What do I love about independent agents...A LOT!!! Just the word independent makes me feel like I can do what I want and what is best for me. Which begs the question why are there not more independent agents in other industries?
To me the independent insurance agent channel is the best and most productive way to search for and purchase insurance. With a phone call or an email you can easily get quotes from multiple top rated carriers. When a direct carrier or captive agent gives you a quote, they present you with one option. An independent agent can show you a variety of options.
Which leads me to my rant, we need more independent agents. Specifically in the cable, internet, and phone businesses.
Watch the video below and read the rest of this blog to see how working with a local Independent Insurance Agent can help you get the best value out of your insurance:
I recently had my cable bill go up by about $30/month. Now everyone knows the trick, you call your provider (I happen to have DirectTv) and they will often lower your bill. I call up DirecTv on the phone, wait on hold for 15 minutes and eventually talk with a gentlemen who I expect to lower my bill and maybe even throw in some additional channels. Except, on this night after another 25 minutes of discussion he had no desire and/or ability to lower my bill. Now what?
I do what any other person would do and I call another provider, Mediacom. I sit on hold for 5-7 minutes before talking with someone who I can hardly understand. We have a discussion about what channels I like and what features I want in my television package. I get a price for what Mediacom will cost me after another 25 minute phone conversation. It's a descent option, but I think I want more options. I call another carrier, this time Dish Network. This time I do it over lunch hour while eating my lunch. They take up my entire lunch hour and I still want another option as none of these options really give me the peace of mind of knowing I'm getting a great value.
After calling these three carrier I felt like I'm just getting "homered" by each of them. Each boosting their own company and putting down the competition. I just wish a third party who isn't biased toward any of these providers would guide me towards a feeling of serenity and allow me to feel at peace with my decision.
My point of this story, why should I call three companies for three different prices? Not only that, but I get three different service packages that I don't fully understand the difference between (each company claims their package is the best, naturally). Why can't someone decipher this madness for me and give me an honest opinion of which of these three carriers is the best with me placing one phone call as opposed to three calls? Don't homer me and tell me your package is clearly better and the other company is garbage. I want what is best for me and your company should tell me if another option is better than yours.
I eventually decided to cut the cord and go with an internet based provider. Which opens another can of worms. This time instead of talking with each company I am left to do the research by myself online and hope I can fully understanding their options and what I am signing up for. This process again has me going to each companies web site to learn about their options and pricing. I did find some website that compare the different options, but many of them were outdated and I had no one to ask questions to about the different packages.
What is there wa an indepent television agency to evaluate all the differnt options?
This is the way an Independent Television Agency could operate.
Call your local independent television agency
Explain to them what channels are important to you. (ESPN, HGTV, Discovery Channel, Nick, etc.)
Explain what features you want in your television package. (Live sports, DVR, Watch shows on demand, watch from my cell phone, etc)
Let them know what your monthly budget is.
Have a professional independent television agency review your needs and let you know quickly what package is best for you based on the conversation you had.
You would instantly be able to have a feeling of confidence as the agent explained why their recommendation would fit you best and how the price would give you the best value on your television package.
The insurance industry can also be extremely frustrating when you are shopping for better rates or better coverages. But why call three different carriers for three different quotes? What if you could make one phone call and get nearly a dozen quotes and they inform you which of those quotes makes the most sense for your situation (no cookie cutter plans or one size fits all). This is why I feel the Independent Insurance Agent is the best option because they truly look at several options and can evaluate what is best for their customers.
Compared to my television example above the process of working with an Independent Insurance Agent goes like this:
Call a local independent agent
Provide the information about your situation (Name, address, type of vehicles, information about your home, etc.)
Talk about what is important to you (Low vs higher deductibles, water backup coverage, service line coverage, additional liability coverage, etc.)
The independent agent will shop your insurance with multiple insurance carriers to determine which options are out there to meet your needs and budget.
Easily sign up for insurance based on your time and preferences.
Not only is signup with an independent agency easy, it also avoids one of the major problems that the television industry has. After 3, 6, or 12 months many carriers will see huge rate increases on their television bill. Insurance can be very similar when carriers take rate increases. By working with an independent agency your agent can proactively monitor your rate increases and work with you to find another insurance company to help keep your rates in line with prior premiums. Since an independent agent is already your agent and knows your unique situation you don't have to worry about gathering your personal information again or information about your vehicles & home, it's already on file. A quick review and a conversation and your agent can help save you money.
The process of using an Independent Insurance Agent has given peace of mind to many people. I personally wish there was an independent network when it came to purchasing television service and nearly every other product and service I use.
Make the most of your time by getting the best bang for your buck. Use your local independent agent to maximize your time and money. Clark Carroll Insurance Agency provides insurance solutions around the areas of Mt. Carroll, Lanark, Shannon, Milledgeville, Chadwick, Lake Carroll, Savanna, Thomson, Pearl City, and many more areas in Northwest Illinois.