The internet has revolutionized the way we buy car insurance, but has left the average person without a guide in a very confusing forest. Semo can help you shop smarter.
With online insurance shopping, everything is right at your fingertips. You can look for plans 24/7, easily compare multiple providers with a few mouse clicks and get coverage instantly.
Of course, all of this incredible access comes with drawbacks — insurance scams, bad quotes, getting spammed, and generally feeling lost when it comes to the whole process. Fear not! With a little bit of knowledge and a little bit of work, you can smartly and safely shop online to find the best insurance for you.
Educate Yourself
The first thing you need to understand about shopping for insurance online is that you’re on your own. While back in the day, you might’ve had an agent to hold your hand through the process, today, you have to do it yourself. Luckily, because you’re online, all the answers you need are just a search away — once you know what to look for.
Before you begin shopping, make sure you know your state car insurance minimums. These differ wildly from state to state, and what’s mandatory in one may not even be necessary in another. By knowing the coverage you absolutely must have in advance, you’ll be able to avoid the mistake of finding a great deal online, only to discover too late that you aren’t carrying enough coverage.
Once you know what you legally must have, you need to decide what you want.
Do you want gap coverage? Comprehensive? Collision? These terms don’t mean anything until you understand them.. Luckily, SEMO has already made a handy guide that demystifies insurance terms so you can understand what is being offered, and decide if these extras are things you want to include in your policy.
Go Legit
As soon as you know what you need and what you want, it’s time to start shopping.
Unlike the people who sell you just about anything else, insurance companies actually need to know a lot about you to give you a rate quote. The reason is that your rate is determined by many factors including your age, gender, the car you drive, where you live, prior insurance history, and in many states, your credit history as well as other factors, depending on the insurer.
Bad quotes often occur because insurance companies know people are hesitant to give this much information online, so they offer an estimated quote to entice customers. This often seems like a great deal — until you provide the rest of your info only to find the real quote is significantly higher than what was estimated.
There’s no way for an insurance company to give you a rate without knowing your information, so the best thing to do is use legitimate services. All of the major insurers have online portals set up to give you fast and accurate quotes. While nearly all of them will end up spamming you to some degree (after all, they know you’re interested and want your business), getting them out of your inbox is as easy as clicking “unsubscribe.”
If you find yourself on the site of an insurer you’ve never heard of and their rates sound too good to be true, think twice before giving your personal information. Research the company or the agent. Find reviews to see what other people are saying about them.
While the internet has given birth to a new crop of excellent auto insurers that may be new to you, it has also led to many scam insurers. Doing your research will help keep you and your information safe.
Another great online resource can be aggregate sites where you can enter your info once and they can give you quotes from multiple insurers.
Just like with insurers, before you give any of your information, check the site out. Is it just a home page with a form to fill out? Steer clear. Does it have articles and blog posts, guaranteed data security, and helpful information for those looking for insurance? You’re on much safer ground.
By using a legit service, you keep your information secure, save time, and avoid spam from multiple insurers.
Protect Yourself and Shop Smarter
Once you’ve begun searching for insurance online, you’ll probably start seeing ads for insurance on every page you visit. It’s the nature of how the internet works today. Most of these ads will be from the major companies, but you’re sure to see a few from businesses you’ve never heard of that advertise insanely discounted rates.
Whatever you see, click with caution. There’s no telling where these ads will take you or how legit they are, until you do your research. Even if you were wise and only gave your information to reputable sites, your web traffic and searches create a pattern that advertising platforms can use to generally find people searching for car insurance. If you click an ad and end up on a site that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Check them out thoroughly before giving out any of your information.
Likewise, once you start your search, even the cautious may start receiving calls from insurers looking to win your business. Feel free to decline or pick up when they ring, but never give them any of your information.
With today’s technology, regardless of what your phone says, you have no way of knowing who is actually calling, which means you should treat every incoming call as a scam. If company XYZ calls you to see if you’d like to finalize a deal on the quote you received, and you actually do want to, then either go online to finalize it or call them back at the number listed on their website. This way, you can ensure that you are talking to an actual representative of company XYZ.
Finally, when you do purchase your insurance, use a credit card. If somehow you follow all of the above and still end up on the bad end of a scam, most credit cards have fraud and identity theft protection. So even if you do get taken, you’ve got protection in the long run.
Conclusion
The internet can be a confusing place, but it’s also necessary and can yield amazing results for the savvy consumer. While the potential for scams, fraud, and other problems needs to be acknowledged, it shouldn’t stop you from using the best resource there is for finding great car insurance. By educating yourself, ensuring you work with only legitimate companies, and protecting yourself, you can navigate the world of online car insurance with ease and confidence. Now go out there and get a great deal!
Insurance Terms Demystified
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