Ten years ago, “online car insurance quotes” meant that the agents you called had email addresses, and sent quotes to prospective clients that way, rather than a bundle of paper sent through the post office. Still, though, the process started with at least a voice-to-voice telephone conversation if not a personal appointment.
In the past, it seemed ridiculous to assume that any agent would give up their secret weapon in the fight for new clients. Most of them would never even think about handing out a quote to a potential client if they didn’t actually come to their office for a real meeting.
It’s not like that anymore. These days, the agents of the past have given way to automated web sales which concentrate on price rather than the agent-customer relationship. Young urbanites find the shift to the Internet particularly handy, as it is their preferred form of media. Older, less tech-savvy customers will gradually have to look online too as more and more companies focus on web sales and agents have less to offer in comparison.
Online car insurance quotes have gained in popularity, though, as people continue to fill their days with more and more activities, and have become used to making major purchases without meeting a salesperson. Clients have become more aware of the terminology and options available to them, and have come to demand more self-service than ever before.
This has all served to make formerly unknown car insurance firms into viable entities. Every customer online started looking for a free auto insurance quote with no strings attached, and true discount auto insurance - before the market leaders were prepared to offer them. By focusing on this change in customer appetites, small companies were able to become national players.
Now almost all carriers can provide online car insurance quotes, with the largest carriers jumping in to keep pace with the market. The numbers keep increasing but this is really good news for insurance shoppers. The more companies who are competing for your business the more advantage to the person seeking the best buy on a policy.
The discount car insurance industry has been changed forever by technology. Ten years ago, before promises of free quotes and huge savings become the norm, it was far more difficult to get quotes and take the time to compare them properly. There are many new competitors in the car insurance business, all seeking to make their mark through lower prices and/or better service when you need them.
Giving car insurance quotes to prospective customers used to be a huge leverage tool for agents. Before the advent of the Internet, agents required an appointment or commitment before even giving out a quote. But times have changed. Websites have replaced many agents. People are now used to making purchases and doing all kinds of business over the Internet without dealing with salespeople, and they demanded self-service in seeking online car insurance quotes as well. Small insurance companies snatched the opportunity to give visitors a free auto insurance quote with no strings attached. To find discount car insurance, you only need to spend a few minutes comparing online.
- Dan Carter