How to Get a Car Insurance Quote Without Submitting Personal Information

We checked how much personal information different car insurance companies need for quotes. In this context, "anonymous" means providing minimal personal details initially—like your ZIP code—to get an estimate before revealing your name, address and driving history. Most companies require your ZIP code and basic vehicle details to estimate potential costs.

Review each company's privacy policy for details on data retention and security practices. These companies use encryption and regular security audits to protect your information.

We focused on The General, GEICO and Progressive because they ask for the fewest details upfront. For instance, many of GEICO's additional information fields are optional. Here's how the most privacy-friendly companies stack up:

Anonymous quotes give you ballpark pricing without sharing contact details. You can get these estimates through online comparison tools or directly from some insurers, especially direct writers who don't use agents. Binding quotes lock in actual rates but require your full personal information—and often trigger marketing calls.

A binding quote becomes active when you formally accept it. While rare, some companies impose cancellation fees if you back out after accepting.

You'll always need your ZIP code, car details (year, make and model) and basic information about yourself and your driving history. Everything else—like your phone number, email and Social Security number—is often optional for estimates, even though companies make these fields seem required.

Here's what you can expect companies to ask for and what you can skip:

Your vehicle's make influences your premium based on repair costs, theft rates and safety ratings. The specific model matters too—insurers consider safety features, body type (sedan, SUV or truck), engine size and theft statistics for that model. A Honda Civic and Honda Accord, for example, can have different rates despite being from the same manufacturer.

Shop for car insurance without receiving excessive sales calls. Use MoneyGeek's anonymous calculator or other comparison tools first to see which companies offer good rates, then share your real contact info with only your top two or three picks.

You'll still need to provide full details to get an actual quote you can buy, but this approach lets you narrow down your options without 20 different companies having your contact information. The General asks for the least information upfront, while companies like Allstate want more details right away.

Start with anonymous quotes, identify your top choices, then provide complete information to only the most promising companies. You'll get competitive rates without constant marketing calls.

We gathered common questions about anonymous quotes to simplify your car insurance shopping experience:

Getting car insurance quotes shouldn't mean surrendering your personal information to dozens of companies. We designed our research to identify which insurers let you compare rates anonymously, so you can shop smart without spam calls, emails or unwanted marketing.

Our Research Approach

We tested 46 car insurance companies to find which ones respect your privacy during the quote process. For each insurer, we measured how much personal information they require upfront, whether they demand sensitive data like your Social Security number or driver's license before showing prices, and how long the quote process takes with minimal data sharing.

Privacy protection matters when shopping for insurance. Every field you fill out, every phone number you share, and every email you provide gives companies permission to contact you. We evaluated which insurers provide accurate quotes with the least amount of personal information, so you can compare rates without the follow-up hassle.

What We Measured

We collected 83,056 anonymous quotes from 46 companies across 473 ZIP codes using data from state insurance departments and Quadrant Information Services. For each company, we tracked:

• Total personal information fields required before seeing a price
• Whether sensitive information (SSN, driver's license number) is mandatory or optional
• Whether contact information (phone number, email address) is required
• Quote processing time with minimal data
• Privacy policy clarity about data usage and sharing
• Opt-out options for marketing communications
• Mobile experience for privacy-protected quotes

Why This Approach Works

Anonymous shopping reveals which companies prioritize quick, transparent pricing over collecting your data. We compared the accuracy of anonymous quotes to final prices after full applications, identifying which insurers give you reliable estimates without requiring extensive personal details upfront. This shows you where to start your search without committing your contact information.

Sample Driver Profile

To calculate average costs while maintaining anonymity, we used a consistent profile: a 40-year-old man driving a Toyota Camry LE with a clean driving record who drives 12,000 miles annually. We adjusted this profile by location, coverage type and coverage amount to determine costs across different scenarios. This standardized approach creates meaningful comparisons of anonymous quote accuracy between companies and states.

Coverage Details

We tested two coverage levels to match real shopping behavior:

National analysis: Full coverage with 100/300/100 liability limits and a $1,000 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage

State-specific analysis: Full coverage with 50/100/50 liability limits and a $1,000 deductible for both coverages

These liability numbers represent your coverage limits: 100/300/100 means $100,000 per person for bodily injury, $300,000 per accident for total bodily injury, and $100,000 for property damage. The $1,000 deductible is what you pay before insurance covers the rest of a claim.

Full coverage includes liability (damages you cause to others), comprehensive (non-collision damage to your car), and collision (crash damage to your car). This combination protects you financially while meeting most lenders' requirements.

What Makes Our Analysis Unique

Most car insurance comparisons focus only on final prices after you've shared all your information. Our approach reveals which companies give you accurate estimates before you provide sensitive details, helping you narrow your options without privacy trade-offs. We ranked insurers by quote accuracy, data requirements and user experience to show you the best starting points for anonymous rate shopping.