Online car insurance – is it for you?

Buying car insurance online has transformed the way auto insurance is advertised, sold and delivered. Your only option used to be calling or stopping by your local insurance agent’s office. Advertising was much more location-focused with large companies attempting to push the consumer to their local representative.

Nowadays, advertising efforts are directed at getting the consumer onto a website or calling an 800 number and buying insurance direct from the company. Buying car insurance online is as simple as browsing to any number of online auto insurance websites, but is it for you? Are you comfortable enough with what you know about car insurance to make your own decisions about deductibles and liability limits?

To buy online or not to buy online – that is the question!

If you’ve done any amount of research about buying car insurance online, you’ve probably read many people’s claims that by buying insurance online you’re cutting out the middleman (the agent) so you have to be getting the best deal.

This isn’t exactly true. In theory, it would seem accurate that by not paying an agent commission the companies will pass this savings on to the consumer. In actuality, this savings many times goes straight into the company’s pocket and you actually end up paying more by buying insurance online than through a local agent.

As an agent, I’ve had many people bring actual online quotes into my office from a major online car insurance company. I write with the same company as an independent agency, so I am able to quote the exact same coverages through the agent channel. In every instance, by quoting the exact same coverages the consumers quoted on their own, the rates were lower when buying through my agency. So the idea that buying direct will save money because there is no agent is a misconception.

Quoting car insurance online is not buying car insurance online

These are two distinctly different things. You can quote car insurance online, but not buy it online. Getting car insurance quotes online allows you to not only get competitive rates from the major online carriers such as GEICO and Progressive, but also allows you to get quotes from local agents who may represent companies such as Farmers, State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual and Nationwide.

You can use the speed and convenience of the internet to get multiple comparison quotes from both online direct writers and your local car insurance providers. This is the best way to make sure you’re getting the lowest car insurance rates possible in your state.

Online car insurance quotes WITH professional guidance

Once you have a good selection of both online and agent price quotes, you can choose the car insurance plan that’s right for you. If you choose to insure your car with a local independent agent, a State Farm agent, an Allstate agent or a Farmers agent, you still retain the expertice of an insurance agent, but you are making sure your rates are competitive.

To take the first step in buying or quoting your car insurance online, simply enter your zip code below and complete the fast quote form. You can get multiple car insurance quotes from the top companies in your area with one simple form!