The biggest thing to know when going to the internet to buy insurance is that, for the most part, when you fill out an application online, you are not able to buy a policy immediately. Usually this form is sent to multiple agencies, who will call or e-mail you to finish the quoting process. For home and auto policies, the necessary driver and claim history reports are not run until they verify the information with you. Business insurance requests usually require even more information to get a final quote. It is likely you will go through the same time and effort online as you would working with an independent agent, but without the advantages. For advantages of working with an independent agent, see the question above in the FAQs section.