Results from the CoverHound poll are in, and the findings are interesting. CoverHound community members were asked the following question on both our homepage and our [FB page](http://www.facebook.com/CoverHound): When are you most likely to shop for car insurance?
Out of the five answer choices, the most frequently selected was “At the end of my policy term,” with 35% of the respondents clicking in.
The answer choice that attracted the second most respondents was “When I buy a new car.” One in three people shared that this is when they most often shop for car insurance.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the third-place choice. Only 20% of respondents said they are most likely shop for car insurance when their rate is increased. We view rate increases as good opportunity for consumers to shop around for a better rate. If your premiums are raised without cause you can almost certainly get a better rate with another carrier. If anything, you should be getting loyalty discounts, not rate increases. If an accident or moving violation is the causer of your increase you may be able to find a carrier to address your new needs.
Only four percent of the respondents told us that they were likely to shop for car insurance after getting into an accident. That makes sense; as mentioned above, it may be best to see how your rate adjusts after the crash. If you’re not happy with the new monthly premium, then you should look around.
Seven percent of respondents told us that they are likely to shop around for insurance at “other” times. This could be because of a change in financial circumstances, adding someone to a policy, and so forth.
Thanks to all respondents. Check out our new survey on the homepage -- (Who/what is your favorite car insurance carrier brand mascot?)(http://www.facebook.com/CoverHound)
