7 Tips to Get Quotes on Insurance

When you have insurance, it’s essential to get quotes from as many companies as possible to find the best deal. Keep in mind that some companies may be quoting you for reasons other than just giving you the best price. For example, your agent might be asking other agents what they think is a fair quote so that they can artificially inflate their commission and make them money on every sale. You should also be wary of companies who only quote you if you meet specific underwriting standards. Other companies may offer higher coverage at lower rates because they are not worried about how much money they will lose if you file a claim so long as it is an unforeseen event. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), consumers who shop around and compare at least three quotes are significantly more likely to find a policy that fits both their coverage needs and their budget. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to get cheaper quotes and find the right company for you.

1. Check for Discounts before you Buy

Before making your final purchase, you should call the company you’re thinking about purchasing from and ask them if they can offer you a discount on your current policy. Many companies will be happy to reduce your rates or give you a discount on your premiums so long as you let them know that you’re planning to switch companies. You can also ask your current insurance company if they can offer you a discount or even change you to a lower-cost policy. Common discounts include safe-driver discounts, good-student discounts, and bundling discounts — for instance, combining your auto and homeowners policies with carriers like State Farm or Allstate can reduce your overall premiums by as much as 25%, according to the Insurance Information Institute. There are many situations where you may want to switch companies, even paying a few more dollars a month. This might be the case if you plan on buying a new car or have children who will start driving shortly. You might also consider switching companies if you’ve had a bad experience with a particular agent or have a specific complaint that you’d like to see addressed. If you have a complaint about an insurer, you can file it directly with your state’s Department of Insurance or through the NAIC’s Consumer Information Source.

2. Contact a Broker/Agent

If you’re looking to save money, you should consider working with an existing insurance broker or agent. Brokers and agents can often get discounts on policies that they don’t take themselves because they know that they can get more money in commissions from the underwriter. They can also often convince the underwriter to lower your rates if you have a low credit score or are considered high-risk by the insurance company. Independent brokers, unlike captive agents who represent only one carrier such as Geico or Farmers Insurance, can shop your profile across dozens of insurers simultaneously. On the other hand, some agents may not be able to save you much money because they have to submit all of their proposals to the same underwriter and may have to compete with other business agents. A good agent can help you find the best deal and negotiate a lower premium. If you’re interested in working with an agent, you should look for one specializing in insurance and who has a good reputation with the insurance community. You can verify a broker’s license and disciplinary history through your state’s Department of Insurance or through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).

3. Ask your Existing Insurance Provider for a Quote

Before you shop around, you should first check your current insurance provider’s rates and quotes to see if they offer you a good deal. Many companies will allow you to request a quote from your current provider and may even give you a discount. Loyalty discounts are offered by many major carriers, including Progressive and USAA, and can be worth asking about directly. If you’re not able to get a lower rate from your current provider, you can always shop around and see if you can find a more affordable company. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) encourages consumers to request new quotes from their existing providers at least once per year, as your risk profile changes over time and you may qualify for lower rates you weren’t eligible for before. You can ask them to provide you with a quote — and in most states, your insurer is required to provide one at no charge.

4. Research the Insuring Companies you’re Considering

Once you’ve got some quotes, you should do thorough research to find the company that best suits your needs. Try comparing different policies to see which one provides the most coverage for the price. You may also want to get a higher-deductible policy or one that covers a certain amount of damage. When evaluating insurers, financial strength ratings from agencies like AM Best or Standard & Poor’s are an important indicator of whether a company will be able to pay out your claim if you ever need to file one. Some companies may offer discounts if you are a member of specific organizations, such as AAA or AARP. You can also check complaint ratios for any insurer you’re considering through the NAIC’s Consumer Information Source tool, which shows how many complaints a company receives relative to its size. If you know who you are, you may be able to get a discount for showing your age — for example, AARP members over 50 often qualify for reduced auto premiums through The Hartford.

How Insurance Quotes Compare Across Coverage Types (2025–2026 Averages)

5. Ask for an Online Quote from at least Three Companies

Once you’ve narrowed down the list of companies that you’re interested in working with, you should request quotes from each one. Most insurance companies will give you a free quote online, so you should make sure that you ask for one from each company. Major carriers like Geico, Progressive, and State Farm all have online quoting tools that can return an estimate in under 10 minutes. This will help you get a better idea of how much each company will charge you and make it easier for you to compare them. You can even use a comparison site like Policygenius or Insurify to compare quotes from multiple companies at once, which can save you a significant amount of time while ensuring you’re seeing a broad cross-section of the market. According to Insurance Information Institute data, consumers who obtain quotes from at least three insurers are 2.3 times more likely to find a policy priced below the national average than those who only check one.

6. Consider who Pays your Premiums and who is in Charge of Finalizing the Deal

The company that is writing your policy will be a part of your future. You will have to deal with the company if a claim is made, and you will likely need their services again in the future. If you pick a company that is not a good fit for you, you will probably have to switch companies if you ever want to get a lower rate or get out of your policy. In these situations, you should pick a company with a good track record, is financially stable, and is located in a state where you have a good chance of getting service. Checking a company’s AM Best financial strength rating — ideally looking for an “A” or better — is one of the most reliable ways to evaluate whether an insurer will still be around and solvent when you need to file a claim. You can also review insurer solvency data published by your state’s Department of Insurance or through resources maintained by the Federal Reserve’s financial stability reporting for large insurance holding companies.

7. Don’t Believe Everything you find on Google. Use other Resources as Well.

There are a lot of scams out there, and you should be careful when researching companies online. Instead of just checking out a handful of different companies and exploring each one individually, you should use a reputable comparison platform like Policygenius or Insurify to compare policies across multiple companies. This way, you can see which policies are similar and make a more informed decision. You should also cross-reference any company you’re considering with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and check whether they have received formal regulatory actions through your state’s Department of Insurance. Another thing that you can do is talk to your friends and family members who have insurance. They may be able to give you some advice about which companies are worth working with and which ones are not worth dealing with. You can also review data from J.D. Power’s annual insurance satisfaction studies, which rank major carriers across categories like claims handling, price transparency, and customer service — all crucial factors that online ads rarely mention.

Getting insurance quotes is a pain. You have to go through many different websites and fill out all kinds of forms, but it’s not that difficult. By following the steps above, you can get your quotes in minutes. You should also use the information that you find to make an informed decision about which company to work with. The right company will be able to give you a reasonable rate, provide excellent customer service and cover everything that you need. As of April 26, 2026, the insurance market remains highly competitive, and consumers who take the time to compare options from multiple carriers — including checking in with regulators like the NAIC and consumer protection agencies like the CFPB — are consistently finding better deals than those who rely on a single source.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many insurance quotes should I get before buying a policy?

You should get at least three quotes before purchasing any insurance policy. Comparing three or more quotes gives you a statistically meaningful range of prices and coverage options, and research from the Insurance Information Institute shows that consumers who do this are more than twice as likely to find a below-average rate than those who only check one carrier.

Does getting multiple insurance quotes hurt my credit score?

No — insurance companies typically use a “soft pull” of your credit report when generating a quote, which does not affect your FICO Score. This is different from a hard inquiry, which lenders like banks or credit card issuers use when you formally apply for credit. You can request as many insurance quotes as you like without any negative impact on your credit.

What information do I need to get an insurance quote?

Most insurers will ask for your full name, date of birth, address, Social Security Number (for credit-based insurance scoring), details about the property or vehicle being insured, and your current coverage limits. For auto insurance, you’ll also typically need your driver’s license number and vehicle identification number (VIN). Having this information ready before you start can reduce the quoting process to under 15 minutes per carrier.

How does my credit score affect my insurance premium?

In most U.S. states, insurers use a credit-based insurance score — which draws on similar data as your FICO Score — to help determine your premium. Consumers with scores below 580 can pay more than 30% higher premiums than those with scores above 750, according to CFPB research. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan are among the states that prohibit the use of credit scores in auto insurance pricing.

What is the difference between an insurance broker and an insurance agent?

An insurance agent typically represents one or a limited number of carriers (called a captive agent) or works independently with several (called an independent agent). An insurance broker, by contrast, represents the buyer rather than the insurer and can shop your needs across a wide range of companies. Brokers are regulated by your state’s Department of Insurance and are legally required to act in your best interest, which makes them particularly useful for complex coverage needs.

Can I negotiate my insurance premium?

Yes, to a degree. While insurers set rates based on actuarial formulas filed with state regulators, you can negotiate indirectly by asking about discounts, adjusting your deductible, reducing optional coverage, or demonstrating a change in your risk profile (such as completing a defensive driving course or installing a home security system). Letting your insurer know you’re actively comparing competitors is also an effective way to prompt them to offer their most competitive rate.

How often should I shop for new insurance quotes?

You should shop for new quotes at least once per year, and also any time a major life event occurs — such as buying a home, adding a teen driver to your policy, getting married, or significantly improving your credit score. Insurance rates change frequently due to market conditions, regulatory changes, and shifts in your personal risk profile, so an annual review is considered best practice by the NAIC.

What is a deductible and how does it affect my quote?

A deductible is the amount you agree to pay out of pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in on a claim. Choosing a higher deductible — for example, $1,000 instead of $500 on an auto policy — typically lowers your annual premium by 10%–40%, depending on the carrier and coverage type. The trade-off is that you bear more financial risk if you do file a claim, so it’s important to choose a deductible amount you could realistically afford to pay.

Are online insurance comparison sites reliable?

Reputable comparison platforms like Policygenius, Insurify, and The Zebra are generally reliable tools for getting a broad view of the market quickly. However, not every insurer participates in every comparison platform, so it’s still worth getting a direct quote from any carrier that interests you. Always cross-reference companies you find online with ratings from AM Best, J.D. Power, and the NAIC’s Consumer Information Source before making a final decision.

What should I look for beyond price when comparing insurance quotes?

Beyond price, you should evaluate a carrier’s AM Best financial strength rating (look for an “A” rating or better), their complaint ratio through the NAIC, their claims settlement reputation, coverage exclusions buried in the policy language, and customer satisfaction scores from sources like J.D. Power. A policy with a slightly higher premium from a financially stable, highly rated insurer is often a better long-term value than the cheapest option from an unproven carrier.