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Instead of products — how do you shop for SERVICES?

Continuing with the consumerism theme -- do you value or price services in the same way you consider products? Or do you look differently at buying a service?

If you were shopping for cheap auto insurance, for example, what's the most important thing you would look for? Would you simply buy the minimum legal insurance for wherever you live at the cheapest place you could find it? Or would you think about the possible consequences of buying the least and cheapest insurance available?

I've thought about this one a lot, because I spent three years doing office work for a major property insurance company. They sold homeowners and auto insurance, and my job was to transcribe and proofread tons of letters from insurance adjusters to policy holders. Mostly claims DENIAL letters.

What have I learned from that? I've learned that I would look very closely at the agent or agency from which I was buying my auto insurance and probably less at the price I was paying for it. Cheap auto insurance is a great idea -- but it's even better to know there will be a trustworthy agent behind the insurance if you need to use it!

How about you? Whether it's auto insurance, some other insurance, or educational expenses -- how do you evaluate your purchases when you're buying a service instead of a product? Any comments?