Honesty is very important to the hard-working people of Wisconsin. You put it all on the line to provide for yourself and your family, so likewise, you expect your insurance agent to work hard for you when the opportunity presents itself. Unfortunately, your car insurance policy may not be the safety net you assumed it to be. How would you feel if you knew your insurance agent wasn’t telling you the whole truth about the coverage you need? What if you found out too late that you needed more coverage, but were sold a bare bones policy in an attempt to attract you with lower rates? Continue reading to sort through the smoke and mirrors and find the truth about three car insurance rip-offs you need to know about.
1. The Best Car Insurance Rates Don’t Equal the Best Coverage
Insurance companies often make themselves look better by highlighting the best car insurance rates and how much they can save you on coverage. Unfortunately, this usually comes at your expense rather than theirs. You don’t win when they cut the coverage limits on your policy. You need coverage limits that meet or exceed the many risk possibilities you face in a litigious society. If you are sued, the last thing you will be concerned with is which insurer had the best car insurance rates. Instead, you will be thanking your lucky stars that the generous insurance limits you purchased were sufficient to cover your claim.
2. Your Deductible Might Be Too Low
Deductibles are the amount you are required to pay toward a claim before your insurance company will pick up the bill. Most car insurance policies have deductibles for both collision and comprehensive claims. That means you will pay a pre-determined amount of the cost of the repairs to your vehicle after an accident or other covered event. Deductibles can range from just $100 to as much as $1,000 or more.
Naturally, it sounds like a good idea to pay as little out-of-pocket for a claim as possible; but at what cost? Unless you have a poor driving record or are at high risk of filing a claim, the premium savings you could realize by switching to a higher deductible may be enough to offset the cost of a higher deductible. The question is, will your insurance company or agent willingly volunteer this information if it is likely to benefit you?
It’s these facts and details like these that are often conveniently left out by insurers. When you work with an independent agent, you get personalized cost and risk evaluation to determine exactly how to build your personal car insurance policy – including which deductibles to choose.
3. Captive Agents Work for the Insurer – Not You
Perhaps most disturbing of all is the fact that many drivers find themselves feeling alone after they have purchased coverage. Whether you buy direct from an insurer online or use a traditional, captive insurance agent, you might find that your customer service experience is mediocre at best after the sale.
It is important to note that many traditional insurance agents are not really working for you at all. When agents work for specific insurance companies, their allegiance lies with the insurer, not the policyholder. An agent’s job is to sell a particular product for the insurer – not necessarily to look out for your best interest. Unless you have an independent agent, it’s easy to feel alone.
One-stop-shopping with an Independent Agent
If you are in the market for car insurance, choosing an independent agency like Couri Insurance is one of the easiest ways to have peace of mind, knowing that you’re not being taken advantage of. Independent agents take the time to listen to you and provide knowledge and guidance long after you have purchased your policy. To request your free independent car insurance quotes, contact our office today. We look forward to serving you soon.
