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While competitors may provide more detailed options, The Zebra promises not to spam you and honestly gives you a quick and easy ballpark figure.
9/10
Cost
9/10
Features
8.5/10
Ease of use
8.5/10
Services
9/10
Shopping for car insurance ranks right up there with going to the dentist. You know you need to do it, but it's not something you look forward to. This may explain why so many drivers stick with the same auto insurance company their parents used and had when they first got their licenses.
I'll admit it: I did it. My family had State Farm, and when I needed my first policy as an adult, I called State Farm. I didn't even bother to review other insurance companies. What a mistake. Only when I moved to a state where State Farm couldn't insure me did I have to get quotes from new companies. And that's when I learned that not all auto insurance is the same. You can find cheaper insurance, better customer support, and discounts others may not offer.
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What is The Zebra?
Since 2012, The Zebra has worked with more than hundreds of insurance companies as an all-in-one insurance comparison site. It began with auto insurance and now offers homeowners, as well. It is still growing and plans to add renters, RV, boats, and other insurance. It has an A- rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB).
But the Austin, Texas-based company began in cars, where The Zebra exceeds. It claims you will not receive junk mail or spam calls when you look into insurance carriers. Read that again, as I don't know about you, but my biggest pet peeve is when I want to use a free search tool, and I get to the end and then am told I'll be called for the details I was looking for.
The Zebra is super easy to use and all online. To compare quotes and policies, visit thezebra.com and begin by selecting whether you are currently insured.
Then you will enter details about your vehicle.
You'll have to add details like your birthday and address, as these are needed to determine insurance prices. It also asked about my credit score.
I was hesitant about adding my email, not wanting the many emails that would follow, but it clearly states, "We won't spam you."
After entering it, I immediately refreshed my inbox to see what 'welcome" email awaited me, and there wasn't one!
Next, I could choose the package I wanted for a quote, from Basic coverage to Best coverage. I chose Better.
And that was it. The Zebra began to process my information and produced four insurance companies and their quotes. The first was Progressive, and I already told The Zebra I was insured through Progressive, so the algorithm isn't quite perfected. I had an at-fault accident three years ago, which explains the providers I'm not very familiar with.
However, the quotes provided are each well under my current monthly plan. If I continue and move forward with one of these companies, I could save more than $100 per month - which is a $1,200 annual savings!
To learn about the quote, I can either continue online, where my quote is brought over to the insurance company's official website, or call and speak to an agent.
It was that easy. I can see why it is the No. 1 insurance comparison site in the U.S.
There's no fee to use The Zebra. It is 100% free. The company partners with insurance providers, such as Nationwide, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and others, to bring you the best quotes in your area. They only get a commission if you buy insurance, not for sending you to specific insurance companies.
And the best part? Your personal data is not shared with others, and you won't receive emails or phone calls from third-party insurance providers.
The Zebra features
Customized insurance comparisons. The main feature is detailed above. You can quickly compare auto insurance quotes from various providers to find the cheapest car insurance policy to fit your insurance needs. You can specify the coverage amounts you'd like in a plan so you only browse results that match your specific criteria.
Fast search process. The Zebra asks for personal data to pull real auto insurance quotes but makes the process quick and easy by minimizing the number of questions and providing a range of answers to select. It took me about 5 minutes to get my quotes.
Bundling options. The Zebra currently offers homeowners insurance comparisons, too. If you are a homeowner, you can request the platform to bundle your auto and home insurance to see a discounted rate for both.
Insurance agents. The Zebra offers agents who can assist you in your decision-making and are just a phone call away if you have any questions. You can speak to an agent to discuss options, optional insurance coverage, and discounts. Looking for a vanishing deductible? How about roadside assistance? The agents can go deeper into your auto insurance comparison with you.
Pros and cons
Pros
Instant comparisons. Instead of spending hours online entering the same information over and over again while insurance shopping to obtain personalized quotes, The Zebra reviews the data from car insurance companies for you to give you multiple insurance quotes in minutes.
No spam. They claim you will not receive emails following your inquiry, and I didn't receive a single one. The Zebra didn't even take my phone number, so I couldn't get any spam calls.
Straightforward process. The Zebra's website is very basic and straightforward, which is great if you're looking to cut through the marketing jargon and get straight to finding the best insurance quotes.
Cons
Must talk to agent for a deeper dive. I'd love the ability to alter my quote details by more specific requirements without having to speak to an agent. It would be great to request a deductible minimum and opt-in or out of additional coverage on The Zebra's site.
Gabi is another insurance comparison site that works to provide multiple quotes using your data. However, Gabi allows far more customization than The Zebra. Gabi can also show discounts you may qualify for based on the insurance agency.
Although Credible began with homeowners insurance, it now offers auto insurance, among other options. The free price comparison tool lets you compare car insurance rates and features from over 40 insurance providers.
Does The Zebra offer quotes without creating an account?
Unusually, yes. You don't provide a phone number either. Just give it an email where it can send you your quote. But you don't even need to opt-in to have the quote emailed to you. You can see it right on your screen.
Which providers will The Zebra provide quotes for?
As an insurance comparison website, The Zebra works with over 100 insurance companies to provide quotes. This includes big names like Allstate and progressive.
How long will it take to compare car insurance quotes?
The Zebra claims you can get your quotes in 5 minutes, which was true for the quotes I received.
Is The Zebra legit?
It may not be top of mind to look at your auto insurance unless you are purchasing a new car, but either way, using an auto insurance quote comparison service can save you time and money. While competitors may provide more detailed options, The Zebra promises not to spam you and honestly gives you a quick and easy ballpark figure. The Zebra can't give you an auto insurance policy, but it can point you toward the companies that can. By showing you quotes, you can determine if you'd like to contact the insurance company to switch companies and save money you didn't realize you could be saving.
Joy Wallet is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor, financial advisor, loan broker, insurance producer, or insurance broker. Its articles, interactive tools and other content are provided to you for free, as self-help tools and for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide investment advice. Joy Wallet does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information in regard to your individual circumstances. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific investment issues. Featured estimates are based on past market performance, and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.
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Lissa Poirot is Joy Wallet’s Head of Content and an award-winning journalist and editor with a focus on finance, travel and health. Her work has appeared online and in print, and she has often been cited as a source on both. She currently resides in Pennsylvania.
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