Bankrate's insurance experts guide you through the basics of car insurance. Our exclusive approach can help you feel more confident in your insurance decisions.
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Comparing car insurance quotes online can help you narrow down carriers with auto insurance rates that fit your budget and coverage needs. But with so many options to sort through, knowing where to start can be tough. Bankrate's insurance editorial team mapped out four steps to help you discover what coverage you may need and how to find it at the best price:
Determine your priorities
Insurance is a highly individualized product, and every driver has different needs to meet in terms of both coverage and budget. For instance, are you willing to spend a little more for top-notch customer service, or is price the determining factor? Are you looking for the latest digital tools, or do you value a company with strong sustainability values?
How much car insurance do you need?
Build your desired coverage package
Once you know how much you can spend, you can evaluate the different types of coverage and policy limits you may need and request the same package from each company. Requesting quotes that are as similar as possible is essential to getting an accurate rate comparison.
Common types of car insurance coverage
Gather your personal information
Although it may be possible to get anonymous car insurance quotes, these rates are generally not very accurate. To avoid this, you will want to have some information handy, including:
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Driver information
You will need to provide basic information for all the drivers you'd like included on your quote (names and birthdays, for example). While you probably won't need their driver's license numbers during the quoting process, you will need them to purchase the policy — you may want to gather this information now to make it easier to purchase the policy later. Additionally, the company may run your credit-based insurance score if you live in one of the states that allows insurance companies to consider your credit history as part of calculating your car insurance rate.
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Vehicle information
Providing your vehicle identification number (or VIN) when requesting a quote can help ensure that you receive all the vehicle safety discounts you may be eligible for.
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Driving history
It's vital to give a detailed account of the accidents, tickets and suspensions you and any other drivers on your policy have received over the last three to 10 years. This is because most companies don't run driving records until you decide to purchase the policy. Failure to provide this information during the process could result in a quoted premium that is artificially low.
Estimate your car insurance quote
Factoring in the criteria listed above, our auto insurance quotes calculator can give you a general range of what you can expect to pay for car insurance. The estimated range can be useful to refer back to when you begin receiving real-time quotes.
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This advertisem*nt is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisem*nt are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer from an advertiser may be different from the offer on this advertisem*nt. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions.
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Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
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After you’ve gathered enough auto insurance quotes, you can start comparing them based on your priorities, budget and preferred coverage package. How insurance companies weigh risk factors and formulate insurance premiums differs based on the carrier. Your policy quotes will range in price due to how each carrier evaluates certain rating factors.
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Definition of terms
Advertising Disclosure This advertisem*nt is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisem*nt are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer from an advertiser may be different from the offer on this advertisem*nt. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions.
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*We calculated this estimated average by comparing your provided details to data for similar drivers. Our calculation assumes a 2020 Toyota Camry, 7,500 miles annually, 100/300/50 liability limits with $1,000 comprehensive and collision deductibles and no accidents. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer may be different from the offer on this advertisem*nt. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions.
Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249)
Insurance Disclosure
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
We couldn't find any rates that match your critera Please check your inputs and try again, or answer a few more questions to get accurate, personalized quotes from carriers in your area.
Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249)
Insurance Disclosure
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
Customer satisfaction
This customer satisfaction score is provided by J.D. Power, a third party consumer data and analytics company that provides independent, unbiased ratings for different auto insurance carriers.
Bankrate Scores
Bankrate Scores primarily reflect a weighted rank of industry-standard ratings for financial strength and customer experience in addition to analysis of quoted annual premiums from Quadrant Information Services, spanning all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Why should you use Bankrate to compare auto insurance quotes?
As a trusted name in the financial services sector since 1976, Bankrate began as a print publication geared toward bankers and those in the banking industry. Today, we help millions of readers make wise decisions regarding their savings, loans, investments and insurance. Our insurance editorial team includes licensed agents with agency experience. Using our combined knowledge and proprietary rate data, we can provide accurate, helpful and easy-to-understand information to help you find the cheapest online car insurance quotes.
With Bankrate, you can:
- Rest assured that we safeguard your private information
- Instantly compare personalized rates among many of the nation's top car insurance companies
- Purchase a policy with a licensed agent through our coverage agency
- Research auto, home and life insurance through articles written, edited and reviewed by industry professionals
What can affect my car insurance quote?
Car insurance is like a fingerprint — car insurance companies may use almost a dozen different rating factors to determine your premium. Although these factors can vary depending on your state, some may include your age, gender, location, driving history and credit history. Additionally, the type of vehicle you drive and the level of coverage you select will impact the cost of your car insurance. With this in mind, the best car insurance quote will be different for everyone. The best way to find the cheapest policy that suits your individualized needs is to request free quotes and shop around.
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Where you live
Where you live also plays a role in your car insurance premium. Even in states where ZIP codes cannot be used as a factor in determining rates, you may find that your state’s average cost of car insurance may be significantly different compared to a neighboring state.
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Your age and gender
In most states, the age and gender of a driver may play an important role in determining car insurance rates. Demographic groups that are shown to engage in riskier driving behaviors, such as young drivers, male drivers and senior drivers, typically face higher rates on average.
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Your driving history
Perhaps the most influential factor on car insurance rates, your driving history is closely analyzed when calculating car insurance quotes, as it indicates risky driving behavior.
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Your credit score
Credit score, or more accurately, your credit-based insurance score, can be used by insurance companies in many states to predict the risk of claims being filed in the future.
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Your vehicle
The type of car you drive also plays an important role in your car insurance premium. Luxury vehicles tend to have higher premiums, due in part to expensive repair costs for labor and parts.
Bankrate Awards
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The best in auto insurance for 2024
Our Bankrate Awards identified the standout insurers across arange of metrics. In our search for the best of the best, we analyzed average rates, coverage offerings, discounts, availability, digital tools, and third-party customer satisfaction and financial strength ratings.
Featured car insurance reviews
Best for digital policy management
4.4
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Bankrate Rating = 4.4/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
Read full review
Best for high-risk drivers
4.3
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Bankrate Rating = 4.3/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
Read full review
Best digital auto insurance company
3.1
Rating: 3.1 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Bankrate Rating = 3.1/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
Read full review
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All Bankrate insurance reviews
Comparing insurance companies can help you find the right policy for your lifestyle. Bankrate's company reviews can help you determine if a carrier fits your needs. Our reviews look at more than just price, so you walk away with a robust view of each insurance provider.
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