Get the Price You Want on Your Policy

There are a lot of auto insurance discounts, and we could spend a healthy chunk of time listing them all.

But we're not going to.

That's because today we're going to concentrate on saving you money today, and, let's face it, you're not about to trade in your sporty car or move to the country for a lower auto insurance rate. (And we'll cover that kind of long-term stuff in our wrap-up tomorrow.)

But we can help you save on auto insurance, save a lot on auto insurance, right now.

How? By making you (yes, making you, shop around for quotes.) Is shopping around really that important? Well, important enough that consumer advocates consistently say that a failure to shop is the single biggest reason Americans overpay on car insurance.

Why is shopping around so important?

Because the price of auto insurance in every state is decided by the behavior of that state's drivers as a whole. Insurance companies take this cost (this includes settlements and legal fees) and divide it up among all drivers.

But the cost isn't spread around evenly. Instead, the percentage you pay is decided by things like your driving record, your age, where you live, and the kind of car you drive.

Of course, not all insurance companies figure their percentages the same way. So they'll charge different rates on the same driver.

What this means for you as a driver, is that you need to shop the different rates (and they'll be very different!) for the best deal. And the easiest way to shop around for quotes is to use our recommended insurance shopping services.

We think these services are a powerful tool for shoppers, and we're not alone. In a recent consumer survey by McKinsey and Company, around 90% of respondents reported being interested in online comparison shopping. And it must work. In the same survey, 50% of internet users reported having switched carriers in the last year.

Our favorite insurance shopping services:

ComparisonMarket - the best!
(not available in AK, HI, MA, NJ)

Insurecom
(not available in NJ)

Electric Insurance
(for good drivers - and only in 30 states.)


Not everyone can get a quote from these companies (except for Insurecom - they'll quote everyone). To find additional discount insurance providers in your area, visit our state info page. Who knows? - you might find a company that can save you even more.


Get as many quotes as you can for your state, and compare the results. Only by comparing many different quotes will you get the best deal on your policy.

Tomorrow we'll wrap up the course with a word on how to keep lowering your insurance costs after you get your policy. The how-to may surprise you, so make sure to read this (shorter) last lesson.

Want to learn even more?

Take our quick auto insurance course, and learn the step-by-step to get the most out of your auto insurance policy for the least amount money.

Just ten easy lessons - start today