Guide to finding cheaper auto insurance in 30 minutes

[vaportech]

Hey RFD,

Intro

Just here to help you guys out in finding cheap insurance either through direct insurers or auto insurance brokerages using email and telephone followups.

OK so your renewal is coming up and given the economic downturn your insurance may or may not have increased or if your just curious this may help you too. Also applies if your looking for new insurance.

It is always cheaper to get insurance for all your insurance needs under the same company as they can apply discounts but if the price outweighs the discounts then obviously you can get your insurance somewhere else and that's fine.

Lets start with formulating your email. This is best done in word.

Heading of email

A simply message like this will be sufficient:

<your name>

Hello, I'm emailing today to inquire on an auto insurance quote.

I have provided my personal information, driving and insurance history, as well as my vehicle information herein to further assist in acquiring an accurate quote.

You may reach me at <your number> if you require further information, however if the aforementioned information is sufficient please reply back in the form of email.

Thanks
<your name>

Information needed for quote

This will be your heading for your email and then you will provide your personal information in this form:

Personal Information

Name:
Address:
City:
Postal Code:
Date of birth:
Gender:
Martial Status:
Occupation:

License Information

Drivers License Number:
License Class:
Date of Acquiring:
(if you had a g2/g1) use the bellow format, if not, skip.
G2 acquired in:
G1 acquired in:

Driver History

Driver Training Course: (If yes, state yes. If no, state no)
Tickets: (For the past 3 years = if none enter 0, if so, enter infraction and date of conviction)
Accidents: (For the past 6 years = if none enter 0, if so, enter amount and dates of accident or claim)
Suspensions: (For the past 6 years = If yes, state yes, and explain. If no, state no)
Non accident claims (Windshield, Fire, Theft, Vandalism): (For the past 6 years = if none enter 0, if so, enter amount and dates of claim)

Insurance Information

Primary policy holder: (If yes, state yes. If no, state no)
Occasional policy holder: (If yes, state yes. If no, state no)
Duration of continued insurance: (Enter how many years you had continued insurance)
Duration of current insurance policy: (Enter how many years you had insurance with this company)
Insurance cancellations in the past 3 years: (If yes, state yes and provide details. If no, state no)
Insurance outside of Ontario or in the USA: (If yes, state yes and provide details. If no, state no)

Vehicle

VIN: (If you have one, provide. If not that's fine)
Year:
Make:
Model:
Purpose: (Leisure/Business/commute - pick one)
Annual KMs: (Estimate usage)
Title: (owned/leased/financed - pick one)

How to find brokerages

This information should be enough to provide you with an accurate auto quote. So now once your done entering all this information and touching up the email to however you seem fit. You can now start looking for brokerages and insurers emails.

To find brokerage emails you can use this site: http://www.ibao.org/html/find_a_broker/locator.asp

Enter your search parameters and copy and paste the emails under the listed brokerages into your email's BCC heading or CC, whichever you prefer. Once you have all the brokerages under the CC/BCC go ahead and copy and paste your email from word. Then submit.

Small list of major direct insurers

For direct insurers there isn't exactly a nice list like IBAO provides however I can provide you with the major insurers that I know of below. Also remember direct insurers have online tools to provide quotes but I find calling in is better than the online tools. Also most do not have emails.

Belair Direct
1 888.280.9111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting**************1 888.280.9111******end_of_the_skype_highlighting
No email

TD Meloche Monnex
1 877 536 7755
No email

RBC Insurance
1-877-749-7224
No email

Statefarm - Not exactly a direct insurer as you need to find agents on your own
http://online2.statefarm.com/b2c/sf/AgentLocatorCA
No general contact number
No email

PC Financial
1-877-251-8656
No email

Co Operators
1-800-265-2612
service@cooperators.ca

Again this is not a comprehensive list rather it is only merely some of the major direct insurers in Ontario.

I've included a link to all the insurance companies operating in Ontario and its 80 pages long so if you have the time, you can always sort through it.

http://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/english/li...nformation.asp


In summary


Personally I think insurance should never be purchased over the phone or online simply due to the limitations of communication these methods provide. When you deal with a broker, they go over all your insurance policies and make sure you understand before signing and paying. Something you can't really achieve over the phone and definitely not through email.

Purchasing insurance should never be taken lightly as some mere faults in your contract can be the difference between a successful claim or a denied claim, and yes denials do happen.

I hope I've provided a good amount of information to help you shop for insurance and please by all means if you find that this guide helped you please feel free to thank me using the thank button.

If I missed any information you think may effect your quote please state it in this thread or pm me.

Also if your insurance decreased with this method, please let other RFDers know by linking this in your signature and posting in this thread.

Vaportech

[COSMIC5]

accidents go back 6 years as do lic suspensions..plus we need dates of all convictions (and what the conviction was for), accidents/claims and suspensions .
Also we need to know the reason of a cancellation of insurance.
And all information on all lic'd drivers in the household

[vaportech]

accidents go back 6 years as do lic suspensions..plus we need dates of all convictions (and what the conviction was for), accidents/claims and suspensions .
Also we need to know the reason of a cancellation of insurance.
And all information on all lic'd drivers in the household

Yup fixed with correct dates. However all the other stuff I already had that in there

[vaportech]

" Tickets: (For the past 3 years = if none enter 0, if so, enter infraction and date of conviction) "


So, speeding ticket convictions beyond 3 years are not taken into consideration in any sort of manner by a broker / insurer ?

Yea. It comes off your record in 3 years.

[poedua]

accidents go back 6 years as do lic suspensions..plus we need dates of all convictions (and what the conviction was for), accidents/claims and suspensions .
Also we need to know the reason of a cancellation of insurance.
And all information on all lic'd drivers in the household

" Tickets: (For the past 3 years = if none enter 0, if so, enter infraction and date of conviction) "


So, ticket ( i.e moving violations ) convictions beyond 3 years are not taken into consideration in any sort of manner by a broker / insurer ?

[COSMIC5]

that is correct.

" Tickets: (For the past 3 years = if none enter 0, if so, enter infraction and date of conviction) "


So, ticket ( i.e moving violations ) convictions beyond 3 years are not taken into consideration in any sort of manner by a broker / insurer ?

[COSMIC5]

Insurance cancellations in the past 3 years: (If yes, state yes. If no, state no)...

but we need reason..ie: non payment/ cancelled due to convictions/does not meet u/w guidelines etc etc etc.

Yup fixed with correct dates. However all the other stuff I already had that in there

[NEMESIS_2008]

So let's say I had an at fault accident 7 years ago. Can you clarify whether they can still see that accident on my record but not use it against me or the at fault accident is removed from my record completely after 6 years?

How far do they search back for accidents and convictions?

[COSMIC5]

your insurance history will go back to the first time you were insured and all accidents & claims will be seen, however; insurance companies can only go back 6. There are companies that have a 10 star rating which means if you're 10yrs accident free, you could qualify for their 10star rating...

So let's say I had an at fault accident 7 years ago. Can you clarify whether they can still see that accident on my record but not use it against me or the at fault accident is removed from my record completely after 6 years?

How far do they search back for accidents and convictions?

[poedua]

your insurance history will go back to the first time you were insured and all accidents & claims will be seen, however; insurance companies can only go back 6. ...

So, your insurance company has access to your entire insurance history, however only the past 6 years can be used to determine rates.

Is the complete insurance history of any significant value / relevance to insurers at all - perhaps in some other way ?

There are companies that have a 10 star rating which means if you're 10yrs accident free, you could qualify for their 10star rating...

Hmmmmmm.........25+ years accident free for me.....I think I need to check with my broker about our ratings.

[vaportech]

So, your insurance company has access to your entire insurance history, however only the past 6 years can be used to determine rates.

Is the complete insurance history of any significant value / relevance to insurers at all - perhaps in some other way ?



Hmmmmmm.........25+ years accident free for me.....I think I need to check with my broker about our ratings.

Try using my guide to finding a broker.

In the end money is money

[COSMIC5]

yup, all found just by using a drivers licence number....

Insurance companies can only use you last 6 years of insurance history when it comes to rating.

So, your insurance company has access to your entire insurance history, however only the past 6 years can be used to determine rates.

Is the complete insurance history of any significant value / relevance to insurers at all - perhaps in some other way ?



Hmmmmmm.........25+ years accident free for me.....I think I need to check with my broker about our ratings.