Do Insurers Really Need Your Personal Information Before They Give You Auto Insurance Quotes

Thanks to the cases of identity theft that seem to be hitting the news every time you turn around, everyone is (understandably) wary about giving out their personal information over the Internet. You can visit dozens of websites when you're shopping for auto insurance quotes. The question is, do you really need to give out personal information like Easter candy just to get an idea of how much you'll have to pay?

The answer is (drum roll please) absolutely not! You might be surprised to discover how little information insurance companies actually need to give you a guesstimate on your auto insurance rates. When you're applying for auto insurance quotes, companies really only need to know:

a) Zip code. Thanks to commuting, traffic congestion and good old fashioned crime, certain parts of the country are considered more "at risk" than others. For example, you're much more likely to be involved in an accident or have your car stolen or vandalized in the heart of Manhattan (NYC) than you are in rural areas of NY like Perry or Castile. If you're living in a high risk area, your auto insurance rates are going to go up.

b) The make and model of your car. Certain cars are statistically more likely to be in an accident than others. The Highway Data Loss Institute tracks the vehicles involved in accidents and theft across the country, then reports that information to insurance companies. High risk vehicles are going to cost more to insure.

c) The year your car was manufactured. You're going to pay more to insure a 2010 Lamborghini than a 1980 Ford. Why? Because it costs more to replace! By taking the year, make and model into account, quote finders can give you the accurate cost for comprehensive and collision coverage for your vehicle.

d) Driving history. Some people believe they need to enter their driver's license information so insurance companies can run a check before issuing auto insurance quotes. You actually just need to put in how many accidents/traffic violations you've been involved in over the last 5 years to get a quote. Once you decide to actually buy the policy the insurer will take the time to verify that information; until then, they assume you're telling the truth.

e) Age. Young drivers are more likely to be in an accident. Therefore, they pay more for their insurance. Again, the insurance company isn't going to verify this until you decide to purchase a policy.

f) Gender. Women are statistically less likely to be involved in a serious accident then men. Therefore, they pay less for their insurance. Sorry guys.

As you can see, auto insurance quotes rely heavily on statistical information. By entering that information, you can get the quote you need without the identity theft you don't!