I speak to people often who have not experienced working with an independent insurance agent. They are used to doing business with a “captive” carrier who can only sell their own products. Examples of “captive” carriers are State Farm, Allstate, and some Nationwide agents. Or perhaps they purchased their insurance direct from a carrier like Liberty Mutual or Geico.
There is another more efficient way to shop and purchase insurance - and that is to work with an independent insurance agent. Here are 3 good reasons to go that route:
1. Your agent works for YOU…and not an insurance carrier
While I have a great relationship with my carriers – at the end of the day my allegiance rests with my client. My job is always to work in my client’s best interest and find them the most aggressive rates for their policies. I don’t have a corporate sales manager dictating which products I need to sell this month. I am also going to be your advocate in the event you have to file a claim. I can leverage my relationships with our carriers to make the process go as smooth as possible.
2. Your Independent Agent Will Match Your Needs With The Appropriate Carrier
There is no “One Size Fits All” plan with insurance. Every client I work with is different – they have different needs, different driving records, different home sizes etc. Each carrier is also different – they have different “appetites” when it comes to certain zip codes, home styles, construction type etc. An independent agent is going to be able to “match” your particular situation with the carrier that best fits your situation. This is also the best way to get the most aggressive rates on your policies. For example – I have a carrier that is VERY aggressive with new construction homes. When I have a customer who needs insurance on their new construction purchase I am able to save them tremendous amounts of money on their homeowners insurance.
3. It is Extremely Efficient
Without an insurance broker you are left to call 10-15 different 1-800 numbers to shop the various carriers. We all know how annoying it can be to have to repeat all of your home and auto details over the phone several times in a row. An independent agent saves you the most valuable resource which is time.