BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is joining forces with AutoInsurance.com on a service that will let its customers compare car insurance quotes from many leading companies, and quickly choose and buy a policy online.

Walmart is joining forces with AutoInsurance.com on a service that will let its customers compare car insurance quotes from many leading companies, and quickly choose and buy a policy online.

Walmart will promote the website in its stores and on its own website, in return for a monthly fee. The service was tested in Pennsylvania last year, and Walmart says customers who bought insurance on the site reported saving an average of $1,168 on their annual insurance costs.

"Our business is driven by a commitment to taking products and services that are complex and pricey and making them easy and affordable," said Walmart U.S. senior vice president of services Daniel Eckert. "Our customers too often have to settle for auto insurance policies that aren’t the best fit and cost more than they want to spend. With AutoInsurance.com, we’re helping our customers save money on one of their largest household expenses in a new, quick and easy way."

The new service is now available in eight states — Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas — with a national rollout planned in the coming months.

A number of leading national insurance carriers are participating with the AutoInsurance.com service. They include Progressive, Esurance, Safeco and The General, but not, so far at least, the No. 1 and No. 2 companies, State Farm and Geico.