The World Wide Web has changed a lot of things in the world. And that includes the way people buy car insurance in general in South Africa.

It is interesting to note that just two short years ago only 20 per cent of all insurance purchased in the country was bought directly from insurance companies. That means that a vast majority of the insurance was gotten through a broker. Today more people are buying directly and that percentage has now crept up to 30 per cent.

There are a number of factors that have caused this dramatic change but top on the list has to be the Internet which has made it very convenient to reach an insurer, get all the information you require and buy online.

Most people would find comfort in numbers and proceed to do what most people in the country are still doing (which is buying through brokers) without asking too many questions. But is it really the wisest approach? More so when it comes to car insurance? Or is it better to buy your car insurance directly?

Actually there are many advantages buying your car insurance directly from the insurance company. The World Wide Web and mobile telephone has made it much easier. In the old days the main reason for using a broker was to gather and even digest all the information from different insurance companies on your behalf. Now you can get all the information you need and even have somebody do a comparison for you online. You can easily take a look at dozens of car insurance company offers on your way to a meeting. Alternatively you can do your research on your mobile phone as you wait in some company reception to call on somebody during your normal rounds or business day activities. Comparison shopping has become so easy and is getting even easier.

Naturally what all this means is that in most cases you will be able to reduce the cost of your car insurance. For starters you have eliminated the middleman which means that the insurance company saves money in terms of the commission that it would have paid a broker and some of these savings are usually transferred to the buyer who purchases their insurance policy directly. And then you are able to do much more thorough research online dramatically increasing the chances of you saving a lot of money by finding a really good deal. Amazingly the kind of research that would have taken months to do in the old days using the old days of calling insurance companies and asking for quotes can now take you just a few minutes online.

Does all this mean that the days of the car insurance broker are gone? Definitely not because brokers still have a lot going for them, especially the ones who have been able to adjust and fully embrace the digital age and the World Wide Web.

For example just a few years professional experience spending the whole day dealing with car insurance is not something that can easily be replaced by some comparison shopping website. Brokers have specialized on looking for the right insurance policy for their individual clients and satisfying their every need. More importantly they have tiny little details that only an insider can have that usually come in very handy. They are able to recognize trends in the industry and thus give their client excellent advice that protects them against future dangers to their interest. Again this is something that they will never find online.

A good broker will also be able to combine their knowledge and skills to look at many more options on the Internet than an individual would ever be able to do on their own.

And so what is the verdict? Which is better, buying your car insurance directly or through some broker? Experts advice that it all comes down to the claim process. If you are confident that you will be able to handle, the usually complex claim process on your own then you are definitely better off doing your own research and going directly to the insurance company.

However if you realize that you do not know enough about the claims process and neither do you have the experience and perhaps require somebody who will have more clout with the insurance company, then you will be better off going through a car insurance broker.