It’s no joke that most drivers have at one point or another been in search of finding the best car insurance company. Expectations stay high while drivers seek the company that will give out the cheapest rates while providing top quality services and coverage. But when you line up and compare the findings of a group of drivers who have located “the best” insurer, you’ll notice there isn’t just one company listed but a few. Each of these companies are offering the policyholder what they need, and because we all have different needs and expectations according to our different situations, most drivers will deem different companies as being the best.

The truth is there isn’t just one excellent carrier out there. Many companies offer a variety of great services that are appealing to a number of drivers. Knowing that, it becomes easier to find what you’re looking for simply by charting a list of things you find to be important and want your insurance carrier to offer. There are a few specific factors that professionals use to qualify an insurance company as being the best. See if any of their recommendations match your requirements.

“The Best” Is Competitively Priced
It’s been said before, but it holds and remains true: no one wants to pay more for a product than necessary. If another company offers the same product, or in this case an auto insurance policy, for a cheaper price, the majority of customers will go to the company with the cheaper price. A competitive price is one that is about the same as what is being offered by other companies with the same product.

In auto insurance, it must be remembered that just because your neighbor is paying a certain low price for their insurance, there is no guarantee you will be given the same price if you switch to that company. Do you drive the same vehicle(s) and have the same driving history? Probably not. Premium costs are determined by a number of factors, including the driver’s age, gender and driving record. Also playing a part is the make, model and year of the car, as well as how often it’s driven and where it is locked and kept at night.

Another feature of the best auto insurance company relating to price is the number and type of discounts they offer to their customers. Not everyone will be able to qualify for all of the discounts, but most drivers should be eligible for at least one discount opportunity. These range from senior citizen discounts to student discounts and last for a certain period of time and require documentations to qualify.

“The Best” Offers The Coverage You Need
Do you know the type of coverage you need for your policy? The best auto insurance companies offer a wide variety of options that are available to all of their customers. Turning back to your individual list of insurance needs, what coverage do you prefer? Deciding on full coverage with comprehensive and collision coverage is an easy choice unless you have budget restrictions, which might limit the amount of coverage you purchase. Is medical coverage offered by your car insurance carrier? What depth is that coverage and how does it compare to what other companies are offering? Will the insurer replace your totaled or stolen vehicle? Also, if you have a young or new driver on your policy, you may need to purchase a higher amount of coverage to better protect your assets. These are some points to contemplate when comparing different coverage options that are offered by an insurer. While most companies tend to offer the same coverage by identifying it with the same name, check the terms or “fine print” to see where the differences are, if any.

“The Best” Has Great Customer Service
Customers tend to prefer a company more and refer them to others when they’ve had an enjoyable experience working with them. When representatives of the company are pleasant, polite and knowledgeable, customers will return. While it’s important to get these results when talking to the company about a question or something else that is minor, it becomes even more important that the reps stay pleasant, polite and knowledgeable when the time comes to handle a claim. No driver, or customer of any company for that matter, wants to deal with a staff member who has no respect or sympathy during a time of crisis. It would also be sad and add more stress if the rep had no idea what the claims process was or didn’t know how to work with the policyholder.

“The Best” Can Pay Their Own Bills
This should be a no brainer, but not many policyholders check out the financial status of a car insurance company before they sign up and purchase a policy. It’s essential that an insurer can pay their own expenses and be able to pay for the claims that are made. In order for the company to make a profit, they must have more money coming in (collecting premiums) than going out (expenses and claims). When companies experience a lull in profits, they will increase everyone’s premiums to see more money coming in and add to their profit margin. Imagine the situation of making a claim only to be told the company was going bankrupt and wouldn’t be able to pay for the damages even though you’ve been making your premium payments on time.

“The Best” Is Recognized By The State
State Motor Departments have a list of car insurance carriers within the state that they approve of. This list shows those companies that are legit and approved by the State, therefore they are probably safe to go with and use for your insurance needs. Usually on this list are also reports on the company, including past complaints by former customers. You can check out this list in most states throughout the country to get a better idea of who you would want to use.

As noted earlier, “the best” car insurance carrier is the one that will fit the specific needs of the policyholder. If you’re not sure of your exact needs, list them along with ways your needs will be met.You can start by using our comparison tool located below or above to find the best auto insurance quotes near you.