Reader’s Question:

What are the criteria of a good auto insurance company? I want to make sure I choose a good insurance provider for my car here in Illinois.

Elaine

Decatur, IL

This is a very good question. Auto insurance is a big industry and lots of companies, big and small, would want to get as much slice of the insurance market as they can. We all know that competition could only mean good things for customers, but what if one happens to pick the “bad apple” among the group? Don’t worry, here are a few tips and information to help you choose the best kind of auto insurance company.

1. Understand how much auto insurance you need. Before you can pick the right kind of auto insurance provider, you have to know first what kind of auto insurance policy you will need there in Illinois. Every state would have a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage requirement as mandated by their financial responsibility laws. A good insurance company would tell you about that too.

2. Find out how well a prospective carrier handles their policyholders claims. The ease and efficiency of claims handling can make or break an insurance company’s reputation, and you don’t want to learn that the hard way. There are many agencies & websites, like Standard & Poor, that provides free service ranking information between carriers. There are also lots of consumer websites that would give you actual customer testimonials of good and bad experiences for each company.

3. Quality customer service. Sounds obvious but people actually put heavier emphasis on pricing first. It is much better to pay for a bit higher rates if it means you have a stable & reliable carrier that would be there for all of your needs.

Tags: auto insurance co, auto insurance company, auto insurance provider, affordable auto insurance