Buying auto insurance by quoting online can be fast and easy and at the same time you might just save a little. The most important part is getting rates from all providers in order to have every company's rates.

If you're new to shopping for auto insurance online, it's easy to be confused by the hoards of online companies vying for your business. Getting lower is a fairly straight forward process. The only thing you need to do is invest a little time to get quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be accomplished by comparing rates here.

Which factors influence car insurance premiums?

Auto insurance rates paid to insure a 2011 can be significantly different depending on several factors. Taken into consideration are:

• A clean driving record keeps rates low
• Better credit means lower rates
• Where you live
• Annual mileage can affect rates
• Men typically pay more than women
• Deductible amount directly impacts your rate
• Your vehicle's safety rating
• Claims drive up premiums
• Having current coverage saves
• Whether you rent or own your home

A final factor that helps determine is the model year. Newer models cost more in comparison to later models so the cost to replace them may end up costing you more. On the flip side, more recent vehicles may have a trim level with safety features like tire pressure monitors, a telematics system, autonomous braking, and adaptive headlights that may help lower rates.

Liability coverages

This coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property in an accident. Liability coverage protects against things such as emergency aid, pain and suffering, and medical services. Coverage is generally pretty cheap so consider buying as large an amount as possible.

Coverage for collisions

Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper .

Comprehensive coverages

This pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by your comprehensive insurance. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it's not worth much more than your deductible it's not worth carrying full coverage.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This protects you and your vehicle's occupants when other motorists are uninsured or don't have enough coverage. Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That's why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.

Coverage for medical payments

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses (i.e. doctor visits, EMT expenses, and X-ray expenses). They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay.