You can do almost anything online nowadays, and that includes buying auto insurance.
And seriously:
Why would anyone want to deal with an agent on the phone or in-person.
Wouldn't you prefer to just skip the high-pressure sales tactics and compare quotes online at your leisure?
If you’ve never purchased auto insurance online then you're in luck because this post is going to go over step by step instructions on how to buy car insurance online and fast.
What You Will Need
Before you try to compare car insurance rates, you’ll need to have some basic information ready. Be equipped with the following:
How To Purchase Car Insurance Online – Step By Step Instructions
Once you’ve gathered all the relevant details that you’ll need to fill in on an online quote form, you can begin the process of finding potential insurers as outlined in this guide.
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1. Research The Coverage You Need
How much coverage you get is going to influence the price of your policy greatly. While most states require you to have basic liability coverage, you might want additional coverage for your protection.
Here is an overview of your options:
Liability
This coverage is the most basic, and it only pays for damages to properties and injuries to the other party’s vehicle and person when the accident is your fault.
Collision
While liability coverage only pays for the other party’s damages when you’re at fault, collision insurance will pay to repair or replace your vehicle if you are the one at fault. This insurance is usually required if you are financing your car, and it’s also smart to have this protection even when your vehicle is paid off.
Comprehensive
If your car gets stolen, or it’s damaged from an incident other than a collision, then comprehensive coverage will pay for repairs or the replacement value of your vehicle.
If you own your car outright, then his coverage is optional. However, if you are leasing or financing your car, you will most likely be required to purchase this coverage.
Uninsured Motorist
If you’re involved in a car accident, and the person at fault doesn’t have insurance, then an insurance policy with uninsured motorist will cover the repair or replacement costs of your vehicle.
Medical Payments
This type of insurance covers the cost of medical bills, regardless of who’s at fault, and it can be added to any policy.
2. Find Reputable Insurance Companies
Once you’ve determined how much coverage you need, it’s time to begin researching companies that you’re considering.
Online Reviews
Reading what other customers are saying will give you an idea of how well the company will serve your needs.
Pay particular attention to what people say about rate increases and the claims process. To find online reviews, do a Google search for: company name + reviews.
You can also check each company’s social media pages to see if people are complaining and how the company responds to those complaints.
BBB
The Better Business Bureau logs all complaints that come in about a business and then assigns a letter grade.
Look for A ratings. While a B rating isn’t necessarily the end of the world, it does indicate that a significant number of negative reviews have been written.
A.M. Best or Similar Rankings
If you’re thinking about doing business with a less established company, it’s a good idea to check their creditworthiness and financial health.
After all, it would be terrible if you tried to collect on a claim only to find out your insurance company was on the verge of bankruptcy.
AM Best will give you a detailed view of a company’s financial condition. You should also be able to find this rating information on a company's individual website under ratings.
3. Complete An Online Application
Now that you’ve narrowed down your search, it’s time to complete an online application.
Once you fill in all the details, you may get an instant quote, or companies might follow up with you via email or telephone.
There are a couple of ways to access the online application:
As you’re filling out the online application, have all of the information you gathered from earlier steps.
It’s essential to be as accurate as possible as you provide all of the details in your application.
If anything that you report is false, then it could result in cancellation of coverage or a rate hike.
4. Pay For Coverage
If you are financing or leasing a car, you might also consider buying gap insurance.
Gap insurance provides for the ‘gap’ between what you owe on a vehicle and what it is worth at the time you are involved in an accident.
The minute you drive off a dealership lot, your car value depreciates, and it is worth less than you paid for it.
If you are in an accident, you are still responsible for your lease payments or your car loan payments.
Gap Insurance coverage is in addition to your car insurance. If the amount the insurance company pays is not enough to cover your loan, gap insurance might make up the difference.
Because it is coverage that mainly works with loans and leases, you might see it referred to as loan/lease gap coverage.
It is only an option for someone who is the original leaseholder or owner of the loan.
5. Print Proof of Insurance
Before you drive anywhere, make sure you print your proof of insurance card.
You must display this information if you get pulled over or are in a collision.
Some companies also have apps where you can access your insurance card directly from your smartphone.
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Taking Action
People often ask us, “Is it cheaper to get car insurance online?”
The answer is yes, but only if you do your homework.
The first quote you get isn’t necessarily going to be the best. Make sure you shop around to get the lowest rates.
By using the Internet to get online auto insurance, you’ll be able to compare rates from multiple companies side by side, instead of having to take an agent’s word at face value.
There is no need to wait around to get started, you can either click here or one of the above buttons.