Auto Insurance, Policy Assets, and Customer Assistance

Insurance is something everyone wants a deal on.  While you may want to get a great deal, remember that not all insurance is created equal.  Many people don’t realize until they get into an accident that sometimes you really do get what you pay for.  Your cheap car insurance is only as good as the coverage that you receive.  This is not to say that cheap car insurance can’t be good, it just means that you need to know whether or not you’ll get what you need and what you expect from the car insurance that you purchase. 

Assets

Before you choose an insurance provider you should be sure you are aware of all of the assets that are going to need to be covered in your policy.  For instance, if you are stranded will the auto insurance provide transportation?  Will they cover your transportation needs?  Check to make sure that the company will provide you with auto rental if something goes wrong such as theft, repair, etc.  You may also want to look for road side assistance, which will help you if you get locked out of your vehicle or get stranded on the side of the road.  Having this type of coverage can help save you hundreds of dollars. 

Assistance

Ask about customer service ahead of time; don’t assume they will be helpful and knowledgeable.  There is no sure way to determine that a company will provide great service, but there are a couple things you can do to get a feel for the company.  First, call and ask a bunch of questions.  Was the representative friendly and helpful?  Were they happy to answer your questions?  If you had a good experience chances are this is not a bad company to deal with.

Additionally, you can ask your friends and family members about their experiences.  You’ll soon get a lot of stories about people who have been unsatisfied.  Don’t let one bad experience turn you off completely, but when you hear horror story after horror story about bad service, it may be a good time to consider some other options.

Look for customer reviews on the internet.  There are reviews on just about every service if you search the internet.  This way you can get some really great feedback from people all around the country who have dealt with the company.  Again, you might hear a couple bad stories about every company, but if overall the service has been good this is a good indication that it is a company that you would like to give your business to.

Another option is to visit www.betterbusinessbureau.org to read official complaints on the company.  You will find just about every auto insurance company registered here so you can get a really good feel of how they are doing in terms of support and assistance before you buy a policy.