The first rule of car insurance is to compare, compare, compare. You’ll see this over and over again; whether it’s a review site like ours or a resource like the Insurance Information Institute, you’ll be advised to get multiple quotes before choosing a provider. In today’s market, premiums have risen broadly since 2020 as insurers respond to higher claim costs and repair complexity, and comparison shopping has climbed to multi‑year highs, according to industry trend reports and shopping studies (J.D. Power 2025 Shopping Study; LexisNexis 2024 Trends; BLS CPI series for motor vehicle insurance). Because every insurer weighs your details differently, the spread between the lowest and highest quotes can be large. Also consider discounts tied to how you drive: telematics programs can deliver meaningful savings (for example, State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save advertises up to 30% potential savings for safe driving, depending on state; see State Farm), and low‑mileage drivers may benefit from pay‑per‑mile options like Allstate Milewise or Nationwide SmartMiles.
It’s easy enough to check car insurance quotes online, and more carriers now prefill and verify data in real time to issue prices that are closer to “bindable.” Still, quotes remain estimates until underwriting verifies key items like your motor vehicle record (MVR), prior claims (often via C.L.U.E. Auto), credit‑based insurance score where permitted, garaging address, and vehicle build features (III: How insurers price; CFPB consumer reporting companies; C.L.U.E. Auto). Below we answer common questions and share proven ways to get more accurate, comparable quotes.
What Are Car Insurance Quotes, Anyway?
A car insurance quote is an estimate of your premium based on the information available at quote time. Carriers increasingly verify data up front (e.g., MVR, prior claims, VIN‑level vehicle details) to narrow the gap between the initial quote and the final price, but regulators emphasize that the final premium is set after underwriting confirms the information on your application (California Department of Insurance). Comparing at least three quotes remains the best way to find a fair price with the coverage you need.
How Do Car Insurance Quotes Work?
When a company gives you a quote, it’s estimating how risky you are to insure and pricing that risk using approved rating plans. Factors commonly used include your driving record, prior claims, garaging location, annual mileage, the vehicle’s build and safety features, coverage selections, and—where allowed by law—your credit‑based insurance score (III). Vehicle tech now matters more at quote time: VIN‑specific data on advanced driver‑assistance systems (ADAS) are increasingly incorporated (LexisNexis Vehicle Build), and real‑world studies show automatic emergency braking (AEB) can cut police‑reported rear‑end crashes by about 50% and rear‑end injury crashes by 56% (IIHS). A 2024 federal rule will make AEB standard on all new light vehicles, expanding these benefits over time (NHTSA). At the same time, sensors and calibrations raise repair costs, contributing to record‑high severity in recent years (CCC Crash Course 2025). Electric vehicles often show lower claim frequency but roughly 40%–50% higher repairable claim severity than comparable ICE vehicles, which can influence collision and comprehensive premiums (Mitchell, Q3 2025).
Car insurance companies determine risk (and therefore rates) by considering a wide variety of factors about you and your car. That’s why you’ll have to answer so many questions during the quote process. Details that count toward your car insurance rate include, but are not limited to:
- Age
- Driving record
- Claims history
- Vehicle: make, model, year
- Address (location)
- Credit Score
- Coverage type and level
- Usage and purpose of vehicle
- Marital status
- Whether or not you own a home
*Gender has traditionally played a role in underwriting, though as of 2019, some states are beginning to ban insurers from setting auto insurance rates based on gender. Separately, several states have enacted explicit bans on gender‑based pricing (“pink tax”) for substantially similar consumer goods and/or services — including New York (goods and services), California (goods) along with services since 1995 (Civil Code §51.6), and Illinois (services). These consumer pricing laws are distinct from insurance rating rules, which are governed separately by state insurance statutes and filings.
Are Car Insurance Quotes Accurate?
Online car insurance quotes are as accurate as the data verified at quote time. Accuracy has improved with real‑time data prefill, VIN‑level vehicle attributes, and, in some cases, telematics inputs. Quotes can still change if underwriting discovers differences in your MVR, prior claims (often via C.L.U.E. Auto, which can include up to seven years of auto claims), credit‑based insurance score (in most states), garaging address, mileage, or household drivers (C.L.U.E. Auto; CFPB). Regulators underscore that a “quote” is an estimate until underwriting confirms the information (California DOI). Insurers are investing in straight‑through processing and AI‑enabled checks to deliver more bindable quotes by integrating real‑time MVR/claims/credit verification with consumer consent (Deloitte 2025 outlook; J.D. Power 2025).
So, what can you do to make sure you’re getting an accurate car insurance quote? Come to the table prepared. Whether you’re speaking with an agent or using an online quote tool, you’ll want to have the following information on hand:
- Personal information: birthdate, address/garaging location, age first licensed, home ownership status, etc.
- Driver’s license and (when requested) Social Security Number — many insurers use soft inquiries and specialty reports for verification
- Make, model, year, VIN, and current mileage of the vehicle you’re insuring
- Your driving record, including all past accidents, infractions, and tickets (insurers typically verify via your MVR)
- The driving record of anyone else who will be insured under your policy
- Information about your current insurance: the provider, your coverage levels, how long you’ve been insured with it
- Information about your insurance history: previous insurers, claims filed, total losses incurred from any given accident, etc. (often verified via C.L.U.E. Auto)
- Vehicle safety specs and ADAS features (e.g., AEB, lane keeping, blind‑spot monitoring) and anti‑theft devices
- Information about any driver safety courses you’ve completed
- Information about employment or special organizations you belong to (some group/affinity programs offer discounts)
Take note: Every quote form will require different information. More in‑depth forms that verify items in real time (e.g., running soft credit/claims checks with your consent and decoding your VIN) tend to return the most accurate, “near‑final” prices. It’s worth taking the time to answer thoroughly, confirm what’s been verified, and ask whether the price shown is bindable and which factors could still change (CFPB; California DOI).
Where Can I Get Car Insurance Quotes?
You can get car insurance quotes the traditional way — by walking into an office or calling an agent over the phone — or you can take things into your own hands and do your shopping online. If you go the online route, it’s important to be mindful of how each site sources and verifies your information, since this affects how close a quote is to the final premium (J.D. Power 2025).
Some websites offer comparison tools that show prices from multiple providers at once. These can speed up rate shopping, but many use a limited set of questions and assumptions. Requesting quotes on insurers’ own sites allows them to ask rating‑relevant questions and, with your consent, run real‑time checks (MVR, claims, credit‑based insurance score where permitted, and VIN decode), which helps produce more tailored, bindable pricing (III; CFPB).
Does Credit Score Affect Car Insurance Quotes?
In most states, insurers may use a credit‑based insurance score (CBIS) — not your raw FICO — when pricing. Multiple analyses in 2024–2025 using insurer rate filings show that, where credit is allowed, drivers with “poor” credit often pay roughly 60% to over 100% more than drivers with “excellent” credit for full‑coverage policies, with wide variation by state and insurer (NerdWallet 2025; The Zebra 2025; III on credit scores). By law, credit cannot be used in pricing private‑passenger auto in California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts (California DOI; III). Regulators have also strengthened governance of algorithms and external consumer data: the NAIC adopted a model AI bulletin in late 2024, and Colorado implemented binding rules for external consumer data/predictive models, requiring testing to prevent unfair discrimination (NAIC CBIS guide; NAIC AI Model Bulletin).
Do Car Insurance Quotes Hurt My Credit Score?
When car insurance companies pull your credit score for a quote, it’s what’s known as a “soft inquiry.” Soft inquiries will show up on your personal credit report, but they won’t ding your score or show up to lenders. “Hard inquiries,” the types of pulls that do knock points off your credit score, usually happen when you’re applying for new credit cards or loans (which is why you should avoid trying out too many credit cards). But when it comes to auto insurance, you’re safe to get as many quotes as you want without worrying about a credit backlash. You can also review which specialty consumer reports insurers use and how to request your own copies via the CFPB’s directory (CFPB).
What’s Next?
- Ready to check out rates for yourself? Start with our auto insurance quote comparison tool, which will point you toward some of the most popular providers in your area.
- If you’re still trying to figure out what companies are worth considering, start by checking our ratings for the top 20 car insurance providers in the nation, or dig a little deeper with our full-length review of the best auto insurance companies.
