You get to speak to a real live person!
How many times have you made a call to some big company and all you get is an automatic response telling you, “Thank you for calling! Your time is important to us! Please hold for the next available representative”? If your time was so important to them, don’t you think they would have a real person for you to talk too, not some machine? And for that matter, wouldn’t you rather know who you are speaking too, not just get the next person who has time for you?
At our agency you will have access to multiple live real agents and customer service reps who are ready to speak with you immediately. At an agency the staff and agents will take the time to get to know you, your family and earn your trust. After all, trust is an important part of any working relationship and for insurance purposes, you are trusting your agent to make sure you have coverage in place when there are changes in your life and business. If you have insurance directly through a company there is disconnected type of relationship.
DIY & Fixer uppers on Cable looks easy and cheaper than hiring it out but in the event of a claim, you better hope you DIY’d the right coverages on your policy. Who wants to bargain with that?
With the technology that is out there today, insured who are shopping for new insurance are drawn to the convenience of “Do It Yourself” direct quoting online. The problem with direct quoting is that most consumers are not experts in insurance and risk management. Too often we see policies with low limits because the consumer wanted lower prices, but what they don’t realize is that they are giving up coverage for that lower price. Not only that, but most consumers don’t really know what the coverage they are paying for really gets them. Skimping on coverages to reach a certain price point can really hurt you.
Medical payments and Uninsured Motorists is generally some of the first coverages people remove not understanding what they are there for.
The other problem with direct quoting is that you only get a quote from one carrier at a time. If you are only shopping for lower prices, the time spent quoting online with every available carrier could take WEEKS! Generally an agency can represent anywhere from 5 to 20 different carriers that they can quote all at once to get you the best coverage for the lowest rates. Giving you ton of opportunities to save time and money. Agencies has the tools and resources to quotes all these companies at the same level at the same time.
The Independent Agency- Builds relationships with their customers
Because of the relationships independent agents form with their clients, they are able to give advice on what coverage is needed and what coverage is an added feature. Homeowners really benefit from this because it’s common for consumers to question the dwelling coverage on their policy. When we insure a home we don’t use the amount they paid for it, we use the amount it would cost to rebuild or replace it. What consumers don’t realize is that in the event of a total loss, there are other expenses to consider when re-building their home. Things like debris removal, construction and labor costs as well as the materials are not included in the sale of their home but would need to be considered if a loss occurred. Your independent agent would be able to help you determine what you should insure your home at.
Countryside Insurance and Stiver Ins. Agency would love to be your Agency for your Insurance needs. If you would like to discuss your insurance or your current policies please give us a call or stop in and Say “Hi”, sit down with us and we can review your coverages. You can’t do that if you go direct, just another benefit of using an agency.