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Find out how you can get a good estimate of how much an auto policy could cost you without having to give insurers that much personal information
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Rashawn Mitchner is a MarketWatch Guides team editor with over 10 years of experience covering personal finance, loans, insurance and warranty topics.
Gathering car insurance quotes from providers is a great way to find the best rates. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get an accurate quote without providing a significant amount of personal information.
In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides Team will outline how to get reliable auto insurance quotes while providing as few personal details as possible. We’ve also researched and ranked the best car insurance companies to help you find the right match for your coverage needs.
Key Takeaways:
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There’s only one way to get a semi-accurate anonymous quote: you have to create an alias that matches facts about your situation. We say “semi-accurate” because it’s impossible to get a fully accurate quote without putting your exact information in the quote form. But using an alias will get you as close as possible.
The method we outline below requires time and commitment, but you don’t have to complete every step. For example, if you’re only worried about preventing unwanted phone calls, you can do step number four but use your other basic information.
The name you enter doesn’t really matter when you’re comparing anonymous car insurance quotes. You could pick a common name or just enter initials as long as that format is accepted.
Next, create a free email account to keep all insurance marketing communications separate from your other inbox.
Quote tools will ask for your age. You can use your real birthday or change the day and month, but keep the year the same to get the most accurate quote. The same is true if you need to add other drivers to your policy.
You’ll need to enter an address with your ZIP code to get the most accurate anonymous quote. Quote tools don’t usually verify addresses at this step, so you can use your street name but make up numbers that don’t exist.
You may have to enter a phone number to get a quote from some companies. If you want to receive a call from the company regarding rates, you can make a free Google Voice number to avoid giving out your number. But if you don’t care about getting a callback, simply enter a fake number like 555-555-5555 or 121-212-1212.
Write down your vehicle’s year, make and model. Don’t change any details here. Otherwise, your quote won’t be very accurate.
Note any tickets or accidents you’ve had in the last three years. You’ll enter this information in the quote tool to get rates that reflect your driving record.
Tickets and accidents can drastically affect your rate, so provide accurate information. Do the same for your spouse and children or anyone else who will be on the policy.
The quote form may also ask about other details about you, such as these:
We recommend answering these questions truthfully to get the most accurate anonymous car insurance quote. You’ll also see coverage that more closely matches your insurance needs.
You should be able to see a quote from the provider if you followed the steps above. Keep in mind that this quote is approximate and you might find a different rate by entering all of your information.
A few things may make getting an anonymous car insurance quote impossible, like the company requiring a driver’s license number or a VIN or the form rejecting your address.
Before you can get a reliable free quote from a car insurance provider, you’ll need to provide some personal information. While companies ask for varying amounts of detail, you can expect to be asked for:
You’ll also need to indicate what type of coverage you want in order to get the most accurate quote. A full-coverage policy that includes comprehensive and collision coverage will come with a higher premium than minimum-liability insurance, which might only include bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. The coverage limits and deductible you select will also have a significant impact on your auto insurance quote.
Auto insurance companies typically won’t ask for your Social Security number unless you’ve already received a quote and want to purchase a policy. Insurers use your Social Security number to check your credit score, which has a big impact on premiums in most states. You shouldn’t need to provide your Social Security number unless you’re far along in the process of buying an insurance policy.
It’s not easy to get a car insurance quote while remaining completely anonymous. Insurers need a certain amount of detail about your identity and the vehicles in your household to provide accurate quotes.
Thankfully, some companies make it easy to get more reliable estimates without providing too much personal information. These insurers often require you to submit only your ZIP code, date of birth, vehicle type and driving history to receive a quote. But you may not find the best rates if you limit your search to these companies.
If you’re OK with a car insurance estimate rather than a precise quote, you can use any number of online car insurance calculators. Several large insurance providers offer this type of tool, which typically asks a few anonymous questions about your vehicle and provides you with policy suggestions and coverage limits that might work for you.
Using a comparison website allows you to look at multiple quotes at once. To remain anonymous, you’ll need to make an alias following the steps above. But the advantage is you only need to enter the information one time to see a handful of prices.
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As you compare car insurance quotes and search for the best or cheapest car insurance, remember that providers weigh the following key factors to determine costs:
It’s tough to get an accurate car insurance quote without providing some amount of personal information. However, some insurers will give you a reliable quote with only your ZIP code, date of birth, driving history and vehicle type.
Some websites and car insurance companies feature online calculators that can provide coverage suggestions or cost estimates. While these calculators don’t offer exact quotes, you can get a good idea of insurance costs without providing any personal information.
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Our reviews team named State Farm our Editor’s Choice because it offers affordable rates, a wide range of coverage options and a nationwide network of local insurance agents. Along with standard auto coverage policies, State Farm offers add-ons like ride-share insurance, uninsured motorist coverage and rental car reimbursement.
You’ll need to provide your driver’s license number, vehicle details and driving history information to get a quote from State Farm. The company also requires an email address before sending a quote.
Keep reading: State Farm insurance review
The quote process is simple and straightforward with Geico. You don’t need to provide much in the way of personal details — just some basic vehicle information and demographics. It only takes a few minutes to get a free quote.
Keep reading: Geico insurance review
Below are frequently asked questions about getting an anonymous auto insurance quote.
Yes, it’s possible to get car insurance online without talking to someone. Many providers let you get a quote and buy your policy entirely online.
No, lying to get cheaper auto coverage is insurance fraud. Doing so costs insurers billions and results in higher premiums for everyone else. If your insurer catches you in a lie, you risk having your policy canceled and being denied coverage in the future.
No, getting a car insurance quote doesn’t affect your credit score. An insurance company performs a “soft pull” to check your credit for a quote. While this type of inquiry shows up on your credit report, it doesn’t impact your score.
It’s not required to get coverage, but having a good credit score will result in lower car insurance premiums. Insurers in most states weigh credit scores when setting auto coverage rates, so having bad credit can increase what you pay.
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
Our credentials:
*Data accurate at time of publication.
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