Tiers play an important role in the price differences between auto insurance companies for the same auto insurance policy. Most auto insurance companies have a system where drivers are grouped into tiers, depending on the risk involved in insuring the driver. Some auto insurance companies may have two or three tiers, while others may have as many as fourteen or fifteen tiers. The more tiers an ins company has, the lower your quotes may be. An auto insurance provider with fifteen tiers will charge less, because there are more tiers involved. This is why comparing free online auto insurance quotes can be beneficial when you are searching for cheap auto insurance. Find a company that has more tiers, so that your auto insurance rates are lower, and you do not have to pay an arm and a leg to meet your needs.