Shopping for any insurance can seem like a chore. Even if you do all the right research, you never really know if you’re picking the best option. Could you save more on this? Should you bundle that? How much coverage do you really need? That’s where Henry Insurance comes in.
Many people don’t realize there are big differences in insurance agencies and insurance carriers. Typically when someone buys insurance, they are choosing to purchase coverage from a person who only sells their product, or from a representative over the phone. Captive Insurance Agents work for just one company and sell only one brand. Telephone Representatives do the same and sell “at a distance” over the telephone. Insurance agencies are the third option that most people don’t realize is available to them.
For the customer, the main difference between a carrier and an agency is the ability to choose. At an insurance carrier, captive agents are only selling and representing their product so you can only choose from the limited plans the company offers. With independent insurance agencies, like Henry Insurance, agents can find and write policies from multiple carriers. These independent agents are focused on the customer’s needs rather than selling their company’s product. There are other specific benefits to using an independent insurance agency.
No Confusing Insurance Jargon
If you go directly to an insurance carrier, they may start throwing unfamiliar terms around. This jargon sounds foreign because the agent might be using terms that are specific to the company. This may only give you a vague idea of what their policy covers, so you may end up getting a type of coverage, limit, or rate that doesn’t quite make sense for your situation. (And still be confused about what your policy actually covers)
However, an independent agent works with multiple carriers and knows the jargon of all the different insurance companies they work with. When they shop for your rates, they know which coverages are a true toe-to-toe comparison, no matter what each carrier calls it. Once they find rates that fit your needs, independent agents can dive deeper into your situation to make sure that your policies fit you.
Consideration of Special Situations
There are times when major insurance carriers won’t insure a “high risk” customer due to something like a bad driving record. Customers might also have trouble finding affordable rates if they live in a coastal area or an area with a high crime rate.
While insurance carriers might deny you coverage or give you extremely high rates, independent agents can use their industry knowledge to work with special carriers that will help with your unique situation. Independent agents know about insurance companies that are willing to write policies for “high-risk” customers.
Discount Advice
You may know about discounts like bundling, combining policies if you’re married, multi-car discounts, and more. However, because a direct agent only has their company’s product as a point of reference, they may only recommend these options because they’re the cheapest for that carrier.
An independent agent can compare coverages across multiple insurance companies and may determine that it’s best to keep you and your spouse’s policies separate, or that it’s best not to bundle, or that you might be better off insuring different things with different carriers entirely. An independent agent can work with a much wider range of carriers to get you the most affordable options, regardless of your situation.
Ultimately, an independent insurance agency exists to help a customer identify their needs and find the best policy to serve them, whatever their priorities may be.
To find out more about how you can benefit from working with an independent insurance agency, contact Henry Insurance at (225) 927-0451. We are vested members of the local community. We represent hundreds of different insurance companies. We can compare coverage and prices offered by these companies to find the best possible value. We do business face to face and are here for you, as your advocate, in your time of need.
