How insurance quotes work

What to have ready

The details an agency will usually ask for.

• Car: each driver’s license number and date of birth, each vehicle’s VIN, where the cars are kept, and your current declarations page.
• Home: the address, year built, roof age, recent updates and any past claims.
• Life: your age, health history, the amount of coverage and how long you want it.
• Business: what the business does, revenue, payroll, number of employees and past claims.

What moves the price

Companies call this underwriting.

• Your driving record and claims history.
• Where the car or home is, down to the ZIP code.
• The kind of car, or the age and build of the home.
• How you use the car: commuting and business use cost more.
• A credit-based insurance score, where state law allows it. Some states limit or bar its use.

Reading two offers side by side

A lower price for less coverage isn’t a lower price.

• Same limits: liability, dwelling, death benefit or aggregate.
• Same deductibles.
• What each one leaves out: exclusions and endorsements.
• Payment plan, installment fees and any policy fees.
• The company named on the offer, and its complaint record.
• The discounts each offer applied, and whether you qualify for them.

Before you switch

Never leave a gap.

• Keep your current policy until the new one is in force and you have proof: an ID card, binder or declarations page.
• Ask the old company how it refunds unearned premium when you cancel.
• Pay the insurance company or the agency’s business account. Be wary of any request to pay a personal account or a payment app.

Where InsuranceFinder fits

InsuranceFinder doesn’t sell insurance or give prices. Each agency page shows the agency’s published phone number and office address, so you can talk to the agency directly.