How To Get An Accurate Insurance Quote
Insurance quotes are most helpful when they're accurate, and the accuracy of an insurance quote depends largely on the accuracy and completeness of the information you provide. If you need an accurate insurance quote for a homeowner's, auto, or any other type of insurance policy, here's how to get the most accurate quote possible.
Step 1: Determine the Type of Insurance Needed
First, determine what type of insurance you need. This is obvious in many cases, for cars must be insured with auto insurance, and houses get insured with homeowner's insurance. Renters insurance is for if you rent a place, and condo insurance is for condominiums. The list goes on.
In a few situations, however, the exact type of insurance isn't so obvious. Exactly what type of condo insurance you need if you own a condo depends on your condo association's master insurance policy, for instance. Alternatively, you might want a high-value homeowners insurance policy instead of a standard one if you own an expensive home.
If you're unsure of what type of insurance to look for, consult with an insurance agent who can help you determine which policies will be most beneficial to you. If you know what insurance you need, you can continue onto the next step.
Step 2: Gather the Most Precise Information Possible
Second, gather the most precise information you can about what you're insuring. What information you need will depend on what type of insurance you're getting, but the following two examples show how precise information is helpful when you get a quote.
Auto insurance is based on specific information regarding the insured vehicle. If you have your car's year, make and model, that information will be helpful as it'll give the insurer general information about features. If you have the actual vehicle identification number of the vehicle, the insurer can look up exactly what they need about your individual car.
Homeowner's insurance is based partly on the location of a house, including the crime rates of the neighborhood and how far away a fire station is. Knowing what zip code a house is in will let the insurer check general crime and fire statistics for the area. If you know the street address, the insurer can look up more specific crime statistics and the distance to the nearest fire station.
This premise holds true for all insurance policies. While the necessary details differ, precision always helps when getting an accurate quote. Once you have details gathered, you're ready to get an insurance quote.