Doing an auto insurance comparison is like any other shopping comparison. The motivation of course is to find the best value or lowest price. With auto insurance, the idea of “value” includes price, customer service and satisfaction.

Think about it: We all use that idea of value when we shop for a lot of products and services. If you’re looking for a good car mechanic not only do you want the lowest price, you want fast, friendly service and satisfaction that the job was done right.

Shopping for a good auto mechanic can take a lot of work; making phone calls, driving around to get estimates, seeking out referrals. Fortunately, comparing car insurance costs is much easier — especially with the Internet. Yet, many people don’t take the little amount of time to shop around.

It’s easy to get an almost instant car insurance quote either directly from a company or an agent. Get three of four from different companies and you’ve done your comparison shopping. Just like that you’ll find the best value — or confirm you already have the best value — and potentially save yourself hundreds of dollars a year.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve compared car insurance quotes, today’s the day to start.

If you’re a homeowner living in a flood zone, you’re probably glad that the National Flood Insurance Program received an extension until September 30 of this year. The program had been suspended from issuing new policies since May 31 and had put many homeowners at risk just as flood season is getting into full swing.

Standard homeowners insurance policies don’t provide flood coverage. The NFIP was started in 1968 to help people protect their property from the threat of flooding. Rates are set and do not differ from company to company, or agent to agent. Flood insurance rates are based on a number of factors including the date and construction type of the home plus the risk factors. Flood insurance covers the building and contents, but not the occupied land.

Flood insurance is required if you have a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender. Talk to your home insurance agency or company if you feel you need coverage. You can also get more information at the official site of the NFIP at FloodSmart.gov.

We’re all looking forward to this weekend. Here are some things to consider when celebrating our nation’s independence.

Be careful — A study done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the Independence Day holiday is when the most motor vehicle deaths occur.

Be safe — Before setting off fireworks near your home (assuming you live in a community where fireworks are legal), check your homeowners insurance policy to make sure there aren’t limits on firework usage. If you or a party guest ignites a house fire through negligent use of fireworks, your insurer may try to recoup the cost of damages from you — even though accidental fire may be covered by your policy.

Be preventative — According to the Insurance Information Institute, most home burglaries occur in July and August and they’re not just stealing jewelry. Identity theft by burglars is on the increase. If you’re headed out of town, take precautions including keeping your home well lit and difficult to break in, holding your mail, shutting down and disconnecting your computers and asking a trusted neighbor to keep an eye out.

The Schultz fire that nearly burned homes in Flagstaff is a good reminder to homeowners who live in wildfire risk areas to take steps to protect their property. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has some tips to help you reduce the risk of fire to your home. Like most disasters, preparedness is a key component of mitigation. Some of the tips include:

Learn about your fire risk – Make sure you understand the history, nature and frequency of wildfires in your area. How will fires be fought and where is the nearest hydrant or source of water to protect your home? Determine an evacuation plan. You may need the help of a professional to analyze your situation.

Create a safety zone around your home — The idea here is to clear away anything that can fuel a fire near your home. You should have a 30 foot clear zone, plus a secondary zone 100 feet or more beyond that. For example, clean away pine needles from rooftops, prune branches near chimneys and the home, and clear out underbrush.

This “defensible space” can help even when fire is raging nearby, and is often required by home insurance companies.

Protect your home — Cover house vents with wire mesh, use spark arrestors on chimneys, use fire resistant siding and safety glass during construction. And if you’re building a home, consider the location carefully with regards to how a fire spreads. Building on a hill can require a considerably larger defensible space.

Check out FEMA’s web page on wildfires for more helpful tips.

When it comes to shopping for insurance, most people put that on the same list as calling a plumber or getting their teeth cleaned. A “necessary evil.” People get insurance because it’s required by law, as in the case of auto insurance, or maybe it’s required by a lender in the case of homeowners insurance. Most Americans also come to the realization at some point that insurance can really protect their hard-earned investments for themselves and their loved ones.

At that point it becomes less of a necessary evil and more of a financial necessity. And just like any other necessity, you want to find the best value: Insurance coverage that offers the right price, the right protection, excellent service and confidence in its ability to be there when you need it.

In order to find the best value for anything, it pays to get some education and do a little homework. Nowhere is that more true than in buying insurance. Most experts agree that at the least you need to get an insurance rate quote from several different providers in order to find the lowest rate for your situation.

It can also help you to understand how insurance works, how to choose a good company or agent and what things you can do to help lower your insurance costs. We’ve launched the LowerYourInsurance.com Blog as a resource to help you get the updated information that can make your insurance shopping experience easier.

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