My parents never shopped for car insurance deals, they had the same agent for all their insurance policies - house, car, life and everything else.
The agent came to the house, and discussed my parents' requirements and we would see him perhaps once every couple of years.
They never shopped for any insurance deals because they trusted the agent.
When I first purchased a house, I used the same company as they did for my house insurance and found a car insurance company on my own, believing that because I was a loyal customer, with no claims, no violations, and I paid on time, I would be getting one of the best car insurance deals.
How wrong I was! Instead of my policy going down because I had no claims, without fail, every year, the cost of my auto insurance premium went up.
I was being loyally screwed - as I suspect my parents had been before me.
Thanks to the internet, I can check for the best car insurance deals on a regular basis.
I recently contacted a company that has a small green creature as a spokesperson; the rep told me that if I got my car insurance through them, I would be paying less than I had the previous year, with another company.
So I signed up, only to find that the monthly amount was a lot more than they had quoted me.
I got angry, and they got fired.
Within an hour, I had gone online and found even better car insurance deals - and from someone who now charges me exactly what they said they would.
By talking to agents and customer service reps, both online and off, I have found the best coverage for me.
If you know exactly the coverage you need, before you start, you can get much more accurate quotes using a car insurance company's online calculator.
If you speak to a customer service rep who wants to up sell you something you don't want or need, you can simply say no thanks and move on.
Many companies will try to convince you that you need more coverage than you actually do - more money for them, and a waste of money for you.
With the wide choice of insurance deals available online, auto insurance is now so much easier and quicker to acquire, and it's a lot easier to change to another company if necessary.
When comparing the coverage you already have, consider if your circumstances have changed.
It's pointless trying to hide a speeding ticket - the insurance companies have access to all state drivers' records, your policy cost will increase.
If you have to pay monthly, find out what they charge for that convenience - as some companies charge more than others do.
If you have any doubts about what kind of coverage you need, speak to an experienced auto insurance agent first.
My new agent's office is local and she took the time to advise me about everything - even certain insurance policy terms I simply didn't understand - and she had my new policy within minutes, no doubt via the internet.