If you are shopping for a car insurance, then you would probably want to save as much money as possible. Some companies are so different. They are the only ones that will get you the policy and there are brokers who allegedly to save money because they are with different insurers.
To save the most, you really should do the search yourself. If you go with a broker, you do not know what they see. And also, their rates are sometimes a little bit higher than if you were to go direct as they need to pay themselves. But that is something they do not tell you, though.
The best place to start your search is over the internet. If the auto insurance company is a major one, they should have some form of web presence. And they should allow you to request a quote through the internet too. The world is changing and it is becoming more digital and connected through the web. Having some form of virtual real estate is therefore crucial to the firm that wants to progress with the times. This is what you should be looking for - a firm that keeps up with changing times.
Once you have gotten several quotes, now is the time to speak personally with one of their agents. You should ask about discounts they give for professionals and for people who have graduated from college. There are many more discount programs out there.