How can an insurance company do this? Look at an insurance company as a big box of money dropped in by people who gets security in return. What the company does is simply to reallocate the money that is left when the payments for damages are deducted.

People that have many damages and file many claims, must pay a higher premium and thus get a higher car insurance quote.But a safe driver that avoid claims, is rewarded with a lower one. Fair enough?

If you are new to insurance - or even if you have had insurrances for some years, but feel you lack knowledge about it. - I'll advice you to learn the basic auto insurance terminology, before you start to shop around. It can help you, not only to get a low cost insurance but also to make the correct coverage decisions for you. Let's do a little test: Do you need PIP coverage? What does PD coverage mean? What is BI coverage?

Do not accept the first quote you get

If you ask an insurance company for a quote, you can be almost hundred percent sure you'll get a better one from at least one other company. Comprehensive marketing research the recent years has shown that prices for a new six-month policy with comparable coverage can vary greatly between different companies. And we are talking about spreads in rates of at least $500

So, equipped with this knowledge both you and I know that it pays to do a little legwork and shop around for car insurance.

Most insurance companies have a form of questions you must provide answers to in order to get an understanding of your security situation. It is really astonshing, how much the criterias for determining the price can vary between companies. What one company may consider a high risk factor another company may view as a minor risk. So why not take a little time to compare rates for a number of different companies?

The first thing you should do before you start this comparison is to go through your insurance coverages and keep your auto insurance policy on hand. Then go online and start to shop around. The internet is probably the most comprehensive, fastest and easiest way to find a decent vehicle insurance quote.

And what's even more incredible, many insurance companies now offer some great discounts for buying the policy over the web - a discount that come in addition to the no-claim discount described above.

How is this possible? To handle an insurance sale in general cost money for the companies. However, a sale on the internet will cost less money than selling it over the counter. They do not have to involve human resources if you purchase it online. Thus the companies save money on your internet purchase, and a part of this saving is passed on to you as a discount, a significant discount if you buy from the right company.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet publisher. He runs the website cheap-used-cars.w-eland.com Terje gives advice and helps people with automotive issues like how to get cheap car insurance and auto owners insurance in general.