How do you decide which company and agent, to buy your Car Insurance?

Most responsible drivers maintain car insurance. It is a message to all the other drivers we share the roads with.
The message is; "I am a good driver, however,as a human being, I could make a mistake and cause you a "loss". If that happens be assured that I can pay for the damages I caused you"
A good Insurance policy also protects you against law suits and against people who drive without insurance, as well as it could pay for your car,even if you are at fault.
Lately we are bombarded with "ads" who suggest we switch our Insurance. Some offers us "low prices" but mention very little what kind of coverage we get. Some others convinced us that "if we don't buy from a "well known big huge" company,the "other company" will probably go belly up and leave us without coverage,
and it will be very hard and expensive to find another coverage.
So,it is better to pay high premium and stick with us.
As a responsible motorist, what are your priorities choosing your Company and Agent?

I called several independent agents & asked for quotes & info on the company for each quote I received.

As a responsible motorist who is ALSO an agent, here are my priorities:

1. I don't p**p in my own bed. That means, I never, ever, place my personal insurance coverage through the agency I am working for. I do not want my boss, my coworkers, or even a disgruntled salesguy, to have access to my credit score, my driving record, my home value, and my schedule of jewelry.

2. I want an agent. I NEVER EVER use Geico, Amica, or another direct writer. I do prefer independent agents, but am currently with State Farm because the policy is more broad than I could find elsewhere. AND I SHOPPED IT OUT.

3. I want an agent who knows what they're talking about. I ask tough questions, and if the agent doesn't understand the insurance lingo, they aren't sharp enough for me.

4. I pick my own coverages, and when I shop coverage out, it's always apples to apples. So coverage isn't one of the factors when I'm choosing a carrier. And pricing is the LAST consideration. If two policies were apples to apples identical coverages, then I'll go for the lower price. But right now, I'm with State Farm, which is a HIGHER priced policy than Travelers when I quoted it out, but State Farm coverage is more broad. Also, I check the rating with AM Best, I won't go with a carrier that's rated lower than A-.

Here are some tips on finding a reliable insurance company that will be there if you have a loss:

1) Visit your state's department of insurance Web site. Although you may not be familiar with it, your state, and every state, has a department of insurance. Most departments have Web sites, and many publish "consumer complaint ratios" for all of the insurance companies that sell policies in their state. This ratio tells you how many complaints a car insurance company received per 1,000 claims filed.

2) Find out which insurers body shops recommend. One of the best ways to identify reliable insurers is to contact local body shops that you trust and ask for their recommendations. Body shop managers have a unique perspective to offer, since they regularly interact with insurance adjusters. They know which companies have the smoothest claim processes, which affects how quickly the work can be completed on a damaged vehicle. And they know which companies are pushing aftermarket parts, in lieu of genuine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, to cut costs.

3) Check the J.D. Power Ratings. J.D. Power and Associates collects data from individual policyholders nationwide and rates them according to coverage options, price, claims handling, satisfaction with company representatives and the overall experience. A quick visit to the J.D. Power Consumer Center will give you a feel for how the major carriers stack up. J.D. Power also publishes an annual survey of major auto insurers â€” Amica and Erie have finished at the top for the last three years. These are also companies that Howard recommends: "Erie is sold by independent agents, who are very knowledgeable about the product. I like their claims handling approach. Almost all other companies look at a claim and find a way to not pay it. Erie and Amica will look at it and try to find a way to cover it."

4) Consider insurers' financial strength ratings. As a final check, you can take a look at the A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's ratings. Both companies publish financial strength ratings for all insurance companies â€” these "measure" an insurance company's ability to pay out a claim (they have nothing to do with the way a company treats its customers).

5) Still confused? Consider working with an agent. It used to be that everyone purchased auto insurance from an agent, but now, car insurance companies like Amica, Esurance, Geico and others allow you to purchase insurance directly â€” over the phone from a customer service representative or online. Still, many of the major players have preserved their national networks of local agents â€” even if you use State Farm's or Allstate's Web site, you will still be assigned a local agent.

Reliable car insurance companies are best found by investing time, educating yourself and comparison shopping. Many online websites are designed to be an invaluable resource for insurance shoppers like you in this process. One of the top websites is InsureMe. Go to: http://www.insureme.com/landing.aspx?Refby=614506&Type=auto. You can get up to five insurance quotes from insurance agents who can help you make the best decision regarding your insurance. Once again, shop around, get multiple quotes, and learn all you can about a policy before you buy car insurance.

Each state sets out minimums or guidelines to help you choose your coverages they have a state minimum. If you are in doubt always by more insurance if you can afford it. Comparison shop for several companies to get the best rates. You can get quotes at http://ww.nationwidebillrelief.com they have live help available when you need it. Also once you have finished your quotes you will have a chance to talk to agents from some of the top rated companies around.

I lucked out and am eligible for USAA (well I had to go through Navy training). It has great customer service and good rates.

If you don't have a company with good customer service, then when you hit someone, they will likely sue you to get what they deserve.

Go with the tried and true companies: Allstate, Geico, Aetna. Compare rates and just jump in.

look for price, service and experience, then decide

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