It is always going to be beneficial if you can develop a good relationship with your insurance agent.
Not only will you expect prompt and courteous service but a good insurance should also be trying to obtain the best rates for you and also providing assistance when you need to make a claim.
Here is how to find the right one for your needs.
Referral
It is always a good starting point when searching for an insurance agent to consider asking friends family and maybe even work colleagues to recommend a good agent who they have first-hand experience of.
All good insurance agents such as Kanetix like to try and grow their client base organically, working on the basis that each customer they look after will be sufficiently impressed to recommend their services to a friend.
If you don’t know someone personally with prior experience of an insurance agent it might be worth asking someone in a related trade, such as asking a car dealer who they consider are worth using for arranging car insurance.
Do some online research
Once you have compiled a shortlist of agencies that you are considering giving your business to, try doing some online research to see if they have any rankings in various business directories and other related sources.
Check their credentials
You might want to see if your chosen insurance agent or broker has membership of a professional organization such as the Insurance Brokers Association of Canadaor the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Most good insurance agents often belong to a number of professional boards and should also hold relevant professional accreditations.
Contacting your chosen agent
One of the best sources of competitive insurance rates is online and although you may prefer the face-to-face aspect of visiting your local insurance agent’s office you can still achieve a good level of contact via the internet and it will save a bit of your time as well as potentially save some money too.
Many good insurance agents are geared up to communicating online and will provide quotes and information by email, which is far more efficient than relying on the post. You can also get quick and easy access to your policy documents once you have arranged your insurance, so look for an agent that provides a quick response to your enquiry and is prepared to offer a lower rate where they can, to reflect the lower administration costs that they may have, if operating exclusively online.
A good insurance agent is going to try and develop a long term relationship with you rather than try and make a quick buck so don’t be completely driven by price alone. If you find an agent that you are really comfortable with but their quote is slightly more expensive than some others, think carefully about the levels of service you might receive and decide if it is worth paying a small amount more to give your business to a company that makes you feel comfortable.
Choosing a new car insurance agent is not always straightforward but once you have found the right one, it should be a rewarding relationship for both parties.
Donald Ayers has extensive experience working as an insurance consultant. His articles mainly appear on personal finance and insurance related blogs