The process of buying a car insurance policy has become simpler in recent years. With the digitization of the insurance industry, you can easily buy insurance for your car online. Unlike the older days, you no longer need to visit the branch of a motor insurance company or meet an agent to purchase insurance for your vehicle. All you need now is a mobile/computer and an internet connection to instantly buy car insurance online.
All motor insurance companies sell their car insurance online. You can visit the website of the insurance company to buy the insurance plan that provides the best coverage for your vehicle.
In case you get confused amongst the multitude of car insurance plans offered by various insurers, you have the option of comparing different plans with each other online. You can find the option to compare different car insurance plans online at the website of insurance brokers, such as policybazaar.com.
Nonetheless, a lot of people are hesitant in buying car insurance online and often wonder if buying the policy offline is better than buying it online.
Well! To answer this question, let’s first know the differences between the two methods of buying car insurance.
Take a look at the table below to understand the differences between buying a car insurance policy online vs offline:
Categories |
Online Car Insurance Purchase |
Offline Car Insurance Purchase |
Meaning |
Online car insurance purchase refers to buying a car insurance policy virtually with the help of a computer or a mobile phone. |
Offline car insurance purchase refers to buying a car insurance policy physically at the office of the insurance company or by contacting an insurance agent. |
Buying Process |
It involves visiting the official website/mobile app of the insurer or an insurance broker, selecting a car insurance plan and making the premium payment online. |
It involves visiting the nearest branch of the insurance company or meeting with the insurance agent, filling up the proposal forms, submitting them and paying the premium. |
The premium charged is usually lower as compared to the offline mode as the insurer’s operational costs are reduced. |
The premium charged is mostly higher than the online mode as it includes operational costs, such as stationery cost, office expenses, agent’s fee, etc. |
|
Plan Comparison |
You can easily compare car insurance plans from different insurance companies online at the website of an insurance broker. You can compare multiple plans based on their premium, coverage and benefits. |
It is difficult to compare car insurance plans by different insurers offline as you may have to visit their offices separately. Even if your insurance agent offers multiple options, comparing them can be a tedious task. |
Convenience |
Buying a car insurance policy online is any day more convenient than buying it offline as you can access the internet round the clock from the comforts of your home. |
Buying car insurance traditionally is not very convenient as you will need to step out of your house to visit the insurer’s office or meet an agent during working hours. |
Transparency |
It has a higher level of transparency as no middlemen are involved and you can cross-check all the information on the website before buying the policy. |
It has lower transparency as middlemen like agents are usually involved in the process and you end up believing everything they say. |
Influenced Decision |
While buying car insurance online, the probability of getting influenced by an agent is zero as you can compare different plans online and choose the most suitable one. |
While buying car insurance offline, you may get influenced by the agent and end up buying an expensive policy with lesser coverage. |
Paperwork |
It involves minimum to zero paperwork. |
It involves lots of paperwork as you need to fill up multiple forms. |
Time |
The process of buying car insurance online is quick as you do not have to fill lengthy forms or wait for an appointment to meet with your insurance agent. You can buy a car insurance policy online within a few minutes. |
The process of buying car insurance offline is time-consuming as you need to visit the insurer’s branch or fix an appointment with an insurance agent. You will also need to fill up several forms that will take some time. |
Premium Payment |
While purchasing car insurance online, you can pay the premium amount online via debit cards, credit cards or internet banking. |
While buying the insurance offline, the premium can also be paid offline through cash, cheque, etc. |
Customer Support |
If you have a query while buying car insurance online, you will be able to contact the customer service team round the clock. |
If you face a query while buying the policy offline, the customer executive or the insurance agent will be able to solve it only during office hours. |
Renewal |
The process of renewing a car insurance policy online is simpler than the buying process as your policy details will be saved on the insurer’s website. All you need to do is log in to your account or enter your policy number to renew it. |
The process of renewing a car insurance policy offline is as cumbersome as the buying process as you will have to visit the insurer’s office or meet with an agent and fill up the forms to renew it. |
Yes.
Buying car insurance online is undoubtedly better than buying it offline. This is because the online process is faster, more convenient and economical as compared to the traditional method.
However, the perks of buying a car insurance policy online can be reaped in only by people who are tech-savvy or are well-versed with the usage of computers and the internet. People who are technologically challenged may not be comfortable with buying insurance online on their own. They would rather seek the help of an insurance agent to buy the right insurance for their car.
Therefore, buying a car insurance policy online is better only for people who can access computer/ laptop and the internet comfortably.
In a Nutshell
The decision of buying a car insurance policy is an important one. That’s why you must buy car insurance through a method that you are comfortable with and that can help you get maximum benefits. If you are well-versed with laptops and the internet, buy your car insurance policy online is the best method.
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