Using an insurance broker can definitely be worth your while. The key to getting the best price on car insurance is to get the complete picture of what Alberta insurers can offer you regarding price and coverage. Like a quote comparison site, brokers are experts at helping you shop the market. They're not constrained to showing you products from one company like the way insurance agents are.  

One advantage quote comparison sites have over traditional brokerages is that they let you do research at your convenience and see some of the information that once only brokers could view. Now you can see the spread between your highest and lowest quote and which company offers which rate. You can also research premiums for different cars, something the Insurance Bureau of Canada advises, given how strongly make and model influence the cost of a policy. 

Insurance brokers are reliant on insurance companies. Brokers don't sell insurance; they act as middlemen for insurers, linking them to potential customers. Once a consumer chooses a policy based on their broker's recommendations, insurance companies take over and finalize the sale. Brokers earn commissions from insurance companies if they arrange a successful match (which is why their services are free to consumers).  

However, unlike an insurance agent, brokers are not beholden to one insurance company. Brokers have relationships with multiple insurance companies, which many consumers believe makes them better positioned to make objective recommendations to clients. 

You can get excellent service regardless of the location of your provider, broker or agent. Car insurance providers who operate nationally have local branches, so you'll likely be paired with someone with a professional who has local expertise. The same applies to large car insurance brokerages, which also have regional offices. InsuranceHotline.com's marketplace will also direct you to the providers who can offer you the best providers who serve your location.