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:

Vehicle make influences premiums through repair costs, theft rates and safety ratings. Model specifics matter too since insurers weigh safety features, body type (sedan, SUV or truck), engine size and theft statistics. A Honda Civic and Honda Accord carry different rates despite sharing a 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

MoneyGeek gathered 83,056 anonymous quotes from 46 companies across 473 ZIP codes using state insurance department data and Quadrant Information Services pricing analytics. Privacy-conscious shoppers need to know which insurers demand the most personal information before displaying rates, so testing measured specific data requirements and quote accuracy for each company.

Data requirements: Personal information fields demanded before showing prices. Sensitive details (SSN, driver's license) flagged as mandatory versus optional. Contact information requirements (phone number, email address).

Quote accuracy: Anonymous estimates compared to final prices after complete applications. This comparison identifies which insurers deliver reliable initial numbers without extensive personal details, showing you where to start shopping without surrendering contact information.

User experience: Quote processing speed with minimal data input. Privacy policy transparency on data usage and sharing practices. Marketing communication opt-out availability. Mobile platform functionality for privacy-protected quotes.

Testing used a standardized 40-year-old male driver (Toyota Camry LE, clean driving record, 12,000 annual miles) to calculate average costs while maintaining anonymity. Location, coverage type and coverage amount varied across scenarios. This standardization creates meaningful accuracy comparisons between companies and states without requiring actual personal information from shoppers.

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.