To find out which company offers the best car insurance, all you have to do is ask. The key is asking the right people. Read on to learn whom you should speak with before choosing your new car insurance policy.
Chances are, the people you know have auto policies with several major car insurance companies. Because these people are current customers of the companies you are considering, it is worth your time to ask them about their experiences with their providers. Talk to colleagues, friends, family members, and anyone else in your social circle about the coverage they have and which carrier they believe is the best car insurance company. Not only can the people you know tell you about their current car insurers, but they can also tell you about their past experiences (good or bad) with other carriers.
Auto body shop employees typically have unique insights on car insurers because they deal with claims and insurance companies day in and day out. An auto body mechanic can easily tell you the best auto insurance companies based on their level of cooperation and willingness to pay for repairs. The best car insurance coverage will allow you to repair your vehicle with OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts, not generic parts. Someone from a body shop can let you know which insurers pay for the higher-quality OEM parts and which insurers mandate the use of generic equipment. Body shop employees can also tell you which insurers are notoriously tightfisted when it comes to paying out claims and which are the most generous. They may even tell you information that your insurer does not want you to know.
In your state, you will have a department of insurance (DOI) that offers current and prospective policyholders all kinds of valuable information. The likelihood that you will find the best car insurance company without consulting with the department of insurance first is unlikely, so take the time to pay them a visit or at least peruse their Website. The DOI will have a list of auto insurers licensed to sell policies in your state as well as a record of complaints filed against those insurers. The best auto insurance companies should have a very small number of complaints relative to the number of claims filed. The insurance department can also provide information on insurance scams and other fraudulent activity so you know which carriers to avoid.