One of my friends was planning to buy a used car and asked me if I had some tips. He was so surprised when he learnt about the road tax, the MOT tests and of course the cost of insurance. If you are buying from a dealer, they will usually try to convince you to get the insurance from one of the companies they partner with. Naturally these are not necessarily the cheapest or the best.
In the US, if you are buying your first car, you need to buy the insurance even before you can drive away from the dealership with your new car. I think it's unethical for some dealers to force down their insurance policies on some unsuspecting customer. I mean not all customers will want a full coverage and would rather go for the legal minimum required. You have to note that different American states have different rules and most require you to have an insurance if you drive.
There are several sites where you can obtain and compare quotes and all you have to do is enter your Zip code. Getting a auto insurance code has never been easier. And of course you get to save some money.