Find a car insurance agent

If you’ve never insured a car, finding a reliable car insurance agent can be a challenge. Here are some tips

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If you own a car, car insurance is a crucial consideration. The right insurance coverage will protect your investment and ensure you are taken care of in case of an accident. In your efforts to find a car insurance agent, it is important to consider a number of factors, including the type of vehicle you drive, your driving habits and your state of residence.

What’s required in your state?

One of the first steps in researching car insurance agents is finding out about your state's car insurance requirements. Most states have minimum required insurance levels, which you must meet to stay in compliance with the law. As you look at quotes from different car insurance carriers, make sure they meet your state's you have a lot of options when considering car insurance agentsminimum requirements for body injury liability and property damage liability. If you live in a no-fault state, you may be required to carry coverage for medical expenses or even for uninsured motorists.

In some cases, the state's minimum requirements may not be enough to cover you in case of an accident. In Florida, for example, the minimum requirement is $10,000 per person for bodily injury liability, with a total of $20,000 for all involved parties. If you have serious medical complications, $10,000 may not make a dent in your medical bills. As you speak with insurance agents to evaluate who might be a good fit for you, take note if they suggest coverage above the minimum requirements of your state.

Costs and services

Price is an important consideration for most consumers. Prices can vary dramatically from one insurance provider to the next, even for the same level of coverage. As you speak with car insurance agents, check into price levels. One indication of whether the agent you are considering will be a good fit is how willing they are to offer you multiple quotes and even offer you comparisons with other insurance companies. They should also be quick to suggest discounts you may be eligible for.

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Many online providers offer you the chance to compare their coverage with other insurance companies. You might be well served to get a few online quotes to take with you when meeting with prospective agents.

Independent or captive?

One strong consideration you should make when evaluating car insurance agents is whether they are independent agents or captive agents.

Independent agents, as the name implies, are free to make arrangements with any number of insurance companies to offer products and services across multiple lines and multiple providers.

Captive agents are assigned to one insurance company and are limited to offering you products and services from the lines they have exclusive arrangements with. For example, Allstate agents are “captive” and are limited to selling you Allstate products.

Each state has unique laws and licensing guidelines for captive and independent insurance agents, and you will want to ask any agent you are considering doing business with what restrictions they have relative to product or service offerings.

Comparisons and referrals

Once you have narrowed your insurance agent selection down to three or four possible candidates, you can referrals can help take the guesswork out of selecting a car insurance agentcheck out customer reviews to learn more about the service offered. Ask for referrals and check with people you trust to see if you can learn more about the level of service, the reliability and the value of the agent’s consultation and advice and the health and reputation of his/her business.

You can also check with your state’s insurance division or agency. Each state has a department that oversees the licensing and regulation of insurance agents, even those working with national companies. Any complaints or disciplinary actions taken against an agent you are considering should be on record with that agency.

 

Finding the right car insurance agent is an important endeavor, and getting multiple quotes and proposals will help you narrow the decision-making process. Reply! can help by putting you in touch with insurance professionals in your region who will be more than happy to get started on trying to earn your business.

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