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Making the Car Insurance Comparison

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Research Last Updated: 12/13/2011

Car insurance comparison is a lot like shopping for apples; just make sure that there are no oranges in the group though.

Car insurance comparison

If you are doing some car insurance comparison, make sure you are comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges.

You have called around to different insurance companies and agencies, and now have a pile of car insurance quotes in front of you. So, what do you do now?

Now it’s time to do your car insurance comparison.

Car Insurance Comparison the Same Coverage

When you called around for insurance quotes you should have asked for quotes on the same coverage. For example, if you got a quote from company A for collision coverage with a $500 deductible, you should have asked every company that you got a quote from for a quote on collision coverage with a $500 deductible.

If you go through and find that some of the coverages don’t match, you need to call those companies back. It may seem like a hassle, but without prices for the same coverage you won’t have an accurate car insurance comparison of who has the best price.

Don’t worry about the insurance companies not having the same coverages for your car insurance comparison either. Insurance is regulated by the state and most insurance companies sell the exact same coverage. The only difference in insurance policies is the company itself.

Car Insurance Comparison Different Perks

Unless you have managed to completely tune out car insurance commercials, you know that car insurance companies know that people are doing more car insurance comparison. So, they try to make themselves standout and offer new perks that the other companies don’t.

Some of the perks they offer are worthless, and others are valuable enough to make you consider switching to them if the price is right. These perks are something that you need to take into account during your car insurance comparison.

For example, say that you get a quote from two insurance companies and the price is very similar. However, one of the companies offers free road side assistance with their policies. Obviously the company that offers the free roadside assistance is going to be the better value.

Car Insurance Comparison Company Reliability

Company reliability is one of the categories that people never check when they are doing a car insurance comparison. But, what happens if you have a claim and your insurance company doesn’t pay? What was the point of paying them all of that insurance premium and choosing them just because they were the lowest price?

You can find out what insurance companies have the reputation of making it difficult on their clients when there is a claim by checking the company out. You can do this by contacting the Better Business Bureau, different consumer groups, customer review sites and business magazines that rate the performance of insurance companies.

Companies such as J.D. Power and Associates has a very extensive rating criteria for insurance companies and each year they list which company is the best; including in the claims department and customer service. They also list which ones are the worst in claims and customer service. Both of which would be good information to have especially when you have narrowed down your car insurance comparison to two companies that otherwise seem similar.

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Michele Wilmonen

Michele's first introduction to insurance was working for a major insurance company as a file clerk and a mailroom supervisor in a regional office. She learned insurance directly from underwriters and claims adjusters from questions and also watching them do their job. Since then, she's earned a number of insurance certifications from the Insurance Institute of America and also a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho. She blogs at Car Insurance Guidebook.

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