How to choose between different insurance quotes?

[Oren H.]

While shopping for insurance, I got quotes from different insurance providers. As far as I can tell, these offerings are pretty similar (same coverages, same deductibles, both replacement cost, both has loss of use, etc.) but the price differences between different providers can be significant (as an example, I have one quote from Safeco for over $1480 and one from National General for $1280, a $200 difference).

I have also tried to research the company itself, but found that all insurance providers receive very low reviews.

When I shop for insurance, I mostly want to be protected from big risks -- liability, fire, etc. -- and I want a company that will be there if/when I actually need it.

Should I just ensure I have the basic protections and go with the cheapest quote? Are there major differences between insurance providers that might justify going with a more expensive options even if the coverages are more or less the same? What else do you look at when comparing quotes from different providers?

Thanks a lot for the help!