Information to Provide to Your Auto Insurance Agent

In preparation for meeting with an auto insurance agent, you should be aware of what information you will need to provide. Since you will need to give the most honest and complete information you can in order to get the most accurate rate quote, you will want to come into the meeting with your agent, and be armed with this information.

Vehicle Information

The agent will want to know all about the vehicles you are insuring. He will want to know the make, model and year of each vehicle you are insuring in order to determine the value of the vehicles. He will also need to know the VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number, for each vehicle. He will want to know what kind of liability coverage you will want. Each state has their own laws with regard to minimum property and bodily injury liability coverage standards, but some drivers choose to purchase more than the minimum to protect themselves from being liable for additional money not covered by their policy in case of an accident.

Driver Information

The agent will need to know the age, sex and driving record of everyone who will be driving the cars in order to assess the risk that the insurance company is assuming. You may also be asked to estimate how many miles you drive in a given year.

Discount Information

There are a number of items that your agent may ask you about that may result in a reduced premium. Cars with airbags, anti-lock brakes and anti-theft devices can reduce your premium, as they reduce the risk to the auto insurance company. Successful completion of a safe driving course can also affect your premium favorably. In addition, if you already carry another insurance policy with the same company, for example a health or life insurance policy, you may qualify for a multi-policy discount.

Other Auto Insurance Information

The above is a run down of the major information you can expect an auto insurance agent to ask. Your premium will be set based on the information above and other relevant factors, including the size of your deductible and possibly your credit rating. For states that consider credit rating, a credit score of 700 or higher may affect your premium positively, whereas a credit score below 600 may affect it negatively. With regard to deductible, the higher deductible you are willing to take, the lower your premium can be.