Have your insurance-buying experiences been nightmares?
Imagine this instead: You walk into an insurance office after making one single appointment in your hometown. There, you meet with a friendly agent who knows everything there is to know about insurance of every kind.
You tell him or her all the types of insurance you need in your life. You’re presented with several, reasonably-priced options in each category — home, auto, life, business, etc. — and you select your plans.
By the time you leave, all of your insurance has been set up, you know exactly what’s covered and what’s not, and you feel confident that your agent is monitoring your policies and taking excellent care of you.
Now, wouldn’t that be a dream come true?
Fortunately, … it can be your reality.
Insurance Shopping Doesn’t Have to Be Terrible
Mention shopping for insurance to most people, and you’ll hear a lot of groans and grumbles. That’s because most people shop for insurance the wrong way. These days, the most popular way to buy insurance is through “direct purchase.” In other words, consumers go right to the provider (either online or over the phone), pick out their own plan, and set up their policy by themselves — no direction, no advice, no assistance.
This might sound great, but there’s one problem. This way of purchasing insurance nearly always leaves buyers with plans that don’t provide ample coverage or limits. The fine print and details of insurance policies can be difficult to understand for the layperson. Even though direct buy insurance might offer cheaper monthly rates, in the end, if you need to make a claim, you may be unpleasantly surprised when it’s not covered.
A Better Way to Buy Insurance
Because buying insurance is such an essential part of life, it goes without saying that consumers should spend an adequate amount of time researching plans and policies. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the time to do this.
And that’s where agents come in.
Agents provide a better way to purchase insurance. There are two types of agents:
Captive Agents: Captive agents work for one insurance provider — like Farmers Insurance or American Family Insurance. They do not work in a central office for their provider, however. They are essentially local representatives of that company. Go to a captive agent when you know you want insurance from the company they work for — those are the only plan options you’re going to see.
Independent Agents: As the name implies, independent agents don’t have to be allegiant to just one insurance provider as captive agents do. Instead, they work independently in their own local office and have contracts with an array of insurance providers.
Undoubtedly, independent agents are the best way to buy insurance. Why? Let’s look at the many advantages.
Top Reasons Independent Agents Are the Best Way to Buy Insurance
- First, independent agents are local. You can actually see who you’re working with and talk to them face to face.
- Independent agents work for you. They’re not going to sell you a policy just to earn the commission. They don’t care who you buy from; they care that you get the best policy.
- You’ll have loads of options. Only independent agents can show you plan options from a range of providers. This means you’re always going to get the best value with independent agents (yes, even in spite of their earned commission; it all works out to provide you with the best value in the end).
- Finally, they’re a one-stop-shop. Get all your insurance in one place with an independent agent.
Looking for an independent agent? Give Frydach Insurance a call today, or stop in to meet with one of our experienced agents.
