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.