When you’re looking for a new insurance policy, the first step you usually need to take is requesting an insurance quote. This means that knowing how insurance quotes work is essential.
When you understand what it takes to get an insurance quote, you’re able to receive the estimates you’ll need faster. In turn, you can choose a suitable product as quickly as possible. Here’s an overview of how the insurance quote process works.
Why Is It Important to Get Insurance Quotes?
Insurance quotes let you review the details of your potential policy without formally committing to purchasing that policy beforehand. Getting a quote is a chance to check the policy’s coverage information, assess the cost, and ensure the policy meets your needs and fits your budget.
Plus, by requesting insurance quotes from several providers, you can make wiser financial decisions. It’s easier to make direct comparisons between insurers when you have formal quotes. You can review each coverage area to see how one policy stacks up against the others. Additionally, you can check the associated costs to find the right deal.
What Does the Quote Process Look Like?
The insurance quote process is reasonably straightforward. It begins by contacting an insurer, either directly over the phone or in person, or by using an online portal. Once you connect with the insurer, you’ll provide specific information about what you need in a policy. You’ll also give the insurer details about the property or individual you want covered.
After the insurer has all of the information it requires, it’ll do some calculations behind the scenes to estimate the cost of the policy for you. In the simplest sense, those calculations help the insurer assess the risk they’re taking on by offering you coverage.
Precisely what the calculations involve varies by insurance type. For example, with health insurance premiums, the only factors are age, location, tobacco use, individual vs. family enrollment, and plan category. For auto insurance, age, location, driving history, vehicle make and model, and other details are considered. However, the formulas that determine how the various factors impact premium prices vary by insurer, and they’re usually proprietary and not openly shared.
What Information Do You Need to Provide to Get a Quote?
The information you need to provide to get a quote depends on the type of insurance you’re acquiring. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), auto insurance quotes require specific details about your vehicle, household, and drivers.
For example, you’ll need to state the make, model, and year of your vehicle; provide the VIN; state which safety features are present; estimate the expected annual mileage; and say whether there’s an anti-theft device in the vehicle. Additionally, you’ll need to provide a physical address where the vehicle is stored and describe how it’s parked (such as in a garage, on the street, etc.). Finally, you’ll need to let the insurer know how many drivers are in your household and provide details about them, such as their ages, whether they’ve taken safe driving courses, and more.
Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance require details about where you live and the property within your home. For healthcare or life insurance, you have to provide details about the covered person’s age, location, health habits, and more. Generally, the insurer will walk you through precisely what’s required.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Insurance Quote?
While the exact timeline varies depending on the insurance type, you can typically get auto- and home-related insurance quotes in anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. Many medical insurers can also provide estimates within that timeline. For life insurance, the process may require more time, depending on the insurer’s requirements. As a result, it’s best to ask the insurer directly about its timeline.
