The best way to get the best price for anything is to comparison shop, and it's especially true when you're trying to buy cheap auto insurance online.

 

In the good ol' days, before the Internet, you had to spend hours on the telephone answering hundreds of questions just to get a handful of car insurance quotes. And then you had to decipher those quotes to make sure you were comparing apples to apples.

Now, it only takes a few minutes online in the privacy of your home to get a number of quotes so you can compare rates and get a cheap auto insurance quote.

There are a number of comparison sites that will give you rate quotes from top-rated insurance companies (see links below). When you go to one of these sites you'll be asked some questions to determine what type of policy you need. Then you can decide which quote is best for you.

* Before you visit a car insurance comparison site, have your policy handy so you can refer to it for some of the questions you'll have to answer.

* Consider raising your deductible. This alone can save you up to 30% on your auto insurance premiums.

* If you drive an older model car, consider dropping your collision coverage. Collision coverage can cost upwards of $450 a year and may be more than the cost of repairing your car.

* Drop your coverage for medical payments if you already have medical insurance that covers you.

* Don't just compare rates, compare ratings. You want to get the cheapest rate with the highest-rated company.