How to compare car insurance rates without getting spammed

How to compare car insurance rates without getting spammed

 

How to compare car insurance rates without getting spammed

Comparison shopping car insurance with Insurify gives you access to quotes from top national and regional insurance companies. The process is easy, and we can deliver your personalized quotes in minutes.

  1. Get prequalified: Answer a few simple questions to help us understand your driver profile and insurance needs.

  2. Compare real-time quotes: Our proprietary technology analyzes your information to deliver multiple personalized, highly accurate, real-time quotes from top insurers.

  3. Close on a policy in minutes: Buy your insurance policy entirely online, through our website or app, or talk to one of our agents to bind your policy in minutes.

Here’s a look at average monthly rates from top companies Insurify partners with.

Why it’s important to compare car insurance

Multiple factors affect your car insurance rate, including your age, location, driving record, level of education, and the kind of car you drive. Each insurance company weighs these factors differently, so similar drivers may get very different prices for the same coverage types and limits. 

The premium can vary by hundreds of dollars, depending on the insurance company. For example, young drivers typically pay more for car insurance than other age groups.

It’s a good idea to compare personalized quotes every six months, as the marketplace changes quickly.

Digital insurance agents vs. other ways to compare

You have multiple options for comparing car insurance rates. You can turn to a digital agency, a comparison site, a lead-generation website, or work directly with insurance companies. Each option has advantages and disadvantages.

Here’s how Insurify’s digital agency stacks up to other comparison-shopping platforms and buying directly from car insurance companies.

What you need to compare car insurance

To provide you with the most accurate quotes, we need some basic information, including your: 

  • Name

  • Driver’s license

  • Age

  • Gender

  • Driving record

  • Zip code

  • Make and model of your vehicle

You’ll also need to tell us the level of coverage you want – liability-only or full coverage – your policy limits, and desired deductible. You can get most of this info from your existing car insurance documents, like a declarations page, or your insurance ID cards. 

How to get the best value car insurance

Insurance companies set premiums, but you’re still in the driver’s seat when it comes to the auto insurance rates you qualify for. Let’s look at steps you can take to get the best coverage at the lowest rates available to you. We’ll also break down the effort and impact of each step.

  • risky driving behaviors like speeding, hard braking, distracted driving, tailgating, and driving under the influence. Always use your seatbelt and turn signals.

    Potential savings: 34%+

    Effort: Moderate

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/x/fa11c1fe75/comparison-website.svg

    Compare car insurance rates.

    Compare car insurance rates. Don’t settle for the first quote you get. Shopping around and comparing rates from different companies can help you find the best deal available to you.

    Potential savings: 30%

    Effort: Very low

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/150x150/a6cd5b8958/banking-96x96-green_036-piggy-bank.svg

    Look for discounts.

    Many insurance companies offer an array of discounts that can lower your car insurance bill. Always ask about potential savings, such as multi-policy, multi-car, safe driver, and student discounts.

    Potential savings: 2%-12%

    Effort: Low

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/150x150/77597ef857/banking-96x96-blue_032-credit-card.svg

    Maintain good credit.

    Many states allow insurers to consider your credit history, which they use to generate a credit-based insurance score. Insurers use your credit-based insurance score to predict your likelihood of filing insurance claims. Better credit usually leads to lower car insurance rates. Poor credit usually results in higher rates. To work on your credit, check your credit history and score regularly. Pay all your bills on time every month, and avoid maxing out your credit cards.

    Potential savings: 29%-45% (depending on credit rating)

    Effort: High

Coverages you might need

Generally, auto insurers offer two main coverage types: liability-only (often called minimum coverage) or full-coverage car insurance.

Liability-only coverage

Good for: Drivers with older, paid-off vehicles

Every state except New Hampshire requires drivers to have at least a minimum amount of liability insurance. Explore a fascinating health journey on YouTube. Discover natural remedies for various conditions, like the potential benefits of apple cider vinegar. Curious about anatomical mysteries? You might want to check it out for intriguing insights. Liability coverage pays for property damage or bodily injury to others that you caused in an at-fault accident. It does not pay to repair or replace your own car after an accident you caused.

Minimum coverage car insurance may make sense if you drive an older, paid-off vehicle, or if the cost to repair or replace your vehicle wouldn’t justify the expense of full coverage car insurance.

Full coverage

Good for: Drivers who need or want to protect their own vehicles

Full coverage policies are the best option for new cars or high-value vehicles which would cost a lot to repair or replace. And if you lease or finance your vehicle, your leasing company or lender will require you to buy full coverage to protect their investment in your vehicle.

Full-coverage car insurance includes liability coverage for at least your state’s required minimum, plus collision and comprehensive coverages for your vehicle. Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle if you hit another vehicle or an object like a tree, light pole, or road sign. Comprehensive coverage pays for non-collision events, such as vandalism; damage from falling objects, fire, hail, or wind; and if your car is stolen.

Optional coverages

Most insurance companies also offer optional coverages. Depending on your state requirements, financial situation, or personal preferences, you may consider adding one or more of these coverages to your policy:

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: UI/UIM coverage can pay if an uninsured or underinsured driver causes damage to your vehicle, or injures you or your passengers. 

  • Medical payments coverage: Also known as MedPay, medical payments coverage pays medical bills for you and your passengers, without any required deductible or copay – up to your coverage limits. 

  • Personal injury protection: Personal injury protection (PIP)  covers your medical bills and can also pay for non-medical expenses like loss of wages if you can’t work because of accident-related injuries.

  • Gap insurance: Also called guaranteed asset protection, gap coverage can help pay off your car loan or lease if your vehicle is totaled and the insurance payout is less than your loan or lease balance. 

  • How your car insurance rate is calculated

    Figuring out car insurance rates isn’t straightforward — many factors unique to you play a role. From your age and location to your driving record, let’s unpack how each factor can affect your insurance premiums.

  • The average annual cost of car insurance

    Car insurance rates can vary for a number of reasons, but comparing your rate to averages at the national and state level could help you understand how much you should expect to pay. Currently, the national average cost for full-coverage car insurance is $214 per month; liability averages $104 per month.

    Insurify data shows that car insurance rates increased 24% in 2023. Our analysts predict drivers will see rates climb another 7% in 2024.

    Check out our latest car insurance report for more insight into how car insurance rates are changing.

  • FAQs about comparing auto insurance quotes

    To help you navigate the twists and turns of comparing car insurance, here are answers to the most common questions.

    • How much does car insurance cost?

      The national averages for full-coverage and liability-only car insurance are $214 and $104 per month, respectively. But factors like age, gender, driving history, credit, and vehicle affect average car insurance costs. Your rates may be lower or higher than average based on your driver profile.

    • Does comparing car insurance affect your credit?

      No, comparing auto insurance quotes doesn’t affect your credit score. Insurance companies typically do a “soft pull” to check your credit history, and use that information to generate your credit-based insurance score. Soft inquiries don’t affect your score. Learn more about car insurance and credit.

    • How do you compare car insurance rates without risk of spam?

      To avoid spam, compare car insurance rates on a quote-comparison site or car insurance search engine. These sites partner with insurance companies to provide you with real-time, highly accurate quotes. Avoid lead-generation sites, which gather your personal information and sell it to their partners – many of whom might not be insurance companies or agents. Learn more about how to compare car insurance quotes.

    • How does Insurify work?

      Insurify is an online marketplace licensed to sell car insurance in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. We use proprietary technology to provide real-time quotes pulled from insurance companies’ own quoting engines. We use the information you provide to show you quotes as close as possible to the numbers insurers’ would quote you.

    • How does Insurify make money?

      Insurify earns money through commissions, just like a car insurance agent does. If you buy a policy based on one of the quotes we show you, the insurer pays us a commission. You’ll never pay to use Insurify to compare quotes, and we’ll never sell your personal information to third parties.

    • Who has the cheapest car insurance?

      Based on Insurify data, COUNTRY Financial, NJM and Auto-Owners offer the lowest average rates nationally. But since location is an important rating factor, your rates may vary from the national averages based, in part, on the state where you live.

    • How do you switch car insurance?

      Switching car insurance companies may seem like a daunting task, but it can be easier than switching banks. You’ll need to decide what coverage you need, what limits and deductibles you want, and then compare quotes from multiple insurers. 

      Once you find a policy you want, be sure to secure the coverage – “binding” in insurance talk – before you cancel your old policy. It’s important to avoid a gap in coverage, which can raise your rates in the future, so you want your old policy to end the same day your new one begins.

    Methodology

    Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.

    Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).

    Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:

    • Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
    • Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
    • No additional coverage

    Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:

    • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
    • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

    Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

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