Best Auto Insurance Companies

The best auto insurance comes from the best auto insurance company. There are many options to choose from, including the large companies that span the nation as well as local and regional companies that operate in your own backyard. They each have strengths and weaknesses. What is the best company for one person is not necessarily the best for you, so you must evaluate each company according to your needs and standards.

Finding the Best Auto Insurance Companies

Finding the best auto insurance companies is much easier than you may think. True, there are many options to sift through, but you do have online resources to help you separate the best companies from the also-rans. In addition to the online resources, such as this article, you can talk with those you trust. Family and friends who have dealt with local representatives of car insurance companies in your area can also offer a great wealth of information. The goal, initially at least, is to whittle down the massive list to a few of the best auto insurance companies in your area. From that point you can really begin to evaluate and compare.

How to Evaluate the Best Auto Insurance Companies

There are several criteria you can use to evaluate auto insurance companies. The criteria are generally the same for all consumers, but the weight each carries in your evaluation is specific to you and your needs. Here are the basic, essential items used to evaluate auto insurance companies.

• Claims service
• Company history
• Customer service (billing, handling questions and complaints)
• Financial stability
• Policy offerings
• Rates

If you use the above variables to evaluate the best auto insurance companies, you are much more likely to come away with the best auto insurance available. Remember, weight these variables according to your own ideals, needs and budget.

Ranking the Best Auto Insurance Companies

There are many rankings of the best auto insurance companies. Some of these rankings look at only customer or claims service, some look only at financial strength and some combine various elements to come up with their list of the best auto insurance companies. One of the most respected organizations that rank insurance companies is J.D. Power and Associates. Their list of the top auto insurance companies for 2009 includes:

• AMICA (#1 overall)
• Erie Insurance
• GEICO
• The Hartford
• State Farm
• USAA

Comparing Rates of the Best Auto Insurance Companies

Budget for many people is the deciding factor when it comes to choosing an auto insurance company. If this is the case with you, don't worry, you are in good company. Even if budget is not the overriding factor, it is still important. Luckily, comparing rates is possibly the easiest part of shopping for the best auto insurance. Once you have gotten your list of the best auto insurance companies down to a manageable size, you can then compare them based on price.

Online rate quotes allow you to compare multiple auto insurance companies based upon their rates. There is a significant difference from one company to another, so taking 15 minutes to gather quotes to compare prices can save you hundreds of dollars per year on your auto insurance.