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Online car insurance services: pros, cons and costs

Like everything, online car insurance services have their pros and cons

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More and more people are turning to the Internet to find the best prices on car insurance. Online car insurance services can do everything from provide quotes to offer customer service for claims and billing issues. For some, this is convenient. Still, others find it impersonal and impractical. There are definitely both pros and cons to handing your insurance needs online. 

Pros

Online car insurance companies allow you to get quotes, make payments, file claims and review your documents review online car insurance servicesany time of the day or night, from the comfort of your own home. You can shop for insurance in your pajamas at midnight if you prefer.

A growing number of insurance companies now offer mobile apps so that you can log in from your cell phone or tablet or other mobile device while you're away from home. This is especially convenient when you're out of town and need immediate answers and aren't near your computer. Online services also give you access to your account and other insurance information after normal business hours. In some instances, the online app can also serve as the proof of insurance you need to carry with you at all times as a licensed driver in your state.

You can get free quotes on car insurance policies and to find online car insurance services here

Because they're often able to serve a greater volume of customers, online companies may be able to offer you more discounted pricing. You may also be able to compare the prices from many insurance companies at once using an online service, which can allow you to get the best deal.

Quotes obtained online will generally layout all the coverage amounts and options in your policy and allow you to compare different plans or conduct research as necessary before making a final decision.

Cons

When you buy insurance online, you don't get face-to-face service, which many customers prefer. When you buy offline, you can choose to do business with a small business owner who lives in your neighborhood and knows you and your family. When an accident happens, you may feel comforted to have an agent who you know and trust rather than an automated claims service or a stranger chatting back at you in an online service or taking down your information from a distant, toll-free customer service department.

Working with an agent in your community may get you local discounts or deals that Internet auto insurance services might not offer or even ask you about. Unless your local agent is an independent agent with access to a range of companies, they may not be able to give you the prices and policy options of other companies.

Online auto insurance services usually don't have branch offices that you can stop into when you feel like talking to a real person or making an in-person payment. You also usually can't make cash or even check payments with an online car insurance service.

Agents from local insurance companies can do the research for you and then explain anything you don't understand. When you're face-to-face or on the phone, you can ask as many questions as you need to and talk until you completely and thoroughly understand your policy, all its options and what it is you're paying for.

Costs

online car insurance servicesIt's almost impossible to generalize about the cost differences there may be between an online car insurance service and working in person with a car insurance agent and an agency. On the one hand, online services have greater violume where they can spread out the overhead, which logic would dictate a resulting lower price. On the other hand, local agencies are more in-tune with all the state and local coverage options, price fluctuations and discounts. Even using an online service, you will be somewhat left to the vagaries of your state's insurance infrastructure (requirements, rates, level of competition, etc.).

 

One of the best ways to really evaluate what works best for you is to give both an online and in-person car insurance services a run for their money. Check out a few online quoting services and take your results to some local insurance agents. Ask questions, compare results, request additional information, and in the end, make a decision that feels best for your particular lifestyle and your driving needs. Reply! can help by putting you in touch with both online and in-person car insurance services in your area where you can make all the comparisons you'll need to find just the right fit.

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