Why Should You Have An Insurance Agent?
This is a question that we get a lot. Whether to buy insurance through an agent or to just buy directly from an insurance company. There are a lot of reasons that having an insurance agent can help you.
#1 More Options!
Some companies only sell through insurance agents. By only shopping for your insurance online you can limit the number of options that you ultimately have. Independent Insurance agents represent multiple insurance companies and can shop around for you and if you do buy with them, they can shop your insurance on renewal for you if the rates change.
#2 Saves Time!
If you have ever shopped online with a bunch of insurance companies you know that you have to input your information on each website. That’s names, dates of birth of all drivers, Driver’s license numbers, VIN numbers of all of the vehicles you own, etc. Doing it once is not that bad. Doing it multiple times can be time-consuming. An agent can do all of that for you.
Another way agents can save you time is dealing with the insurance company. Have you ever had to call into a call center? Insurance agents can make those calls and often know exactly what needs to happen and are able to resolve problems quickly. All you need to do is give them a call and they will work on your behalf to resolve the issue.
#3 Personal Touch
They often know who you are and are familiar with your account. Insurance agencies are often small businesses owned by local business owners. With that being the case, each client is valuable, and they are treated as such. When you call into a call center, you do not know who you are going to get and you are just another caller.
#4 Claims
Claims are most often handled by the insurance company’s adjusters. Sometimes though, they don’t always make the best decisions or they do not have accurate information when they make a decision. An agent can be your advocate with the insurance company and can help get the right information to the adjuster and work with them to get covered claims paid in a timely manner.
#5 Advice
Perhaps the most important thing that an agent can do is provide advice. Insurance can be confusing. Many times people get frustrated because they did not purchase the right insurance for their situation. An agent can consult with you to determine what is needed and what is not needed so you have the best coverage possible for the best price.
Having an agent working with you can save you time and money. Both when purchasing and later when you have claims.