There are a lot of companies and websites out there today promising cheap auto insurance. How do you know if you are dealing with a legitimate company when getting a cheap auto insurance quote? The truth is there are a number of scammers out there that have set up fake auto insurance websites, and fake auto insurance companies offering the lure of cheap auto insurance for strictly fraudulent purposes. However, there are ways to make sure you are getting even a cheap auto insurance quote from a legitimate and reputable company.

First of all, any company that gives you a cheap auto insurance quote online, should also have a telephone number you can call to set up an appointment with an actual representative before purchasing a policy. If there is no phone number on their website, or if you do call and they hem and haw and give excuses as to why you cannot come to the office or meet with someone in person - steer clear.

If you are given a cheap auto insurance quote and are suspicious of the company - go to their website. Again, first up there should be a phone number, but beyond that there are several other ways to tell a legitimate auto insurance company's website from a fraudulent one. There should be some icon or indicator on the website that any information you enter is secure. If they do not offer security encryption of data you enter either they are a scam looking to get your credit card information, or a real auto insurance company you want to avoid anyway, because they do not care about your privacy.

There should be other functionalities on any legitimate auto insurance company's website such as the ability to download policy documents and insurance cards. Not sure what a real auto insurance website should look like or be able to do? Check out a few of the companies you know are legit, such as Geico or Allstate - and note their sites. Smaller companies may not have all the bells and whistles of the big guys, but many of the same functions should be available if they are for real and have an interest in customer service.

And finally, go with your guts - if a cheap auto insurance quote you are given from a company you never heard of, sounds too good to be true - you are probably right. But just to make sure go online and look for reviews of the company from JD Power or Consumer Reports.