negative environmental impact from vehicles. With fewer cars on the road, the number of accidents and injuries could also fall.

Risk Versus Reward
Some of the main objections will always revolve around privacy. While the legislation and counter-proposal in California currently revolve around only mileage tracking, eventually most of these devices will contain GPS technology, allowing insurance companies to not only track how far and how fast you've traveled, but also where and when. These are all risk factors determining your premium. For some people, this level of transparency and disclosure is totally unacceptable, and not worth any amount of insurance savings. For others, with nothing to hide, paying less for car insurance might prove very tempting indeed.

Motor insurance jargon buster

Sadly, like any financial product, car insurance can be a minefield of difficult terminology and confusing jargon.

moneysupermarket.com wants to help you find the right car insurance deal for you and so we`ve compiled a guide to help bust through the jargon.

ABI group – Your car will be given a specific ranking based on the level of risk involved with each car type and model.

Approved repairer – Repairers recommended by your insurers.

DOC cover – Otherwise known as Driving Other Cars.

Fault/no-fault claim – A no-fault claim is when the insurer can recover the costs from someone else. A fault claim is if they cannot recover the costs regardless of whether the accident was your fault.

Indemnity - Insurance policyholders are put in the same financial position after a loss as they were immediately before it.

IPT – A Government tax charged as a percentage of car insurance premiums.

Loss adjuster – Investigates the legitimacy of claims.

Material fact – Failure to disclose material could invalidate a policy, such as driving convictions.

S,D&P - Social Domestic & Pleasure. A description of how you plan to use your car.

Settlement – When an insurer pays a claim.

TPO – Third Party Only.

Under-insurance – For example insuring your car for £8,000 when the car is worth £10,000. Insurance companies will almost always scale down claims as a result.

ULR cover – Uninsured loss recovery – better known as legal expenses cover, which you can add on to your motor insurance policy.

Uninsured losses – Elements not covered by your policy such as hire charges.

Underwriter – Person who decides whether to accept a risk and calculates the premium.

What happens if a claim is rejected?

From time to time, a motor insurance company may refuse to meet a claim or scale down any payments relating to it.

This may be for one or more of the following reasons:

If it was a theft of or from a vehicle, the insurer may believe that you were largely or wholly at fault.

The car insurance policy has some clause negating part or all of the claim, or it is best dealt with under another policy (for example household insurance for some thefts).

You may have given inaccurate, incomplete or untruthful information in relation to the claim or the policy itself.

You may not have receipts to support some aspects of the claim, for example the theft of a laptop or expensive iPod from your car.

The claim may be significantly reduced because, although the car was a historic vehicle and has to be written off, its value is classed as being only a few hundred pounds instead of the thousands it cost to restore.

As with any policy, insurers expect the policyholder – that’s you – to operate on the basis of “utmost good faith”. This means you are obliged to disclose any detail which may be of importance to the insurers, whether or not it is requested.

However, in situations like this, it pays to remember the following:

The small print of your car insurance policy counts for a lot – but what matters as much is the interpretation of that small print, more on which later.

All records of conversations held, receipts and copies of all correspondence kept can make an enormous difference to the success of a claim.

You can haggle: just because an insurer thinks a car is worth £500 or an insured item is only worth paying £200 on, this does not mean you have to accept its verdict.

If all else fails, the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is there to help.

How the Financial Ombudsman can help
The FOS arbitrates in disputes between policyholders and insurance companies on issues such as claims that are turned down. Each year it deals with thousands of motor insurance complaints.

Before you complain to the FOS, you must ensure that the claim is fully dealt with by the insurer.

Once the firm has sent you a letter with its final response to your complaint, but you`re still unhappy or the business has had eight weeks already but has still not sent you its final response, you may take your complaint to the FOS.

How to make a car insurance claim

Each year, motor insurance providers pay out many hundreds of millions of pounds to people who have been involved in motor accidents or whose cars have been stolen or damaged in some way.

What if this happens to you? Here is our easy-to-understand guide to making a car insurance claim.

Inform the insurance company as soon as you can after the damage to your car has occurred. If your insurer has a 24-hour helpline, use that. Write down what happened as soon as you can and use that as a reference to make the written insurance claim.

If the claim refers to a criminal matter – for example theft from a vehicle or of the car itself, make sure the crime is reported to the police. Get the incident number from the police: your car insurance company will want to know in the event of any subsequent prosecutions.

Always ask the insurer to tell you exactly what you are required to do and what evidence will be needed to support your claim.

Be consistent: it may look awkward if you want to change your story later on.

Keep safe all documents that are relevant to the claim, and make sure the staff of the insurance company can get in touch with you when necessary.

Keep all receipts and photocopy any correspondence linked with your car insurance claim. If you make or receive any phone calls, keep written records of those calls and make sure you get the name of the person you spoke to.

Don`t take your car in for repairs and hope it will be paid for. Your insurance company will most likely recommend to you a garage, and you should consider taking your car there.

Your company must agree to pay your car repair costs. Until then, any repair costs are your responsibility. So get concrete conformation about the state of your insurance claim before proceeding with your car repairs.

Other ways of cutting your car insurance bill

Aside from the various car insurance options that you can choose to accept or decline – and which will therefore increase or reduce the price of your motor cover – there are other steps you can take that will impact on the cost of your policy.

Here are some of them:

Mileage – Many insurers’ policies are based partly on an estimate of the mileage you travel each year. When they send you a renewal quote, it is based on the estimated mileage you originally gave them.

So, for example, if you change jobs and have a shorter commute you should inform your insurer of a new estimated mileage as this could save you cash.

Learner drivers – Insurers always like to have additional proof that you are a competent driver. Extra lessons with the Pass Plus scheme can cut motor insurance premiums by as much as 35%.

Motorists who pass an `advanced driver` course can also see their premiums reduced. Think seriously about it: one single course fee could cut your future car insurance bills for years to come.

Marriage – Married men attract lower premiums than single men. This is not necessarily an invitation to marry simply in order to reduce your car insurance costs.

But it is worth noting that there are a number of other financial advantages to being married, not least of which is no inheritance tax and similar benefits.

Car security – A car alarm, immobiliser or tracker makes it less likely that your car will be stolen and therefore should reduce your premium. If you do fit such security devices, make sure that they are approved by your insurer. It is worth calling your insurer to see which ones will cut your car insurance quote the most.

Don`t speed or commit other traffic offences – The higher the number of speeding and other offences, the more expensive your car insurance is likely to be.

Modifications – New wheels, seats, colour changes and adding a spoiler are all changes that could add significantly to your premium. To pay as little as possible, keep modifications to a minimum.

Avoid monthly premiums - Most insurers charge a fee for this service. The fee ranges from 13% up to 29% APR. You can avoid this by taking out a credit card with an introductory interest-free offer. We do recommend however that you read our guide to credit cards before you consider making an application.

Consider who to put as the main insured driver – If you have one car in your family, drive it equally and you have more penalty points than your spouse, putting him/her down as the main driver with you as a named driver on the policy could also cut your bill.

How to cut the cost of your car insurance

The obvious way to cut your car insurance costs is to shop around at least every two years, preferably annually.

But it is also often the case that people pay for the level of cover they receive. The more bolt-on “goodies” you have, the higher the cost of your motor insurance.

So decide which of these you want and which you don’t need:

Is a courtesy car provided as standard? Is it offered if your car is stolen or written-off? Do you have to pay extra to insure the courtesy car?

Is legal protection included? This type of protection applies in cases where, for example, you have a traffic accident involving your car that is not your fault. The policy offers the chance to be able to claim back your uninsured losses from the driver responsible. Generally, you will be offered cover up to £50,000 or £100,000 of legal fees. But bear in mind that the final decision as to whether the legal support is granted depends on the “winnability” of any court action being considered.

Does the policy offer roadside breakdown assistance? Is Europe covered? If so, this can cost a lot more.

Do you pay extra for overseas cover? Most car insurance polices do so as standard nowadays, but a few insurers make you pay extra.

How high is the policy excess? Are there any mandatory excesses for accidental or malicious damage? Many companies issue policies that have a “compulsory excess” - and sometimes a “voluntary excess”. This refers to the amount of money you are willing to pay in the event of an accident. The more money you`re willing to pay in excess, the lower your motor insurance premium.

Does cover include personal injury, personal belongings or replacement locks?

Does it offer legal advice and medical counselling telephone lines?

Will your insurer immediately authorise repairs from recommended agents? If you have to obtain quotes, the cost may be less.

Will your no-claims bonus be affected if the accident wasn`t your fault or the cost cannot be recovered?

Can you transfer a no-claims bonus built up while driving on somebody else`s insurance? For one or two insurers this is standard. They may also offer you a no-claims bonus if you are the named driver on someone else’s car insurance policy.

Can you transfer your no-claims bonus on to a second car?

Can you protect your no-claims bonus? How many claims are you allowed under the scheme before your no-claims bonus is affected?

Will you be charged extra for paying your car insurance by monthly direct debit?

What you need before applying for car insurance

Regardless of where you want a car insurance quote from, make sure you have the following information to hand before you apply:

Car make and model

Registration number (sometimes giving the registration number helps pre-fill in an online application form in terms of the make and model of the car)

Full post code

Number of years of no-claims discount and with whom

Where the car is normally kept - street, garage, etc. By the way, don’t be tempted to say your car is garaged if it isn’t. In the event of a theft outside your home your claim could be declined.

Details of other drivers - name, date of birth, licence type, residency in UK and occupation

What the car will be used for – social, domestic and pleasure; or business

Estimated annual mileage

Type of cover - comprehensive, third party fire and theft, or third party only

Full details of claims or convictions in the last three years. This will be on your driving licence.

Liability and legal requirements
The law requires that any vehicles three years old and over have a valid MOT certificate. You are unable to tax a vehicle without an MOT and certificate of insurance and driving a car without these is an offence.

The Road Traffic Act states that all motorists must be insured against their liability for injuring other people (including passengers) and for damage to other people`s property.

It is also vital to keep your car insurance company up-to-date including vehicle modifications and fixed penalties.

This is known as “utmost good faith” and means you are obliged to disclose any detail which may be of importance to the insurers - whether or not it is requested. Not doing so may affect any claim you make.

TIP: Many parents add their children to their motor insurance policies in order to cut bills. There is nothing wrong with this. But if the car is actually owned by the child and he/she is the registered keeper, an insurer may see this as “fronting”.

This is where the child is a named driver when in fact he/she is the main user of the vehicle. In such cases, an insurer may reject a claim. Always make sure you tell the insurer who the main driver is.

Where to go for your car insurance

The chances are that by coming onto this website, you have already identified the fact that shopping around and using a price comparison service such as moneysupermarket.com is a useful tool for finding car insurance quotes.

However, it would be unfair not to point out that there are other options available.

There are a number of sources of motor insurance quotes. Here are the main ones:

An "old-style" insurance broker. Brokers can be the people to go to if the type of policy you need is out of the ordinary, for example because it is a classic car, or a high-performance vehicle, or because you have a "spotty" driving history in terms of claims or convictions. They can research the market for you and offer a personal service. They also act on behalf of the client when it comes to making a claim.

Of course this costs money. Usually, though not always, a policy taken out through a broker may cost a lot more, largely because they receive a hefty commission for selling it.

There is also the option of online brokerages/intermediaries, who will have 10, 20, sometimes even more insurers on their books. When you obtain a quote from them, they will search for it from their "panel". Bear in mind that not all insurers on a panel will offer competitive quotes for a given "risk" - that's you. So the competitive deals on offer may still be restricted to a handful.


Direct insurers. Here, you go to an individual company's website and buy a motor insurance policy from them. The advantage is that of speed and convenience. And if you like the company, all is well and good. The potential downside is that you will pay too much. If you are shopping around, whether on the phone or over the internet, it also takes a lot of time to give your details to each insurer, or input them on their systems.


Comparison websites like moneysupermarket.com. These will ask you a range of personal details and then use sophisticated software to get car insurance quotes on your behalf from every website they have access to. In our case, this covers up to 60 separate insurers and brokers. The benefits are that you get a far wider spread of the market in terms of potential quotes.

Where does my money go?

We all know car insurance is an expensive business – but where does our money go?

The money you pay on your motor insurance is not merely set aside in case you need it – instead it is put into one big pot. Here`s a breakdown of where the money from your premium goes:

50% to pay claims.
25% on legal and administrative costs.
25% for costs of running the company.
These numbers vary between insurers. Some are better than others at saving and on cutting their overheads.

Most of the money paid out on car insurance claims is paid on property damage.

Collision damage makes up about 50% of an insurance company`s total expenditure.

However, this is a relatively small amount when taken in context with medical expenses and personal injury claims. This is because the most an insurance company will ever pay out is the `fair market value` for your vehicle.

That is why collision and comprehensive cover costs companies a lot of money.

Insurance companies also spend a lot of money processing and settling claims.

Additionally, advertising, staff and commission payments further increase the costs of running an insurance company – the best way to avoid these costs is to buy your car insurance online.

How your car insurance quote is set

A number of factors will determine the cost of your motor insurance quote.

Postcode: you are deemed to be a higher risk if you live in a city or urban area - especially if you park your car in the street. Security measures – alarms, locks and immobilisers help to reduce premiums.

The car’s value and insurance category: cars are placed in specific insurance categories, with expensive or powerful performance cars being the most expensive to insure. For example, categories range from Group 1 for a Fiat Panda through to Group 20 for a Porsche 911.

Age and experience: newly qualified drivers - or drivers under 25 - are deemed more likely to have accidents than older, more experienced drivers.

This has important implications for parents: adding teenage drivers to a policy can significantly increase your premium.

TIP: It is sometimes cheaper to add a teenager on a temporary basis, for example during a holiday. Alternatively, if the child drives his or her own car, ask him/her to obtain a third party, fire and theft quote in their name. Bear in mind that in the event of an own-fault accident, they will have to pay for repairs to the vehicle.

Also, attending special courses, such as those by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), will often lead to a discount.

Claims history: the less you claim, the less you pay. Five-year no-claims discounts are best. If you have an own-fault accident, you typically lose up to two years’ bonus.

TIP: Not all insurers operate no-claims bonuses in the same way. You typically get a 30% discount after one year of claim-free driving, rising to 65% after four or five years. But companies vary. Some go up to a 70% maximum while others specialising in younger drivers will give higher discounts at an earlier stage. Again, it is important to shop around.

Occupation: your job may well determine the cost of your motor insurance. For example, a teacher might pay less than a pop star of the same age. A journalist will find it harder to get cheap insurance because of assumptions of how they drive and whom they may have as passengers in the car.

Excess: this is the amount of money you will have to pay yourself before the insurer then chips in for additional repairs. The more money you’re willing to pay out as excess, the lower your premium. The average excess is £200, but can be higher.

What drives the cost of car insurance

People often grumble about rising car insurance costs. Why do prices go up?

Clearly, there are many factors that influence the quote you will be given. Some are personal to you and will be discussed in another section of this guide.

Others depend on the level of benefits you want from your motor insurance policy. Details of these – which you can pick and choose between and thereby influence the price you pay – are also detailed elsewhere.

But there are factors that you have little or no control over and depend on outside circumstances.

Here are some factors that influence how much you pay for your motor insurance.

1) The soaring cost of litigation: drivers are more likely nowadays to claim for personal injury, like a serious case of whiplash, and the amounts paid out for injuries are much higher than they used to be.

Insurers have attempted to intervene to control these costs. But courts that find in favour of claimants still make very significant awards in cases of serious injury or death. And from the point of view of claimants, this is a positive thing.

2) NHS costs: accident and emergency departments can now claim for cost of treatment from the insurance company. This includes ambulance costs.

If you are the blameless victim of an accident, the bill will be paid by the opposite party’s insurer. Conversely, if you are to blame, your insurer will have to pick up the tab. NHS bills can, perhaps surprisingly, be very expensive.

3) Uninsured drivers: official statistics say that one in 20 drivers is uninsured. But recent research carried out by pollsters Mori suggests that this figure is more like one in 10 drivers, albeit that the uninsured period in many cases may run to just a few days or a few weeks.

This is cold comfort to someone who is involved in an accident with an uninsured driver. This adds around £30 to the average annual premium.

Ironically, this can produce a Catch-22 situation: as premiums get higher it becomes even more tempting for some people not to take out car insurance.

4) Stock markets: few people realise that insurers try to “stockpile” funds so that they can pay out in the case of claims. This means money taken in premiums is often invested until it is then paid out.

This strategy is more obvious in the case of home insurance, where storms can lead to very large – and sudden – claims. But to a lesser extent it also applies in the case of motor insurance policies.

Inevitably, this is not much use if markets are plummeting. Again, the recovery in world stock markets since 2003 is what has helped keep premiums at “reasonable” levels.

What kind of motor insurance do you need?

When you take out a car insurance policy, you will be offered a choice of three main levels of cover.

Third party: the minimum type of motor insurance you can take out is “third party”. This covers liability for:

Injuries to other people, including passengers
Damage to other people`s property
Passengers for accidents caused by them
Arising from the use of caravan or trailer while attached to the car.
TIP: Third party cover is OK for people who cannot afford a better type of car insurance.

It may make sense if you are driving an old banger where almost any repair would cost more than the car is worth, or where its replacement might only cost a couple of hundred pounds at most.

But if your car costs more to replace, you need to consider something better.

Third party, fire and theft: the next step up is “third party, fire and theft”, sometimes written as TPFT. This provides the above cover, plus fire or theft of the vehicle. If you are at fault in the event of an accident, TPFT will not pay for repairs to your car.

TIP: TPFT cover is useful for those whose car is not worth much – but would still cost more to replace than the cost of excesses. It can also be useful for younger drivers who might find fully comprehensive policies very costly, those who only drive occasionally or have minimal no-claims bonuses.

But it is generally unsuitable for regular drivers, or those with expensive cars.

Fully comprehensive: this is the most complete form of car insurance and protects against the above, plus:

Accidental damage to your car
Personal accident benefit
Medical expenses
Loss of or damage to personal effects in the car
TIP: Not all “fully comp” insurance is the same. Although all insurers will cover off the basics, many will offer additional variants on their policies, such as courtesy cars in the event of theft, breakdown or accident, or protected no-claims bonuses.

You may also want free cover for driving in Europe and, in some cases, legal aid when the accident is not your fault. These benefits may incur an extra cost.

Important Info

Some important terms connected with car insurance:


Act of God - An event not caused directly by an individual that causes damage to your vehicle. An example (albeit an unlikely one) would be a meteor strike. More often than not acts of God are uninsurable.
Aggravated theft - The forceful or violent theft of your vehicle while you or your spouse is inside the car.
Betterment - The payment by the insured party (i.e. you) towards a claim in recognition of the fact that the vehicle will be worth more following repairs pursuant to an insurance claim than it was beforehand.
Car - The insured vehicle but also, usually, accessories such as child car seats, spare parts, in car audio equipment and electronic navigation equipment permanently fitted to the vehicle.
Certificate of Insurance The certificate that evidences the fact that you have taken out insurance on your vehicle.
Claim - A formal application by the insured party to recover damage from the insurance company under the policy.
Commission - A fee paid to an intermediary by an insurance company for promoting the sale by that intermediary of its insurance products. In most instances you - the consumer - have a legal right to know what commissions have been paid to an intermediary if you purchase cover through one. Some intermediaries, however, go to considerable lengths to hide what they have been paid.
Comprehensive Insurance - Insurance giving the policy holder the maximum cover available.
Endorsement - An amendment to the insurance policy. Not to be confused with an endorsement on your license.
Excess - The amount that you - the policy holder - have to pay before the insurance company will make a contribution towards a claim.
Exclusion - An event or circumstance in which the insurance company is not obliged to pay out under the policy.
Insurance Premium Tax - A tax levied on nearly all non life insurance policies including car insurance policies payable by the policy holder.
Market value - The market value of a vehicle of similar age and in similar condition at the time of accident or loss.
Physical assault - An intentional violent act committed by another person that causes death or serious bodily injury.
Policy - The contract or document between the insurance company and the policy holder that sets out the legal rights and obligations of each party.
Premium - The amount paid by the policy holder for insurance.
Renewal notice - The notice sent by the insurance company to the policy holder inviting him/her to renew the policy.
Sum insured - The total amount for which the vehicle is insured.
Third party - A party involved in the claim who is neither the policy holder nor the insurance company.
Underinsurance - The amount by which the vehicle is underinsured. Unusual in the context of car insurance.
Utmost good Faith - The insurance principle that requires the policy holder to provide all relevant information to the insurance company in good faith.
Write Off - A vehicle which is either, in the view of the insurance company, not capable of being repaired or which would cost more to repair than to replace.

Identifying Uninsured Drivers

Police patrols can now check on the spot whether a car or driver is insured using a central data source called the Motor Insurance Database (MID).

The Database has the insurance details of every car and its insured drivers and this information is available to the Police via the Police National Computer. The Database is operated by the Motor Insurers' Information Centre which is a subsidiary company of the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB ).

Tens of thousands of checks are made on the database each day and, in the future, use of technology such as Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) will allow the Police to be more proactive.

The MID also brings benefits to insured motorists who are less likely to have to present their insurance certificate at their Police Station. This also means there is a reduction in Police paperwork and fraudsters cannot rely on fake insurance certificates.

Uninsured Driving

Uninsured Driving
Typically over a quarter of a million convictions are given in the UK for uninsured driving each year and this is probably only a fraction of the true number of uninsured drivers. In the past, uninsured drivers have generally only been identified when they have been stopped for other reasons, like being at the scene of an accident or due to a traffic offence being committed. The true number of uninsured drivers is estimated at 1 in 20 vehicles on the road and the cost to honest drivers is estimated at £30 on your insurance premium every year.

The cost of uninsured driving
An estimated 1 in 20 vehicles is being driven uninsured and this costs you an estimated £30 on your car insurance premium every year.

Part of your £30 goes to the Motor Insurer's Bureau which receives funding from all UK motor insurance companies as a percentage of your annual premium. This is several hundred million pounds each year. When an uninsured or untraced driver injures another person or damages their property, that other person will receive compensation from the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB).

The other part of your £30 comes directly from your insurance company to a claimant. Special rules under the MIB arrangements mean that the insurer of a vehicle will pay any third party claim even if technically the policyholder has breached their contract with their insurance company. There is also the requirement under the Road Traffic Act for an insurer to meet the cost of claims involving stolen vehicles if a car thief injures another person or damages their property, the insurance company for the car will pay the compensation, assuming that the driver is identified.

Reducing Uninsured Driving
You can see that there are strong incentives to reduce uninsured driving and catch and penalise the culprits. Insurance companies and the police are working hard to tackle the problem, both in identifying uninsured drivers and reducing vehicle theft.

Legal requirements

Motor insurance is a legal requirement - A motor insurance policy provides you with cover (and therefore peace of mind) against potentially very high costs. After all, if you cause an accident which results in loss of life or permanent injury to other people, the cost of the claim can be into millions of pounds. You cannot drive a motor vehicle without a valid motor insurance policy, and there are stiff fines and penalties (including a jail sentence) if you are found to be driving without having motor insurance cover

Why do I Need Insurance?

Some insurance is a legal obligation, for example car insurance . The law says that any driver must be insured against the possibility that they injure another person or cause damage to another person's property. Most policyholders choose to extend their car insurance cover to protect them against other risks too.

Some insurance is a wise choice when there is a risk that you would be responsible for thousands of pounds worth of damage. If someone tripped down the stairs at your house or was hit by a falling tile from your roof they could be out of work for a long time and have expensive medical bills that you are liable to pay for. Insurance offers you protection for these costs.

What is Car Insurance?

Car insurance is there to give you peace of mind and protection in the event of an unlikely or unpredictable loss.

Insurance companies take expert underwriting advice together with past experience to work out the chances and costs associated with any risk that they cover. These calculations give a 'premium' for each individual customer based on the likelihood that they will make a claim. If the claims happen, the insurance company pays out the amount of money they agreed to pay when they issued the insurance policy.


Primarily car insurance exists to protect drivers against liability in case you cause an accident and either injure another person or damage their property.

Most policies also offer additional cover such as accidental damage to your own car, fire damage or theft of your car or damage to your windscreen.

For some customers, your car insurance premium will be higher than the value of your car. This is because the primary part of your insurance cover is to pay for injury or loss to other people if you cause it, and this is very likely to be more expensive than replacing or fixing your vehicle.

Ten top tips to cut insurance costs

If you're in the money saving mood this January then don't ignore your insurance. Whether it's motor, home, travel, life or income protection insurance there are simple ways of minimising the amount you pay without sacrificing the level of cover you receive.

Here are our top 10 tips to insurance savings in 2009:

Tip One: Add an older driver to a policy
If you're a parent help the young driver in your family out by adding yourself to their car insurance policy as a named driver. A 20-year-old driver with one year's no-claims driving a Ford Focus would pay £1,371.85 for a policy with a £250 excess through Admiral car insurance. However, if the same driver added his 45-year-old mother to the policy, he could cut the premium to £1,089.30.

Don't be tempted to put the policy in the parent's name though as this is illegal - if your son or daughter is the main driver of the car, the insurance must be in his or her name.

Saving: £282.45.

Tip Two: Shop around for cheaper car insurance
Insurance premiums vary hugely so make sure you compare prices from as many providers as possible. For example, a 45-year-old male driving a Ford Focus with five years no-claims and a £250 excess could pay as much as £391.05 through provider Admiral. However, by opting for the cheapest quote through our comparison tool the same driver could reduce his annual premium to just £199.83 with LV=.

Saving: £191.22.

Tip three: Adjust the excess
Think about what you could comfortably afford to repay in the event of an accident. The same driver in tip two would pay £226.97 a year through Swiftcover with a £100 excess, but could reduce the premium to just £171.87 with a £500 excess.

Saving: £55.10.

Tip four: Add a partner
By adding his 45-year-old wife to his policy, our male driver could reduce his premium from £205.86 through Swiftcover to £182.83.

Saving: £23.03.

Tip five: Lower your mileage
If you live relatively close to work or even just use your car to run errands then agree to a mileage limit. Driving 10,000 miles a year, our driver would pay £202.73 a year - but he could reduce this to £194.58 a year by agreeing to only drive 5,000 miles.

Saving: £8.15.

Tip six: Pay annually instead of monthly
A home in Milton Keynes with a market value of £170,000, a rebuild value of £90,000 and containing contents worth £35,000 could be expensive to insure so a homeowner should take every action possible to save. If you have the cash, pay upfront each year instead of monthly to cut out interest charges - this homeowner could slash premiums from £118.79 to £107.96 by paying annually with Only Insurance.

Saving: £10.83.

Tip seven: Shop around for home insurance
Make sure you're getting the best home insurance quote available with a home insurance comparison website. Insurance on this Milton Keynes home with a £100 excess costs £193.90 through Marks & Spencer but just £88.62 with homequote direct.

Saving: £105.28.

Tip eight: Choose an independent provider for PPI
Payment protection insurance (PPI) can provide welcome peace of mind in the current unstable employment environment but that's no reason to pay over the odds. With a £10,000 loan over three years with Nationwide you would £354.14 a month with the lender's standard PPI added on for a total repayable of £12,794.04. However, by buying the PPI independently from the cheapest provider on our PPI comparison tool monthly payments for the loan and PPI combined would be reduced to £322.28 for a total repayable of £11,602.08.

Saving (over one year): £382.32.

Tip nine: Give up smoking
If you need added motivation to kick the smoking habit, make life insurance savings your impetus. A 45-year-old male smoker with a level term policy of £100,000 over 25 years would pay £432 annually with More Th>n as a smoker and £215.52 as a non-smoker.

Saving: £216.48.

Tip 10: Buy travel insurance independently
Buy your travel insurance as an add-on to a holiday and you'll pay over the odds. A family of four taking a two-week trip to Spain in February would pay £45.99 for single trip travel insurance through Thomas Cook compared to just £11.05 through the cheapest insurer on our travel insurance comparison tool, in this case Insure4me.

Saving: £34.94.

Car Insurance Query

My car insurance renewal is the end of Jan 2009. I have an outstanding accident which is going through and is not my fault. All costs & expenses will be recovered. Will a new insurance company take me on with this outstanding accident ?: If so, will they charge a premium ? If I stay with my current insurers (M&S), and they charge me a higher premium to cover the accident, will it be recalculated to a reasonable amount afterwards ?


ANSWER

Yes. After a claim, even if you are not at fault, you should expect your premium to be higher. You should shop around but you are unlikely to get close to what you paid last time.

Car Insurance

having insured a car with One Call Insurance SErvices just 7 days ago we are experiencing difficulties with the company i.e. purchased a fully comprehensive policy but third party policy issued, have had to chase them for the insurance document (which is why after 7 days we realise that third party insurance has been applied), dreadful customer service, and now they are trying to wiggle out of the 14 day cool off period. We have definately been missold a policy and we have asked to hear or to have transcripts of the calls we have made to the company, but suprise, suprise their systems are down and they cannot oblige!! We are now in touch with the Financial Ombudsmans Service re pursuing a complaint if the company continue to squirm out of their legal responsibilities.

Save up to 50 per cent on your motor insurance with moneysupermarket

Motorists could slash their car insurance costs in half by using moneysupermarket.com according to independent research group, Consumer Intelligence.

During July, Consumer Intelligence compared quotes obtained from moneysupermarket.com and the 44 leading direct providers on 1,953 different risk profiles. The providers surveyed include Direct Line, Churchill, More Th>n, esure, Elephant and Norwich Union. More than 77,500 quotes were obtained in total and in 98% of cases using moneysupermarket proved cheaper than going direct to a single insurer.
On average, motorists cut the cost of insuring their car by a third, making a typical saving of £151.97, but savings of up to £607.99 were achieved and Consumer Intelligence's research found that 10% of drivers could reduce the cost of their insurance by 50%.

Andy Leadbetter, head of insurance at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Such a disparity in prices emphasises the need to compare quotes when looking for insurance and the easiest way to do that is through a comparison site. Moneysupermarket compares quotes from over 60 direct motor insurers and brokers."

Moneysupermarket.com has also recently added a new feature to its motor insurance comparison tool which enables customers to compare the policy details of up to five providers at any one time. This means they can easily identify which policy offers them the most suitable level of cover as well as the best price.

Top tips for getting a cheaper car insurance quote

Fit an alarm
Fit an approved alarm and immobiliser, such as a Thatcham 1 or Thatcham 2. All improvements to security should help to lower your car insurance costs. Some insurers could even insist on sophisticated tracking devices before they will insure expensive cars.
Change your excess
Change the excess you are prepared to pay on any claim to reduce the premium. With voluntary excess the more you are willing to cover yourself in the event of an accident the lower your premium.
Check your mileage
Check your mileage to make sure you are not paying extra for miles you are not covering in your car. If, for example, you change jobs and have a shorter commute to work you could be saving money. Try and work out how many miles you will genuinely cover - but don't get it wrong as inaccuracy could jeopardise your claim.
Minimise your optional extras
Only select to have a courtesy car or legal expenses if you really need them, as they may increase your premium. The less your motor insurance company has to provide in the event of an accident, the lower your costs.
Be careful where you park
Keep your car parked in a locked garage overnight if you can - this can help reduce the premium. More than 50% of vehicle thefts occur during the night so if your car is safely locked away it makes sense that your insurance costs will be reduced as a consequence. If you don't have access to a garage, then parking on a driveway is generally considered a lower risk than parking on the road. It's less likely that vandalism, theft or accidental damage will occur when you're off the highway.
Pass Plus
If you're a new driver looking to get your first car and car insurance we'd highly recommend that you take your Pass Plus in order to reduce your premiums. The Pass Plus certificate can only be obtained within the first year of passing your practical driving test.

You'll be taking 6 lessons where you'll become competent in the following areas:

>Driving in town
>Driving out of town
>Driving in all Weathers
>Driving at night
>Driving on a dual carriageway
>Driving on a motorway

There is no test to take at the end of the course. When your instructor is satisfied with your performance you will receive a certificate from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

This certificate you will earn you large discounts with a whole host of insurance companies participating in the Pass Plus scheme.

How to get the best car insurance deal

Car insurance is almost certainly the financial product most commonly held by consumers in the UK, with the possible exception of a bank or savings account. This is hardly surprising: if you drive a vehicle, insurance is compulsory.

In theory, this ought to make everyone a car insurance expert, able to get the best deal on their motor cover.

Yet too many of us tend to stick with the same insurer for too long and end up paying hundreds of pounds more a year than we need to. We only change policies when premiums become very noticeably too dear.

Conversely, we pat ourselves on the back because we have found ultra-cheap car insurance – only to discover that when we make a claim, certain items were never covered under the terms of that policy.

Shopping around is the starting point for anyone who wants the best car insurance deal. Our car insurance comparison tool allows you to search for and compare quotes from more than 60 top insurers and brokers in the UK.

But knowing how motor insurance works can help you get an even better deal – not just on price but in terms of the service you may need from your insurer. This guide is designed to help you achieve that.

It tries to answer some of the most typical concerns of motorists: everything from explaining how your quote is set and tips on how to cut the cost of your cover, to the various steps involved in making a claim.

We also offer a jargon-buster – explaining some of the more typical terms used when taking out car insurance.

FAQs

Car Insurance FAQ
CarInsuranceQuotes.com has developed this Car Insurance FAQ for your convenience. Below you will find many answers to your questions about car insurance.

When shopping around for car insurance online, what information do I need to help make my purchase as simple as possible?
CarInsuranceQuotes.com understands that our customers may be hesitant about giving their personal information when shopping for car insurance online and that is why CarInsuranceQuotes.com only asks for the basic information and keeps all personal information safe and secure. To get an insurance quote, all you will need is your Zip code, information about your driving history and the driving history of other drivers in your household and the type of vehicles you own.

How much will it cost to get a quote for car insurance online?
Everybody hates to spend money for assistance when they could do the work themselves for free. That’s the beauty of getting a quote for car insurance online from CarInsuranceQuotes.com. CarInsuranceQuotes.com will search top rated companies for the best quote from a reputable insurer and it won’t cost you a cent. This will allow you to get multiple quotes for car insurance online without having to open your wallet.

How much time does it take to get a quote for car insurance online?
CarInsuranceQuotes.com understands that our customers are very busy and don’t have time to spend hours or even days waiting for a car insurance quote. Because of this, CarInsuranceQuotes.com has streamlined the quote process so you can move on to other important issues of your day. The entire process of getting a quote for car insurance online takes under five minutes with CarInsuranceQuotes.com.

Can I get a quote for car insurance online at any time of day?
The short answer is yes! CarInsuranceQuotes.com, unlike your local insurance company, is open for business 24 hours a day. This allows our customers to get a quote for car insurance online when they are sitting at the breakfast table, on their lunch break or after they put the kids to bed.

What is the maximum amount of drivers or vehicles I can insure on one policy when I purchase car insurance online?
Most car insurance companies allow for a maximum of four vehicles and/or four vehicles to be insured on a single policy. This is the same whether you purchase your car insurance online or from your local agent.

Are there any other benefits to purchasing car insurance online?
Shopping for car insurance online offers many benefits to consumers. Some of the benefits include:

• Convenience- You can shop for car insurance online from anywhere you have a computer and the internet and from any time of day.
• Comparison shopping- Shopping for car insurance online allows you to compare quotes and companies quickly and easily without ever having to leave your desk.
• Save money- Shopping for car insurance online cuts out the middle man, which allows you to save even more money.

These are some of the more common questions people have when they are shopping for car insurance online. If your question has not been answered here feel free to contact CarInsuranceQuotes.com anytime by email.