Rate Check HQ exists to help drivers understand car insurance and the cost of driving. These standards describe how we create and maintain our guides.
Our principles
- Useful. Every guide should answer a real question and leave you with a practical next step.
- Accurate. We describe how insurance generally works and flag where rules vary by insurer or state.
- Plain. We avoid jargon, and when a technical term matters, we define it.
- Honest. We do not exaggerate potential savings, invent statistics, or present opinions as facts.
How guides are researched
Our writers draw on primary and authoritative sources, including state insurance department consumer guides and regulations, consumer materials from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, state motor vehicle agency rules, sample policy language, vehicle safety research organizations and manufacturer documentation. When a rule varies by state, we say so rather than generalize.
We do not name or rank specific insurance companies in our guides. Instead, we explain the factors and questions that apply no matter which company you use.
Review and updates
Each guide is edited for accuracy, clarity and completeness before publication. Guides display the date they were published or last meaningfully updated. We review guides periodically and when laws, common practices or costs change, and we update or retire content that is no longer accurate.
Independence from advertising
Rate Check HQ is supported by advertising, as explained in our Advertising Disclosure. Advertisers and Partners do not write, review or approve our guides, and compensation does not affect what our guides say. Links that lead to rate-check tools are clearly labeled with phrases such as "Check your rate."
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we want to fix it. Email support@ratecheckhq.com with the page and the issue. We review every correction request and update the guide when a change is warranted.