Requesting insurance quotes is not complicated, but doing it in a way that produces a useful result requires a little preparation. Fifteen minutes gathering information beforehand makes the difference between a meaningful set of offers and a set of numbers you cannot interpret.
The one mistake that undoes everything
Before the checklists, the single most important principle.
Quote identical coverage, or the exercise is meaningless.
A lower number that reflects lower limits, a higher deductible, dropped coverages, or actual cash value where you had replacement cost is not a better offer. It is a different product.
The way to avoid this is to start from your current declarations page and ask every provider to quote those exact coverages, limits and deductibles. Once you have offers on identical terms, you can then ask what changing something would do. Doing it in that order keeps the comparison honest.
See how to read your declarations page if you are not sure what is on yours.
What to gather for auto
About the drivers
- Full name, date of birth and driver's licence number for every licensed household member
- Approximate dates of any accidents, violations or claims in recent years
- Any lapse in coverage, and when
- Student status and school location for young drivers, and whether they have a car there
About the vehicles
- Year, make, model and trim
- VIN for each vehicle, which determines the actual equipment and safety features
- Approximate annual mileage and whether it is used for commuting, and how far
- Where each vehicle is parked overnight
- Lienholder or lessor details if financed or leased, including the exact legal name
- Any aftermarket equipment
About your current coverage
- Your current declarations page
- Current insurer and how long you have been with them
- Any discounts currently applied
What to gather for home
About the property
- Year built, square footage, number of stories
- Construction type and exterior material
- Roof age, material and condition, which is one of the more influential single factors
- Ages of the electrical, plumbing and heating systems, and dates of any updates
- Foundation and basement type
- Garage, and whether attached
- Distance to the nearest fire hydrant and fire station, if you know it
About safety and mitigation
- Monitored alarm, smoke and fire detection, sprinklers
- Water leak detection or automatic shutoff devices
- Wind mitigation features, storm shutters, impact-resistant roofing
- Wildfire mitigation work, if applicable
About use and history
- Whether it is a primary residence, second home or rental
- Any claims on the property, including under previous owners
- Pool, trampoline, play structures, pets
- Any home business or short-term rental activity
About coverage
- Your current declarations page
- A current rebuild cost figure, which is not market value. See how much dwelling coverage do you need
- Mortgage servicer details and loan number
- Any scheduled valuables and their appraisals
Check your own records first
Two things worth doing before you request anything, because errors in them affect every offer you receive.
Your C.L.U.E. report. Claims history follows both you and the property. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act you can request your own report and dispute inaccuracies. Doing this before shopping means you are not being quoted against someone else's claim or a duplicate entry.
Your motor vehicle record. Same reasoning. Violations that should have aged off, or that were never yours, are worth catching first.
See how insurers set your rate for how these feed in.
What to look at besides the number
Once you have offers on identical coverage, the differences that remain are worth weighing.
- Deductibles, including any separate wind, hail or hurricane deductible, which may differ between offers even at the same headline coverage
- Valuation method on the dwelling, the roof and personal property
- Endorsements included or excluded: water backup, service line, ordinance or law, extended replacement cost, scheduled items
- Discounts applied, and whether they require documentation you have not yet provided
- The insurer itself: complaint record, financial strength and licensing. See checking an insurer
- Whether the carrier is admitted or surplus lines, which affects regulatory protections. See admitted vs surplus lines carriers
- How claims are handled, and how you would reach someone
- Payment terms, including instalment fees
Timing
Start several weeks before renewal. This gives time to gather documentation for discounts, arrange inspections if required, and make a considered decision rather than a rushed one.
Do not wait for a non-renewal notice to start looking, though if you receive one, start immediately. See cancellation, non-renewal and lapses.
Never cancel the old policy before the new one is in force. Confirm the new effective date in writing, check it aligns with the old expiry date to the day, and only then cancel. A gap of even a few days is a lapse in coverage, which is itself a rating factor and, on a mortgaged home, can trigger force-placed insurance.
Ask about a refund of unearned premium if you cancel mid-term.
Where to look
There are several routes and they are not mutually exclusive: directly with insurers, through a captive agent representing one company, through an independent agent or broker working with several, or through a service that connects you with providers. Each has different strengths, covered in captive agents, independent agents and buying direct.
Where this site fits: InsureCompareNow is a free lead referral service. You answer a few questions about what you need, and we forward your request to licensed carriers, agents and marketing partners who follow up with you directly. We do not quote prices, we do not sell policies, and we are not an agent or an adviser. The providers you get connected with do that.
You can start with auto insurance or home insurance.
A short sequence
- Pull your current declarations pages, auto and home
- Check your C.L.U.E. report and driving record for errors
- Gather the property and vehicle details above
- Get a current rebuild cost figure for the home
- Decide what coverage you actually want, which may not be what you have
- Request quotes on identical coverage from several sources
- Compare deductibles, valuation and endorsements, not just the total
- Check the insurer's complaint record and licensing
- Ask for every discount by name
- Bind the new policy, confirm the effective date, then cancel the old one
Related reading: insurance discounts worth asking about, life events that change your insurance, and will filing a claim raise my rate.
Coverage options, underwriting requirements, discount eligibility and available carriers vary by insurer and by state. Nothing here is a promise about what you will be offered or charged. For advice on your own situation, speak with a licensed agent or your state's Department of Insurance.