If you are in the baby boomer generation or close to it, you have certainly seen a lot of changes related to auto insurance over the years. Remember when you had an insurance agent you knew by his first name? His office was probably right down the street. You could call him when you had questions about your auto insurance and he actually answered the phone. Did your insurance agent give you personal service and advice about what cars would be really expensive or difficult to insure?
Those days seem to be long gone. Now when you call your insurance company, you could be on hold for fifteen minutes and then get told to leave a voice message on someone’s answering machine. Every time you call, you speak to a different person and rarely do you even know the name of your insurance agent.
Some large companies that are listed in the yellow pages under the heading of Auto Insurance actually deal with many different carriers. You may call for an insurance quote for your vehicle and end up with a company you never even heard of before.
What is going on with all the different gimmicks used in advertising related to auto insurance? One company advertises “accident forgiveness”, but their representatives don’t tell you that your rates will be higher than other carriers.
Have you ever felt like your head was swimming when you called an auto insurance company for a quote? You call because you want answers about what this company offers and how much it is going to cost. How much does is cost for comprehensive for the particular vehicle? What is the advantage to having zero deductible, $100 or $500 deductible? Why does so much of your premium go for medical if you already have health insurance of your own?
Many times when you call for an auto insurance quote, the company representative throws a deluge of questions your way instead of answering your questions. Why do they ask all your personal information when all you want is a quote for comparison with other carriers’ charges?
First of all, take a deep breath and start over. If you are looking for more personal attention from an agent, ask for it. When you speak with an agent, be straight forward about what you expect from that person and from the carrier. If you don’t get a positive response, move on. There are many carriers available to insure your vehicle.
One thing that is really great about this modern technological age is that we have the internet where we can find any kind of information we need. There are sites that give information on every major insurance carrier including finding one near your home if you so desire.
Online you can get answers to most questions about auto insurance which will make your initial contact with a company go much smoother for both you and the agent. You can find out which cars are more expensive to insure and why that is true. Carriers who are listed online offer information on their payment methods also. If you prefer to have your insurance payment automatically deducted from your bank account or automatically added to a credit card, many companies are happy to accommodate you.
It may take some time checking carriers’ information and a few phone calls, but you will find the right company for you, and the agent that you will enjoy working with for many years to come. Remember to be assertive but pleasant when speaking with a carrier’s representative. Soon, at least this one area of your life and finances will be settled and you will breathe a sigh of relief.
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