Choosing the Right Insurance Agent

Choosing the best method to purchase your insurance should be evaluated carefully.  By now you probably realize it’s more than simply placing a phone call where “in fifteen minutes you can save fifteen percent.”  There is also more to getting the proper coverage than just going online and filling out a form. The truth is, it’s much more complicated than that, and you don’t want to make a mistake. 

There are several ways you can obtain quotes and eventually buy your insurance.  I will describe the choices available to you:

Online and “800” Companies

These are direct-sale companies like Geico, and other online companies that tease you into getting a quote. They have very clever marketing philosophies (where they spend millions of advertising dollars each year) and emphasize that insurance is all about saving money. They have highly-trained sales representatives who sell their product via phone, mail or the internet. They are well-scripted and well-versed to try to sell you, usually the first time to contact them. Sometimes their prices are appealing, but the process happens so quickly that you really don’t know what coverage you are getting. 

It also is worth noting that the quote you obtain online may vary significantly from what an insurer will offer you when you actually make the purchase. We actually have people who left our agency and purchased insurance online, only to come back to us a short time later after realizing their mistake.

Captive Agency

These are sales agents who represent one insurance company, like State Farm, Allstate or Nationwide. In some cases they are considered employees or have exclusive contracts with  annual goals and targets set by their company.  To their credit they are usually well trained and familiar with the neighborhood where they are located. But, because they are “captive,” they are limited in their ability to offer choices and specific products to suit every one of your needs.  They often have sales quotas they are required to attain in order to keep the insurance company they work for happy.

Independent Agency

Independent agents represent several insurance carriers, giving you optimal choices on finding the best policies and a fair price.  They are called independent because they generally have no restrictions to sell for just one carrier. No quotas or sales requirements.  They have the freedom to form relationships with many insurance carriers which gives them the ability to locate policies that will best suit your needs. Independent agencies truly work on behalf of the client, not the insurance company.

This is the kind of expertise you get when you deal one-on-one with an independent agency.  Agents can evaluate your unique circumstances and then tailor coverages to meet your specific needs.