Most people dread buying auto insurance.
The process can be dreary, confusing and shocking when a quote arrives, especially when it turns out to be much more expensive than expected. A few companies have tried to simplify the procedure in recent years by offering an 1-800 phone service, in which customers can call from home 24 hours a day, to buy insurance. However, a few pioneering companies are using the Internet as a way of further demystifying the process, and are making it much easier for consumers. In Canada, the online leader is Belair Insurance, which began offering Web surfers a secure method of purchasing auto insurance with a few clicks of the mouse and a few taps of the keyboard in November 1998. The feeling in the insurance industry seems to be that Canadians are more hesitant than Americans when it comes to purchasing insurance online.