How to Get Free Car Insurance Quotes 2024
A car insurance quote is more than the estimated cost of a policy you’re thinking of buying. It’s also a free tool you can use to get cheap car insurance.
The key is to compare car insurance quotes from several different companies. This makes it easy to see which company is offering you the cheapest premium for the types and amounts of car insurance coverage you need.
How do I get a car insurance quote?
To get an instant car insurance quote, all you need to do is:
- Go to an insurance company’s website.
- Look for a button or field that says something like, “Get a quote.” You might need to go to the car or auto insurance section of some sites to find this.
- After you click on that button, you’ll be asked to share certain details about yourself, your vehicle and the policy you want.
- That’s it for most insurers. Now you get your quote.
You can also get car insurance quotes from insurance comparison sites. On these sites, you share your info once and then receive quotes from multiple companies.
Although getting auto insurance quotes online is fast and easy, you can get them by calling or talking with an agent in person, too.
How do I compare car insurance quotes?
To compare car insurance quotes:
- Get quotes from several car insurance companies.
- Look at the quotes you receive side by side. Make sure they all provide the same coverage types and amounts. If they don’t, correct any that are different.
- Consider the premiums of each quote. Keep in mind that some quotes may have a monthly rate, while others may give you an annual rate.
- Do all of the quotes include one or more discounts? If not, they could make a big difference.
- If all else is the same, the quote with the lowest premium is probably the best one for you.
What do you need to get car insurance quotes?
Car insurance companies ask for certain pieces of personal information before they send you a quote:
- Your name
- Address
- Date of birth
- Marital status
- Driver’s license number
- Vehicle identification number of any car you want your policy to cover
They’ll also want to know the names and dates of birth of anyone else in your household.
If you’ve been in any accidents or cited for any driving violations, you’ll have to share those details with an insurance company, too.
You may be able to get a quote without some of this info, but the estimate you receive won’t be accurate until the insurer has all of it.
What factors influence my car insurance quotes?
Companies consider many factors when coming up with your car insurance quote, such as your:
- Driving record
- Insurance claim history
- Car make and model
- ZIP code
- Age
- Gender
- Marital status
You’ll likely get a cheaper quote with a clean driving record than you will if you’ve been in multiple accidents, for example. And if you’re a teen who has just started driving, you’ll get a higher quote than you would if you were 35 and you’ve been driving for years.
Are car insurance quotes free?
Yes, car insurance quotes are free. A reputable company will not charge you for a car insurance quote.
You also aren’t obligated to buy a car insurance policy from a company that sends you a quote.
Frequently asked questions
You get a car insurance quote when you contact an insurance company about buying a policy from them.
The quote itself is an estimate of what you will pay for a car insurance policy from that company. It’s based on information you share about yourself and the types and amounts of car insurance coverage you want the policy to include.
You should get car insurance quotes because they let you review what a company might charge you for a car insurance policy before you agree to buy it. They can also help you save money by letting you see which insurer will offer you the lowest price.
You should compare quotes because doing so is one of the best ways to get the cheapest car insurance rate for your needs and situation. The best way to compare car insurance quotes is to get and compare quotes from multiple companies — three, at least. By comparing quotes from several companies side by side, you can easily figure out which quote has the most coverage for the most affordable rate.
It shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to get a car insurance quote online. How long it takes depends on how much information the company asks you to share. Some ask for more than others. Getting a quote may take longer if you start the process over the phone or in person with an agent.
You can get car insurance quotes as often as you like. To make the most of your time, though, you should wait to get and compare car insurance quotes every six to 12 months. This makes it most likely you’ll save money with one of the companies you include in your comparison.
A car insurance quote shouldn’t cost anything. Car insurance quotes are free unless they come from an untrustworthy company.
You can, but it will also change the price of your quote. And if you only change parts of one policy or quote, it will no longer be comparable to any other quotes you receive. For the most accurate comparison possible, use the same information for all of your quotes.
It’s up to you if you get car insurance quotes online, over the phone or in person from an agent. Over the phone and in person let you ask questions and clear up any issues that may pop up, but they also usually take longer. Getting quotes online is fast, but it can also be tough if you hit any snags.
A car insurance quote is an estimate of what you’ll pay for a policy if you go ahead and buy it. A quote isn’t a policy. You get a quote from a company so you can review the cost and other aspects of a policy before buying it.