What should I consider when looking for cheap car insurance?

Saving money is important, but so is having a policy with the coverage you need. If a specific auto insurance policy is insufficient for you, it doesn't matter how little it costs. Being under-insured is almost as bad as being an uninsured motorist. Try to identify which factors may ultimately affect your insurance rate, such as your age, driving record and vehicle type. Keeping these details in mind will help guide you in your search. It's important to get an auto insurance quote from many different providers (factoring in the discounts they offer) and then weigh those prices against the quality of the coverage options being offered. If you can work with an insurance company you already use for other insurance coverage, or an insurer that offers special benefits to employees at your workplace, you can potentially save even more money on your auto insurance policy. You may be able to save money on your insurance premium by adjusting your coverage or deductibles, but it may be beneficial to speak to an agent before making changes so that you better understand how your coverage will work in the event of an accident. By speaking to your insurer, you may also be able to find additional discounts to help lower your premium.

What determines your car insurance rates?

Aside from varied prices from insurance providers, many factors influence the cost of your car insurance, including: Your age (in all states except Hawaii) Driving history Credit score (in some states) The amount of coverage you seek

How can I lower my insurance rates?

Finding an auto insurance company that can save you money is important, but there are things you can do on your own to ensure you save money on car insurance. You might be able to get a discount by bundling auto insurance with another form of coverage (such as homeowners insurance). You can also see if your place of work receives a group discount. In the long term, safe driving can also lower your premiums. It is also possible -- though not necessarily recommended, as skipping coverage can put you at risk -- to save money by omitting certain coverage options. Read our recommendations for best car insurance overall , best for military members and best for teens and young drivers .

CNET reviews insurance carriers and products by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each category. For auto insurance, we examine average annual premium rates for full coverage, consumer complaints, collision repair scores, the carrier's financial strength, auto claims satisfaction and overall customer satisfaction. For cheapest rates, we compare the national average annual premium for minimum coverage against the average for each company. Our data comes from a multitude of sources. Auto insurance rates come from Bankrate, which gathers data using Quadrant Information Services. We also use both J.D. Power annual surveys that collect data on customer auto claims satisfaction and overall customer satisfaction. Consumer complaints are taken from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which collects consumer complaints across states, indexing complaints on a scale that takes into account the industry average. We collect the financial strength rating of each carrier from the AM Best Rating. Lastly, we collect collision repair scores from the Crash Network Insurer Report Card, which gathers data from collision repair professionals, including mechanics, to gauge the quality of collision claims service from insurance carriers.