Figuring out how to find the best car insurance can be difficult. There are so many companies all vying for your attention with flashy commercials and catchy jingles. As with most financial matters, what works best will be different for each person. But it’s always important to be as informed as possible and know what your options are.

What type of car insurance do you need?

The coverage required by law varies from state to state. Most states require liability insurance, which covers you in case of any damage you may cause to other drivers or others’ property.

Uninsured motorist

Some states also require uninsured motorist coverage, which helps cover any vehicle damage or medical bills that happen in a collision with a driver without insurance.

Personal injury protection

You may also need to have personal injury protection is also known as no-fault insurance. Regardless of who is at fault for an accident, this coverage helps pay for medical bills not covered by health insurance. It may even cover you for lost wages due to the accident.

Comprehensive

If you are leasing your car, or still paying it off, you will also have to pay for comprehensive insurance. This protection helps you pay for any vehicle damage not caused by another driver. It includes things like theft, severe weather, or vandalism.

Collision

As the name suggests, this type of insurance will cover you for any collision you get into, including with objects, like a street sign. You can often buy comprehensive and collision insurance together.

Compare quotes

Using a site like Car Insurance Specialists make it easy for you to find the best car insurance by comparing multiple offers at once. But just what should you be looking for when comparing auto insurance? Don’t just look at what the monthly payment, or premium, will be.

Make sure that you can also afford the deductible, should you get in an accident. If you have a $1000 deductible and accidentally cause a dent in your car that costs $300 to repair, you will have to pay for that cost entirely out of pocket. You will also be on the hook for the remaining $700 balance on that policy until the insurance company will begin paying.

Ask about discounts

Each company will offer different discounts, but some you can ask about are safe driving discounts, paperless discounts, or even good grades if you or someone in your family is a student. It never hurts to ask about the discounts available to you in order to find the best car insurance for your family. You can always consult your agent as your situation changes, such as an improved credit score.

Research the insurance provider

After getting all your quotes lined up, make sure to investigate a little about the company you think you’ll choose. If a company has a reputation for having a laborious claims process or bad customer service, you might want to save yourself potential hardship down the road by choosing a company you know you can trust. Check out the Better Business Bureau or J.D. Power’s annual best insurance companies by region.