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CARCHEX Review

Monday, December 2nd

2024 Auto Insurance Plan Reviews

CARCHEX Review 1.5 Star Rating

CARCHEX

1.5 Star Rating
  • Long-established company history
  • Free quotes
  • Compare plans from multiple companies
  • Work with a representatives
  • "A+” Better Business Bureau rating

For over 24 years, CARCHEX has specialized in connecting people with auto insurance companies and assisting them in buying pre-owned cars. They say their goal is to be a consumer advocate and help people through the vehicle ownership process. They have a suite of vehicle protection and financial services to protect customers from seller fraud. Some top brands that have recommended CARCHEX include CARFAX, Kelley Blue Book, SiriusXM, Amac, Repairpal, and the DMV.

Request a free quote

At CARCHEX, one of the services they say you can take advantage of is accessing their tool that helps you compare the cheapest quotes from top insurance companies. Some of the main companies that CARCHEX says they compare plans from are Progressive, Travelers, Esurance, Safeco, Plymouth Rock, Mercury Insurance, 21st Century Insurance, Dairyland Insurance, ASI, and The General. To get a free quote, there's a menu on the website where you can begin filling out some important information. You'll need to provide your vehicle's mileage, year, make, and model, along with your name, zip code, and your phone number.

Speak with a representative

Rather than being able to do the whole process online, CARCHEX will use the phone number you've provided and have one of their representatives call you to discuss plan options. If you're willing to provide your street address and VIN number, they say your quote will process faster.

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Just a middleman

We really wish you could get auto insurance quotes from CARCHEX's website and we are disappointed that their process is a bit muddled. It initially seems like maybe CARCHEX itself offers insurance policies, but we don't believe this is the case. Instead, they'll likely direct you to a big-name insurance company (after you wait for a phone call) and then you'll essentially have to start the process over with them from scratch. This does not save us any time and it makes us a bit confused about the part CARCHEX even plays in saving us time or money.

Good reputation, but not helpful here

It may be the case that CARCHEX once offered auto insurance quotes, but as far as we can tell, they don't anymore. Overall, CARCHEX has a good reputation and an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. So as a whole, this isn't a bad company. They just don't provide anything useful when it comes to getting quotes for auto insurance.

Not beneficial

You won't get any benefit out of going to CARCHEX for auto insurance quotes, even though they make it appear like you will. We're all about saving time, so just stick with a higher-rated auto insurance site for a more beneficial, straightforward experience. CARCHEX has earned one of our lowest ratings.

Where is the Best Place to Purchase Auto Insurance?

Whether you've just turned 16, or you're 99 years old and out driving on the roads, you need auto insurance. This protects you and everyone else by making sure that if an accident happens, it will be paid for and taken care of. Whether you get in a small fender bender or (heaven forbid) a devastating large-scale accident, your insurance will kick in and save you from potentially having to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket.

Besides paying for damage done to your car and anyone else potentially involved in an issue on the road, auto insurance can cover things like theft, weather, keying, or natural disasters. It can help pay for medical bills, lost wages, or even a funeral if anyone is injured or killed. There are a range of other things your insurance can help with depending on the plan like a cracked windshield, which comes in handy since we've all been hit by a flying rock or two on the road.

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Auto Insurance Plan FAQ

Auto insurance is used to provide financial protection from physical damage or bodily injury caused by a car accident. It is a contract between you and an insurer that says if you pay a monthly or yearly premium to have insurance, the auto insurance company will take care of costs that arise in the event of an accident. Your insurance might cover things like damage to or theft of your car, legal responsibilities, or medical costs to treat injuries and rehabilitation.
Everyone needs car insurance. Motorists who drive without insurance can receive hefty fines from police officers if they are pulled over. In other cases, their car could be impounded or their driver's license revoked. If you're in a car accident that causes harm to another person or their property, you would be responsible for 100% of the cost which could easily equal tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many states have a pay-to-play rule which states that if you're in a car accident and it's someone else's fault, you can only collect money from their insurance if you have car insurance of your own. In short, it's extremely risky and an overall bad idea not to have auto insurance.
Many auto insurance companies have calculators on their website that ask you a series of questions to help you get an estimate of your monthly or yearly auto insurance cost. If you have a solid driving record and want good insurance, you can expect to pay somewhere around $300-$500 per year. Oftentimes you can bundle and save if you put more than one vehicle on your auto insurance. If you get a speeding ticket or are a responsible party in a car accident, it's more than likely that your insurance rate will go up. This is because the insurance company looks at you as a higher liability.
Some of the main factors in determining auto insurance rates are your driving record, how often you use your car, where you live (e.g. are you somewhere where vandalism rates are high?), your gender and age, the kind of car you drive (e.g. how much would it cost to replace?), and the type of insurance you want. There is no one-size-fits-all insurance policy, so you'll be asked about all of these things when you apply for auto insurance. You may also get discounts for being a good student, bundling more than one type of insurance (like homeowner's and life), or even for being married!
You can change auto insurance policies at any time. If you find somewhere that offers you as good or better car insurance than what you currently have for a better price, go for it! Although it is a minor pain to shop around and fill out the paperwork to make the switch, you can do it at any time. There are no penalties for changing auto insurance companies, but be cautious of the companies that make you pay termination fees.
Some online companies will take your information and match you to the best auto insurance companies around. Others will let you sign up for an auto insurance policy with them directly. It's as simple as finding a highly-rated auto insurance group and filling out an application. You'll be asked for basic personal information and some details about your driving history, location, vehicle, and other things.
It doesn't hurt to get quotes from multiple auto insurance companies. It's a no-brainer that you want to get the lowest premiums possible. Check the company's Better Business Bureau rating and make sure the insurance is comprehensive in offering everything you would need in the event of an accident. As long as the auto insurance company is known for having good customer service, you should be safe signing up for a policy with them.
If you're involved in a car crash, fender bender, or your car is stolen, call your insurance company. It's also wise to get the auto insurance information of all other parties involved so that the companies can work together to sort things out. When you contact your own insurance company, they will ask you any relevant questions about the situation you're in and walk you through the process to give you the best coverage possible.
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Continued from above...

There are usually different tiers of auto insurance plans that you can choose from that will determine how much is covered. You're probably familiar with a few big-name auto insurance companies that seem to dominate the marketplace with ads and commercials. But there are actually quite a few companies out there and some could save you a significant amount of money compared to their competitors.

You can usually get a quick online quote within minutes that will help you compare pricing between companies. There are even some services that will take your information and instantly help you compare quotes among a bunch of different companies without you having to visit them one at a time. Depending on your driving history, some of these services give you more accurate quotes than others, but it's always worth a try.

We've done a lot of the deep dive research regarding some of the top online websites that sell auto insurance and recommend keeping the following things in mind when you're shopping:

  • Quote turnaround time. It's frustrating to spend time filling out personal information on a website and answering questions about your driving history only to find that instead of providing you with an online quote, you have to wait to talk to a representative on the phone. This can drag out the process and make it hard to easily compare quotes among companies.
  • Information required. Most companies ask for basic information like your name and email address before getting started with questions about what you need in an insurance policy. However, some companies require a social security number or other private information before providing an online quote, and we would be wary of this. We like companies that just ask for what they need in order to provide you with pricing rather than try to get as much out of you.
  • Reputation. Pay close attention to the Better Business Bureau rating and customer ratings of an insurance company. When you're in a situation where you need your insurance company to step in, it's usually not a fun one and you want to work with someone who will be helpful, responsive, and provide payouts quickly. When you pay for auto insurance, you should expect the company to deliver on their product, but unfortunately a lot of companies make this difficult. Look for a place that people are happy with and trust.

The experts at Top Consumer Reviews have researched and ranked the most popular auto insurance sites you're likely to consider when shopping for coverage. We hope this information helps you have peace of mind as you head out on the road and feel taken care of when the time comes to use your policy!

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