If you’re looking to buy car insurance, you have many choices and choosing the right Athens car insurance agent is harder than just picking up the phone. Consumers need a good agent that listens to you, and also want to find the best car insurance prices in Athens.
You have multiple insurance agencies to insure vehicles with, and even though it’s nice to be able to choose, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare company pricing.
Working with a local agent
Professional agents can answer important questions and help in the event of a claim. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.
After completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance data gets sent to participating agents in Athens who will compete for your coverage. There is no reason to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy! It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Choosing an insurance agency should depend on more than just the premium amount. Some important questions to ask are:
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
Do you need an independent or captive car insurance agent?
When looking for a good insurance agency, there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Athens can either be captive or independent.
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents have only one company to place business with and examples are Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. They receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes buy from captive agents partially due to high brand loyalty and strong financial ratings.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to contact several independent insurance agents for the best price selection. Many write coverage with smaller companies who may have lower rates.
The following are independent insurance agencies in Athens who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Corley Insurance Svc – 9451 State Highway 19 N – Athens, TX 75752 – (903) 675-5800
For a full directory of insurance agents in Athens, please view this page.
Upon getting good answers to your questions and an acceptable price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets your needs to properly service your car insurance policy.
Purchasing car insurance direct online is an option
Local insurance agents are indespensible for some people, but you also have the option of buying direct online. Certain auto insurance companies that sell primarily through agents also let you buy online, so that should be considered.
If you’re concerned about not having an agent to talk to, this really isn’t an issue. Insurance companies provide toll-free numbers you can use to get advice on coverages.
When trying to find the best rates, the only way to determine whether prices are lower online or from agents is to compare price quotes from both. It’s not unheard of to actually get different prices from agents as you do online from the same car insurance company. But you can’t find out which way will be cheaper without quoting identical coverages each way.
Do online companies have better rates? The answer is complex since there may be dozens of rate factors that impact your premium. Some people will tell you that shopping online for auto insurance saves money because there is no agent involvement. But truthfully, getting their brand in front of customers is expensive and this drives up their premium costs.
Consumer car insurance information in Texas
Even more information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can read industry bulletins, view agent and company licensing information, and discover disciplinary actions.
The following information may also be useful.
Better coverage you can count on
Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like high rates after DUI convictions, high prices, poor customer service and even policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is not as hard as you think.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.