Tips For Driving Down Auto Insurance Rates (NAPSA)—Analysts say the rates for six months of comparable auto insurance coverage from different providers can vary by more than $500. That’s why it can pay to do a little shopping before settling on an insurance company. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to make shopping for and buying insurance easier. For instance, Forrester Research reports that 86 percent of consumers shop for insurance on the Web and 22 percent apply online for auto insurance. However, finding insurance on the Internet can have some drawbacks if you aren’t careful about what sites you visit. Here’s a closer look: Look For Full Service Only 40 percent of sites let consumers complete transactions and buypolicies online and most sites only have rates for their own coverage. Instead, the sites serve as gobetweensfor shoppers and agents, meaning your information could be passed on to a numberofdifferent salespeople whocontact you at a later date. Additionally, some insurance sites only direct you to other insurance Websites or provide numbersfor you to call to get a quote. Get The Green Light Your best—and fastest—bet maybe to go with a Website such as www.answercenter.com, which Defensive Shopping—Always know who an auto insurance agent works for before you start negotiating. offers a choice of insurance carriers that can typically make attractive offers. The Web site is unique in that users need only provide their information once, either by Web or over the phone. From there, the companydelivers actual quotes from six or more A-rated insurance companies. The process can save time and makeit easier to comparison shop. Drive A Smart Bargain Asa finaltip, experts say to keep the following in mind: When you do talk to an agent, rememberthat he or she could be biased towards a certain insurance provider. It’s a good idea to ask whatcarrier or carriers your agent represents before you start shopping. For more information, visit www.answercenter.com/naps1.
