3 Questions You Need to Answer to Get a Car Insurance Quote

Drivers should have this information ready when checking insurance premiums.

Shopping for car insurance is important for every driver.

Motorists should compare coverage costs before getting a new car to make sure they understand how much premiums will be for their preferred vehicles. Those who already have coverage should also compare auto insurance quotes at least once per year to ensure they're still paying the best price for this important type of protection.

When shopping for a policy, drivers need to provide some basic information to get accurate price quotes. In particular, there are three questions motorists need to answer. Here's what they are.

1. What is the car's VIN number?

Every car has a unique vehicle identification number (VIN). Insurers ask for this number so the company can pull up complete information about the vehicle.

With a VIN, insurers can see the make, model, year, and features of the car to be insured. That way, the insurance company can accurately estimate the cost of covering it, since different cars present different levels of risk.

It's possible to get car insurance quotes without a VIN. This can be handy for a driver comparing insurance prices for a car they're considering purchasing but that they don't yet own. But doing so would require providing a lot more details about all aspects of the vehicle. And the quote may not be as accurate.

If you own the car already, looking up and providing the VIN will simplify the process of shopping for insurance.

2. Who will drive the car?

The type of car a motorist drives affects insurance premiums, as do the people who will be driving it.

Insurers need to know all of the people who will be covered by the policy to make an accurate assessment of the accident risk. That's because age, gender, and driving history of each individual driver can all affect the likelihood of a crash -- and thus impact the cost to provide insurance coverage.

Before getting quotes, motorists should make sure they know who will be covered by their auto policy and should have their personal details ready to give to an insurer.

3. How many miles will it be driven?

Finally, insurance companies need to know approximately how often the vehicle will be used. Here's why: The more a car is driven, the higher the likelihood there is of a problem occurring.

Some insurance companies ask for a ballpark range of miles per year, such as 5,000 to 10,000 or 10,000 to 15,000. Others ask for an estimate of how many miles a commute is and how many days the vehicle will be driven to work or school. Regardless of how this question is phrased, motorists shopping for coverage need to be ready to provide insight into the vehicle's use.

By providing accurate answers to each of these three questions, drivers can get a good idea of what insurance companies will charge. This will help to get the best and most affordable auto insurance coverage given their driving profile and the car they've chosen to buy.