Love or hate big box stores, they certainly make shopping convenient. Now retail giant Walmart is making your one-stop shopping needs even easier by getting into the auto insurance business.

Walmart and AutoInsurance.com have joined forces to provide consumers with the opportunity to find and purchase insurance policies online. Eight states already have access to the real time, cost-cutting rates: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. It shouldn’t be long before the plans are available nationwide, most likely in a matter of months.

The company issued the following press release:

Attention drivers! Online comparison shopping for auto insurance just got much easier. To help answer the question, “How do I know I’m getting a great deal on auto insurance?” Walmart is working with AutoInsurance.com to bring customers a first-of-its-kind auto insurance comparison service that helps drivers quickly buy and save significantly on policies.

For Walmart, the foray into the insurance business makes sense. The company has expanded its products and services over the past decade to go beyond groceries and household items to areas like banking and pharmacy. Their marketing strategy of a one-stop shopping palace only brings more customers into their store, where they will of course advertise their new insurance. AutoInsurance.com will earn a commission for every policy sold.

Additionally, the strategy is to make shopping for car insurance as easy for the consumer as possible. After shoppers log onto the site and provide their basic information, including access to their current car insurance policy if desired, consumers will receive free quotes from several top national insurance providers including Progressive and Esurance. Consumers can then purchase their chosen policy in real time or speak with an agent. They can also save the information for later.

Consumers in the hunt for car insurance can check out the information on AutoInsurance.com or through Walmart’s website at www.Walmart.com/autoinsurance.

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