By Brian Stevens

Check Your States Department of Insurance Website

Every state in the U.S. maintains an insurance website, and most states publish the consumer complaints that have been filed against insurance companies. This tells you how many complaints an insurance company has received compared to the number of policies theyve issued.

If your states department of insurance doesnt list complaints, you can go to Californias insurance website (insurance.ca.gov), or New Yorks insurance website (ins.state.ny.us) to get this information.

Every insurance company has complaints filed against them, but if a company has a lot of complaints compared to other companies, you should avoid doing business with them.

Visit Epinions Website (epinions.com)

Epinions gives you a behind-the-scenes look at various insurance companies by their customers. Customers rate companies by customer service, website experience, response to claims, and price confidence.

Customers also give their unsolicited reviews. These reviews range from 'The best insurance weve ever had!' and 'Cheap and theyre there when you need them,' to 'Very disappointed,' and 'The WORST customer service you could imagine.'

Check J.D. Power and Associates Website (jdpower.com)

J.D. Power and Associates rates insurance companies according to coverage options, price, claims handling, satisfaction with company representatives, and overall experience. This site gives you a general idea of how consumers like or dislike a companys insurance policies, claims handling, and customer service.

Visit A.M. Bests Website (ambest.com)

A.M. Best publishes financial ratings for insurance companies which measures an insurance companys ability to pay claims. Ratings go from A++ (the highest) to D (the lowest). You should choose a company that has a B+ rating or higher.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com or click on the following link to get insurance quotes from A-rated auto insurance providers and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section.

The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written extensively on auto insurance providers.