Compare car insurance rates online: aggregate insurance quote websites

Without the Internet, it would be much more difficult to find the lowest car insurance rates. Imagine time-consuming searches for quality auto insurance companies in the yellow pages, endless meetings with insurance agents quoting just rates from those companies they represent, tiresome comparison of all figures and making a difficult final choice.  

Luckily, times are changing - nowadays finding the best deals have become easier. You can browse through numerous aggregate insurance quote websites like Insurance.com or USinsuranceonline.com to save your time and money. An additional benefit is that you can gain a better understanding of auto insurance through educational articles and videos.  

Auto insurance is designed to protect the driver financially in the case of an accident. It covers damages to another vehicle and medical expenses related to the accident. If you refuse to purchase at least liability insurance, you face substantial penalties: fines - from $150 and up, confiscation of the driver’s license - from 6 to 12 months, and even jail time in certain circumstances. Plus, you have to pay for all damages and injuries out of your own pocket. 

There is no fixed price for auto insurance, so the first thing to consider is how much it will cost you. Prices vary depending on numerous factors including deductibles (typically $50-$1,000), type and amount of coverage, the state you live in, the model and the make of your car, your age, driving record, where your car is parked at night, etc. In October 2009 the average annual car insurance rate in the U.S. was $1,804.

Surfing the Internet for the best deals

The Internet has made shopping for car insurance easy and hassle-free. Basically, all auto insurance websites fall into 2 categories: single auto insurance company sites that quote only their own rates (www.geico.com, www.statefarm.com, www.nationwide.com, www.progressive.com, www.21st.com) and aggregators that offer quotes from numerous car insurance companies. Their main advantage is that you can compare rates from several brokers at once and choose the best offers fitting your needs and budget.  

Here are some of the most popular aggregate insurance quote websites:
• Insurance.com. Insurance.com provides auto insurance quotes, home insurance quotes, life and health insurance quotes, and even pet insurance quotes. The company works directly with 15 highly rated car insurance companies in 46 states. Just click the Auto Insurance tab and complete the information questionnaire. If you have any questions, you can visit their Buyer's Guide to Auto Insurance tool.
• USinsuranceonline.com. US Insurance Online offers auto quotes, health quotes, home quotes, and life quotes. Just fill out the short form on the first page to start comparing rates and coverage to find exactly what you are looking for. You can get rates for temporary car insurance, SR22 insurance, commercial vehicle insurance and gap insurance. A collection of articles will help you learn more about different policies and terms. 
• Carinsurance.com. With CarInsurance, it is easy to compare multiple auto insurance rates, purchase online or through call center, and save your hard-earned money. The company currently has relationships in all 50 states, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Start with entering your zip code on the first page – and you will get vehicle insurance rates in 60 seconds or less.
• Onlineautoinsurance.com. Instead of calling around, you can complete one single questionnaire on Onlineautoinsurance.com and instantly get back car insurance rates from reputable participating carriers, for example GMAC, Progressive, 21st Century, Infinity, Unitrin and more. The website also offers educational videos on multiple subjects related to auto insurance.

In tough economic times, savvy consumers are shopping around to find the best deals on car insurance. However, since we all have different individual needs and expectations, the "best car insurance" will also differ. Aggregate insurance quote websites will help you determine highest, lowest and average auto insurance rates exactly for you and your car.