NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Every now and again, it’s a good idea to shop around for car insurance, but that can be tedious and time consuming.
We are talking about quote comparison sites. They may sound like the perfect solution. You type in all your info just once and then get a bunch of quotes in a matter of minutes. Simple, yes. The best way to do it? Maybe, maybe not. Because there are some things you need to be aware of when you use these sites.
Want the best car insurance rates? Experts like Margot Gilman from Consumer Reports will tell you to regularly shop around.
“We at CR believe that you should price shop for car insurance ideally once a year,” Gilman said.
But that can be easier said than done. After all, it takes a lot of time to enter the same information over and over again. Enter car insurance quote comparison sites marketed as huge time and money savers. Giving users quotes from multiple companies at one time.
They do that, but there can be a tradeoff.
“Some of these sites, while yes, will save you time, and that’s great - there are some out there that will take your personal information and sell it - so you need to be careful,” Gilman said.
First check to see if the quote-comparison site is licensed to even sell insurance in your state and offer you real quotes. To find out, contact your state’s insurance
commissioner office.
And to make sure your information doesn’t get sold to a marketing company or data broker, be sure to check the company’s terms of service and privacy policy.
“Reading all the legalese on these pages can make your head spin, so what we recommend is to do a word search on the page. Look for terms like, “sell” and “share,” she added.
Also, be prepared for lots of emails, calls and texts from the insurance companies that provided quotes. You can usually opt out, but often the companies don’t make
it easy to do so.
And finally, since not all major insurance carriers will show up on quote-comparison sites, it’s a good idea to get some direct quotes from them as well. Consumer Reports car insurance ratings can help identify insurers that have the best customer service, coverage, and the lowest premiums.
It’s a good idea to reevaluate your car insurance policy if you’re driving less than you used to, paid off your car, or if your children no longer live at home or drive your car.
