www.AutoInsurancePlanners.com Advises Two Key Steps to Choosing Best Auto Insurance Company

ANNAPOLIS, Md.--Sept. 12, 2005--Shopping for auto insurance can be overwhelming because there are so many companies. Which one provides the best auto insurance rates and service?

Choosing an auto insurance company, say the experts at www.AutoInsurancePlanners.com, can be aided by taking two key steps:

1. Review the carrier's stability

2. Consider its customer service

Company stability can be discovered by visiting a few key Web sites. First stop is your state's Department of Insurance, easily found through a search engine. The DOI can tell you whether the company is licensed in your state and how it compares regarding consumer complaints. Some DOI sites even offer consumer price guides to help you compare value.

Check the insurer's ability to pay claims by looking at its financial strength rating. Ratings companies such as Standard & Poor's, A.M. Best and Moody's provide categories to compare stability. Companies are graded with numbers A to F, like a school report card. Insurers will often provide these ratings, or you can get them from each rating company.

When evaluating customer service, find out if the insurer offers 24-hour claims service, how many and where its offices are located, and its service philosophy.

Consider what type of service will work for you. One company has adjusters driving the streets, showing up on the scene of an accident. At another, you drive your car to the claims facility after the accident. Some offer car rentals or body shops at their own locations. Your local body shop might tell you which companies they think provide the best service.

Often the customer service equation revolves around company size. A local or regional insurer will have far fewer offices but may provide more personal service. A big national company may have offices everywhere, but you might feel like just a number in their computer system.

Whether you're choosing a company based on service, financial ratings or complaints, use a comparison shopping Web site like www.AutoInsurancePlanners.com to get the most choices and best rates.

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