Wednesday, April 25, 2007

How to Find the Best Car Insurance Companies and the Best Rates:


Average car insurance rates in the United States have declined in the last few years, but most of us are still paying $1400 to $3700 a year to insure our vehicles. With prices this high, we want to find the best car insurance companies with the best rates. Here's how to do it quickly and easily.
Find the best rates
Insurance rates can vary by hundreds of dollars from one company to another, even for the same coverage. This is why it's so important to shop around for the best auto insurance rate.
The Internet can help you quickly get rate quotes from numerous companies. You can enter all your vehicle and driving information on one form and receive instant quotes from a variety of companies.
Find the best auto insurance companies
Once you have quotes from several companies, how do you choose the best car insurance company? Your instinct might be to just grab the company with the cheapest rate. And while this might, in the end, be your choice, you need to also make sure the company is going to provide you with good service.
To evaluate insurance companies, follow these tips:
* Check your state’s Department of Insurance website. Every state has a website maintained by the Insurance Commissioner that lists licensed agents and companies and each company’s complaint ratio. You can select your state from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) website.
* Check ratings from companies such as J.D. Power and Associates, A.M. Best, and Standard & Poor.
* Evaluate each company’s communication efforts. Is there a local agent you can call with questions? Is there an 800 number you can call? Is the website informative?
* Evaluate each company’s payment policies. Do they offer payment plans and online payment options? What are the penalties for late payments?
By taking these steps, you'll be able to find the best rates with the best car insurance companies.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Online Cheap Car Insurance Quotes:


When was the last time you changed car insurance companies? If you're like most people, it's been many years. We tend to choose an insurance company and then stay with it forever. But as with purchasing any product, you need to shop around if you want to find the cheapest car insurance quote. Here's how to do it the easy way.
Decide What You Want
Fortunately, the Internet makes it easy to find cheap car insurance quotes. However, before you start completing forms and comparing quotes, you should first:
* Decide what coverage limits you want. Most states have minimum limits you need to meet. You can go to your state’s Department of Insurance website to find out what the limits are in your state.
* Decide if you want comprehensive and collision coverage. Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your car after an accident, while comprehensive coverage pays if your car falls victim to a natural disaster, vandalism, or theft. However, both cover only up to the Blue Book value of your car. If your car is over five years old, you may want to drop these coverages altogether.
* If you want comprehensive and collision coverage, decide what deductible you want. The higher your deductible, the lower your premium.
* Think about what discounts you might qualify for. Does your vehicle have an anti-theft device? Can you put your home insurance with the same company so you get a multi-policy discount?
Shop for Quotes
Once you've decided what coverage limits and deductibles you want and what discounts you qualify for, it's time to begin shopping for insurance. Yes, you could pick up the phone and call your local agent. However, by using the Internet, you will get more cheap car insurance quotes in far less time.
While you can go directly to insurance company websites and get quotes for individual companies, you will get more quotes by going to a “comparison shopping” website. These websites let you type in your vehicle, driver, and other insurance data and get quick quotes. Some even have a chat feature where you can talk with an insurance expert online (see link below).
Bottom Line
You buy everything else online, so why not car insurance? Begin searching now to find cheap car insurance online.
Visit http://www.lowerratequotes.com/ or click on the following link to get cheap car insurance quotes from top-rated companies in your area and see how much you can save. You can get more car insurance tips by checking out their "Articles" section.