There were almost 12 million road accidents in the year 2019 alone. Out of the 12 million road accidents, over 6 million involved passenger cars. These statistics are enough to make anyone realize the potential risks and dangers of driving a car on the road. Road accidents are very common, and the common thing about road accidents is they are very costly as well. A single scratch or dent can cause you to shell out almost a hundred dollars.
There’s no denying that car insurance is as much as necessary as it is mandatory. It is illegal to drive a car without a liability insurance policy in almost every state in the US. While necessary, auto insurance policies can be a bit expensive as well, and a little complicated. So the confounding question remains; should you approach an insurance agent when buying car insurance or do your research on the internet? This article will answer this question and explain who should choose an agent and who should avoid them.
First, let’s start with all the great things that come with an insurance agent. Back in the day when the internet was something that lived in offices and labs, and our pockets were devoid of a handheld computer, people relied on other people to get car insurance (and almost everything that can be done on the internet today). Auto insurance agents were the only way of getting a car insurance policy.
While the number of insurance agents has shriveled and become more of a niche, there are some undeniable benefits of choosing an insurance agent. Let’s look at all the benefits of getting an auto insurance policy from an agent.
The first benefit is convenience. Instead of going through the internet and looking for every little detail in multiple insurance policies, you can directly talk to an insurance agent, ask everything you need to know about the policy, the benefits, and shortcomings, and then decide if you want to get it or not.
Auto insurance policies can be confusing, with so many terms and conditions and different factors affecting the rates. Having a personalized experience with a face and name that you can talk to is much better and easier for some people than scouring through articles and forums on the internet.
An insurance agent who works in your area and has been working with different insurance companies will have the expertise that you cannot get no matter how much you research on the internet. With the expertise and knowledge about your area, the insurance agent can recommend the best auto insurance policy for your requirements.
There are different types of auto insurance agents. Some work just for one insurance company such as Geico, Allstate, etc. These agents will help you in every step of the process while buying an insurance policy, but only if you buy it from the company they work in, almost exactly like salesmen in car dealerships.
These agents will help you in making claims, clearing your doubts, and much more. Just one call and all your problems will be solved.
The other type of insurance agent is the multiple-company agent. These agents do not work for one insurance company, but rather know about different insurance companies. They are like the human version of insurance comparing websites. They can be of great help if you are looking for the lowest priced car insurance policies. These agents will look at your budget and needs and recommend the best company to go for.
For some people, the word cash would mean something that they only use in emergencies. But in the society of Apple Pay and Venmo, there exists a group of people who still prefer paying in cash. Getting policies online makes it impossible to pay in cash, and hence insurance agents can help in this situation.
Auto insurance policies bought through agents allow you to pay directly to the insurance agents in cash, and you don’t have to visit the insurance office to make the payments. This does not mean you cannot pay online, since almost every insurance company has an online payment channel.
If you are familiar with using the internet and a smartphone, then like the majority of people, buying auto insurance online is what you’d prefer because it is lightning fast. All you need to do is look at the policy you want to buy, fill in the details, get the quote, make the payment, and that’s it, you have an active auto insurance policy.
The biggest downside of getting an auto insurance policy through an agent is the cost. Most insurance companies and agents take a commission for the service, and that increases the cost of the insurance policy. Not just the cost, but doing everything through an insurance agent is more time-consuming than doing it yourself on the internet.
People who are not familiar with the internet, smartphones, internet websites, and online payments should stay away from getting anything on the internet, let alone insurance policies. Scammers take advantage of people who are not well-versed with the internet and scam thousands of dollars. So if you are unsure or inexperienced with online payments and the internet, get an insurance agent. Not only will it save you from a lot of hassle, but it might also save you from a nasty and costly scam.
People who know the internet well, are aware of the scams, and want to save some money and time should go for buying a policy online. And that answers the question of who should choose an insurance agent and who should stick online.
