How to Choose a Reliable Car Insurance Company

But don't make the mistake of automatically buying the cheapest policy.

You need to make sure the insurance company is going to be reliable if you actually get into an accident and need to file a claim.

There's nothing more frustrating than having to deal with an insurance company that refuses to pay for your damages.

It's much better to spend some time researching up front rather than trying to fight the company after a claim is made.

Here are two things to look for when choosing a reliable insurance company:

1. Check Their Consumer Complaint Ratios

Each state has a department of insurance (Directory of Each State's Department of Insurance) and many of them publish "consumer complaint ratios" for all insurance companies that do business in their state.

The ratio reveals how many complaints an insurance company received per 1,000 claims.

This may be the most important thing to check before buying a policy. Here's an example taken from the California Department of Insurance:

2. Check J.D. Power Ratings of Auto Insurance Providers

Each year, J.D. Power releases an auto insurance satisfaction ranking.

Their Auto Insurance Provider Ratings is a great resource to see which companies provide the best satisfaction to consumers.

Each insurance company is rated in:

• Overall Satisfaction
• Policy Offerings
• Pricing
• Billing and Payment
• Contacting the Insurer

Taking the time to check these two resources will help minimize frustrations down the road and it's well worth your time.