Finding car insurance can seem like the biggest hassle. It’s tempting to put it off, sign up for the first deal that you see, or even just sign up with the same insurers as your parents. However if you’re looking to get the best value for your money, then you actually have to do the looking yourself.
Back in the day if you wanted to find the best insurance, you needed to pound the pavement and wade through a pile of greasy insurance salesmen who wanted you to buy cover for more than just your car.
Blink for a moment with these guys and you would find yourself signed up for life insurance, health insurance, and riot insurance (did you know you could get that?) on top of the most expensive car insurance policy out there.
Thankfully, we have the internet now and finding the right insurance isn’t such a gut-wrenching trial.
Use Google to Find the Best Car Insurance Online
Before picking up insurance, google it! Type in some of the obvious phrases like “Best car insurance for under 25’s” and “car insurance traps.” Have a look at what’s out there and wrap your head around some of the traps to avoid.
For example, you might want to take out the cheapest insurance you can find – after all that leaves more in your pocket. However if you take out minimal cover, you might find yourself with a couple of hundred of dollars out of pocket after your insurance has paid all they’ve covered you for.
Use an Insurance Comparison Sites
Now that you’ve got an idea of the amount of cover you need, and the pitfalls to avoid, use an insurance comparison site to find a cover that suits you. There are several websites that will list and compare multitudes of insurance options, so you don’t have to wade through every individual website.
Chances are, if you google car insurance or use any other search engine out there, you will find these websites easily.
These sites will also alert you to any deals that are currently on, such as a first month free, or a cash back offer. Just keep an eye out for the ‘sponsored’ links. These people pay to be pushed higher up in the search rankings, so while they might appear at the top of the list, they aren’t always a good deal.
Google it Again
Once you’ve reviewed the policies available and narrowed it down to two or three options, do a final search on Google or other search engines of those companies and see what people are saying about them.
Remember that no one likes insurance companies, and you aren’t likely to find many positive reviews. People mostly take to the internet to review a company when they’ve had a bad experience, so take their feedback with a grain of salt.
However, people also don’t complain without a reason. If a company has a string of complaints noting that they didn’t pay out when they should of, or that their customer service is impossible to deal with consider skipping them. It might cost you a few extra dollars a month, but insurance is pointless if it won’t pay when you need it.