It is unnecessary to go to half a dozen different insurance companies and brokers to get a good car insurance quote.
With the development of the internet and the emergence of insurance brokers, you can do everything over the phone lines and by email or fax.
A good insurance broker will be able to find better and cheaper rates than you would operating on your own.
They know what factors to mention in the application and what to leave out.
An broker also often has a relationship with the insurance company already established which allows them to fast track your application.
Going directly to the insurance company can also save you money on your car insurance quote.
This is because you cut out the middleman or insurance broker.
When the independent insurance broker is cut out, the insurance company does not have to charge you that little bit extra to cover the commission the broker charges.
However, insurance brokers do have their uses, for example, they cut out a lot of the leg work that you would otherwise have to tackle to get car insurance quotes and then compare them.
These days you do not need to go to the offices of the insurance companies, you can search the internet for quotes.
Any insurance company worth is salt will have a website and on their website should be a form where you can ask for a car insurance quote.
There are also websites that offer you a number of quotes from various insurance companies.
They are like virtual insurance brokers, you enter your information once and they return a set number of quotes from the insurance companies that have enlisted with them.
This saves you a fortune in travel expenses, time and frustration.
When getting a car insurance quote, you should also take into consideration the reputation of the insurance companies you are willing to consider.
A car insurance quote that is very low on premiums may have a large excess payment or may come from a company that has a reputation for finding technicalities that allow them to avoid paying you.
Again, the internet can come in handy when you take a deeper look into the reputation of an insurance company.
There are websites available for people to list their complaints, grievances and compliments about any business.
There are often also national databases of complaints received from clients of various businesses.
When looking at the complaints history of a company, take into account the size of the company and the percentage of complaints they have received, not just the number of complaints they receive.
So, make use of brokers and the internet when you are looking for a good car insurance quote.
Brokers save you a lot of time even though they may cost a little more, whilst the internet is a good source of information about the companies themselves.
By doing the appropriate research and taking the time to read the quotes thoroughly, you can avoid disappointment when the time comes for a pay-out.
Remember, the cheapest is not always the best when it comes to car insurance.