Guide for National Association of Auto Insurance Commissioners

National Association of Auto Insurance Commissioners

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is the oldest association of state government officials. Its members consist of the chief insurance regulators in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. The primary responsibility of the state regulators is to protect the interests of insurance consumers, and the NAIC helps regulators fulfill that obligation in a number of different ways. This guide is one example of work done by the NAIC to assist states in educating and protecting consumers.
Another way the NAIC lends support to state regulators is by providing a forum for the development of uniform public policy when uniformity is appropriate. It does this through a series of model laws, regulations and guidelines, developed for the states' use. States that choose to do so may adopt the models intact or modify them to meet the needs of their marketplace and consumers.


The NAIC's mission is to assist state insurance regulators, individually and collectively, in serving the public interest and achieving the following fundamental insurance regulatory goals in a responsive, efficient and cost-effective manner,
consistent with the wishes of its members: 

•  Protect the public interest. 
• Promote competitive markets.  
• Facilitate the fair and equitable treatment of insurance consumers.
• Promote the reliability, solvency and financial solidity of insurance institutions.  
• Support and improve state regulation of insurance.  

 Whether you are buying auto insurance for the first time, or shopping to be sure you are getting the best deal, you already know how important auto insurance is. By law in most states, if you own a car, you must have some auto insurance.
Remember, there is no such thing as a "full coverage" auto insurance policy. Policies are made up of different types of coverages. Your state's laws or your auto lender may require you to have some coverages, but you may want to buy others if you can afford it.
Your family and friends can be great resources to find an agent or insurance company. You also can look online or in your local phonebook. Some insurers do not use agents and deal with customers directly online or via toll-free numbers. Some agents represent more than one insurance company. Contact more than one agent or insurance company to be sure you get at least three quotes when you shop for insurance. 

The information in this guide will help you become an informed shopper. It will help you understand the coverages you can buy. The suggested questions to ask an agent or insurance company will help you be sure you get the coverages you want. It also will help you understand the types of information you will need to get a premium estimate or quote.