Avoiding Disaster: Choosing the Right Auto Insurance Company
Auto Insurance Spot
When choosing an insurance carrier, reputation carries a great deal of weight. For instance, Allstate, Nationwide, and State Farm are well-known companies that have managed to hold onto some clients for years. For additional guidance, you can consult your state's department of insurance website. The website might offer consumer complaint ratios which indicate exactly how many complaints an auto insurance company has received for every 1,000 claims filed. This information can help you to better evaluate companies so that you have some idea how their customer service rates. You can then compare the list of companies with low complaint ratios with the list of companies with low premiums and see if you can come up with any matches. Those companies that combine stellar customer service with low rates offer you the best deal for your money.
If for some reason you cannot locate complaint ratios for your state, try looking at the complaint ratios for other states. While an insurance company's operations may vary from state to state, if a company posts a high complaint ratio in a number of states, you should consider that to be a warning sign. It is best to simply cross off your list any insurance company with consistently high complaint ratios.
Another technique you can use when evaluating insurance carriers is to determine which insurers body shops in your area recommend. Because body shop managers must deal with a number of insurance adjusters, they can provide you with an inside look at insurance companies. The managers will know, for instance, which companies offer the most convenient claims procedures. They'll also know which companies are particularly slow in processing claims.
Another important source of information is J.D. Power and Associates, which rates insurance companies in terms of variety of coverage, rates, claims processes, and customer service. In recent years, Amica and Erie have posted the best rankings with J.D. Power. These two companies have earned raves for finding ways to cover claims, when at all possible. You might also want to consider an insurer's financial strength by checking out ratings from A.M. Best and Standard and Poor's. These ratings determine an insurance company's ability to pay claims. Still, you should be aware of the fact that most well-known carriers are considered to be financially sound.
Finally, you might select your insurance company based upon the professionalism of an individual agent. Since you will have to work closely with your agent, it is important to find one that you can trust. You might consider consulting a relative or friend to find out the names of some particularly efficient agents.
In the end, you may not find out just how responsive your insurance company is¡ªuntil you are faced with an accident. However, if you conduct extensive research before selecting an insurance company and agent¡if you pay close attention to complaint ratios¡and you ask plenty of questions, chances are good you will find insurance coverage you will be happy with.
About the author:
Auto-Insurance-Spot.com is a directory of auto insurance companies across the United States. http://www.auto-insurance-spot.com
The latest information and news on Car Insurance:
Judge Rejects Mercury Insurance's Prop 17 Claims; Voters Will Be Told of Prop...
Total Buzz (blog)
Judge Rejects Mercury Insurance's Prop 17 Claims; Voters Will Be Told of Prop ...
PR Newswire (press release)
"Now that the Judge has made it clear that Prop 17 lets insurance companies raise car insurance premiums, will the insurance company backers of Prop 17 stop ...
Battle...
Car insurance? It's time for a little respect - The Guardian
The Guardian
Car insurance? It's time for a little respect
The Guardian
At a time when car insurance prices are rising at their fastest level ever, how can experienced drivers make sure they get the lowest premiums around? ...
Cheat Sheet To Getting The Lowest San Antonio Car Insurance Quotes - Your Onl...
Cheat Sheet To Getting The Lowest San Antonio Car Insurance Quotes
Your Online Insurance News
Don't settle for just any car insurance quote you see. If you are smart about this investment, you could save ...
Cheat Sheet To Getting The Best El Paso Auto Insurance QuotesYour Online Insurance News
all ...
Pelosi: Stupak bluffing on health bill abortion threats - Raw Story
Kansas City Star
Pelosi: Stupak bluffing on health bill abortion threats
Raw Story
Right now we are required to purchase car insurance and I remember the brouhaha when that law passed. We will have health insurance reform and eventually ...
Passage of health care reform bill is "still a jump ball,&...
Crist Calls Rubio Out on Car Insurance - Capitol News Service
Crist Calls Rubio Out on Car Insurance
Capitol News Service
Crist is calling into question why the former House Speaker had the Republican Party pay for his car insurance when his minivan was damaged at a political ...
and more »
auto insurance - Google News
Health Care Reform and the Reid Family - ABC News (blog)
Reuters
Health Care Reform and the Reid Family
ABC News (blog)
Victims of auto accidents have injuries paid for by the other drivers auto insurance (bodily injury liability), not by their own health insurance. ...
Protests in Favor of Health Reform a Precursor to Massive Change in the ...Insurance News ...
5 arrested for alleged SoCal auto insurance scam - San Jose Mercury News
5 arrested for alleged SoCal auto insurance scam
San Jose Mercury News
... have arrested a lawyer and four chiropractors and paralegals who allegedly bilked insurance companies by submitting bills for phony auto accidents. ...
and more »
Hundreds Arrested in Auto Insurance Scam - NBC Los Angeles
McClatchy Washington Bureau
Hundreds Arrested in Auto Insurance Scam
NBC Los Angeles
Hundreds of people were arrested Thursday in a massive sting operation against an auto insurance fraud ring, according to the Daily News. ...
Report: Insurance fraud spiked last yearKansas City Star (blog)
Recession is f...
Huckabee Inavertently Argues For Health Insurance Mandate: 'Everybody Has To ...
Huckabee Inavertently Argues For Health Insurance Mandate: 'Everybody Has To Live'
Think Progress
Offering support for the measure, President Obama has compared the idea to states' requirements that those who drive cars must purchase auto insurance. ...
In our view: Questions that need answ...
Car salesman accused of stealing identities - Boston Globe
Car salesman accused of stealing identities
Boston Globe
A Somerville car salesman was formally accused of using stolen identities to sell fraudulent auto insurance policies during ...
and more »