Buying your car insurance online makes sense for many reasons - it's fast, easy, and convenient, plus you get to compare and choose the best rates from auto insurance companies in your state. But price aside, how do you go about choosing the best company for your car insurance needs? Naturally you'll want the one that offers the best rates, but here are some other factors you need to consider when shopping for car insurance online.

If you've decided to buy your car insurance online, you've made a very wise choice. Getting auto insurance online at the website of an insurance price comparison company ensures you get to select from a range of competitive quotes from reputable insurance providers in your state. You can then compare car insurance and choose with the confidence that you're getting the best car insurance rates from companies who have been carefully selected. However before investing in car insurance it can be a good idea to find out more about the company you're planning to do business with. Here are some tips on choosing the best company for the most affordable auto insurance.

Firstly, it's a good idea to call up the company before committing yourself to anything. All companies will provide a telephone number on their websites and by calling up and judging the level of customer service, you can glean a lot about how the company treats its customers. You should ask the company representative as many questions as you can. Then you can gauge the level of courtesy and professionalism from the replies.

When contacting companies by phone, you could, for example, ask about the company's procedures for filing a claim in the event of an automobile accident or theft, and also how long the process usually takes. It's also a good idea to ask about any discounts which you may be entitled to. Companies generally offer special rates to members of the military or those whose cars are fitted with certain safety features such as air bags, anti lock brakes, automatic restraint systems, and automatic daytime lights.

Another thing you can do before buying your auto insurance online is to ask friends and acquaintances if they have any experience with the company you favour. There's nothing like firsthand feedback to give you the real skivvy on a business and you can probably trust your friends and family members to give you an unbiased account.

If no one you know has experience with the company, then you can search online for details. The great thing about the internet is that you can access information on just about everything and this includes consumer reports. A quick search will reveal consumer reports files by previous customers of the auto insurance companies and from reading these you can get an idea of how good the company performs.

Of course, you don't want to believe everything you read on the internet. Generally speaking, if you get a list of positive feedback and a few grumpy complainers, that should indicate that the company is a good one. You can't please everyone the old saying goes and some people have nothing better to do than bad mouth businesses for the most petty of reasons. Of course if several people are complaining about one thing like being put on hold for long periods when calling customer services, for example, then it probably suggests that something's wrong. Just use your instincts.

If you have any doubts, you can call your local Better Business Bureau or your state's department of insurance. They can advise you as to whether there have been any complaints or legal actions against the company.

Problems can arise if you choose an insurance company not licensed for your state. Generally though, by buying your car insurance online you can be sure the companies offered to you are reputable and licensed to sell insurance in your state.

Getting your car insurance online is the best way to get free auto insurance rates. And by assessing the insurance company you choose, you can be absolutely sure you're not just getting the best value, but also can be confident you'll get the best coverage if anything happens to your vehicle.