If there is one thing about your annual auto insurance quote, it’s that you’ll never be offered a lower rate. That is, not unless you ask the right questions.

Cheap auto insurance isn’t as hard to find as you might think. In fact, getting a free auto insurance quote is just a click of the mouse away. The Internet abounds with free offers like this, but are they going to deliver what you want or need?

The answer to that is…maybe. At the very least, most sites offering an auto insurance quote, will calculate your rate right there online, and deliver it as soon as you finish filling out the questionnaire. But not all forms are created so that your rate will reflect all the extra benefits that can give you cheap auto insurance as the bottom line.

Almost all companies will offer discounts of in varying amounts, for such things as claim free periods, safe driving records, driver education, use of seat belts, anti-theft device, air bags, mature driver, military service, and more. So go ahead and fill out an online quote, but if it comes up with a relatively high figure, query them by phone or email, on what discounts they do offer, and whether they were taken off the calculated figure.

Cars are not cheap. But you can get cheap auto insurance if you shop around, compare free auto insurance quotes, and keep a check list of which companies offer the best discounts. Sometimes it pays to go back to company X and show them your quote from company Y, and ask if they can match it.