If you’re trying to find an insurance agent in Coralville, Iowa, you can begin your search by comparing rates online to save yourself time. It’s assumed you require not only a professional agent, but you also want to find the lowest possible price.
With Allstate, Farmers, State Farm and many independent agents all competing for your business, consumers have a hard time knowing which will have the lowest rates and best service. Fortunately, you can use online quoting in order to build a list of agents to choose from.
Working with a local agent
Good agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you someone to call. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in Coralville.
Upon completion of this quick form, the coverage information is sent to participating agents in Coralville who will return price quotes for your coverage. You won’t need to drive around since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy! Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
The difference between Coralville insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a good Coralville insurance agent, there are two different agency structures to choose from. Coralville agents are either captive or independent.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, you should always include price quotes from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. Most have the option of insuring with smaller companies who may have lower rates.
Shown below are independent agents in Coralville that can give you comparison quotes.
- Gaffey Insurance Coralville – 302 1st Ave – Coralville, IA 52241 – (319) 351-8175
- Geico Insurance – 2213 2nd St – Coralville, IA 52241 – (319) 466-3200
Captive Agents
Captive agencies are contracted to one company and examples are Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a captive agent mainly due to the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Shown below is a list of captive agents in Coralville that are able to give rate quotes.
- Allstate Insurance – 472 1st Ave – Coralville, IA 52241 – (319) 339-0275
- American Family Insurance – 1752 5th St – Coralville, IA 52241 – (319) 466-1088
- State Farm Insurance – 1322 5th St # 3 – Coralville, IA 52241 – (319) 351-1250
To view a full list of captive insurance agencies in Coralville, click here to link.
Picking an insurance agent requires more thought than just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Iowa?
- How are claims handled?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Upon receiving acceptable answers to your questions and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.
Can you save by buying online?
Licensed agents are important to many people, but Iowa consumers also have the option to buy from online companies direct. Some companies like Allstate and State Farm who have local Coralville agents also allow you to get quotes and purchase online, so keep that in mind if you are the do-it-yourself type.
If you’re apprehensive about selecting your own policy coverages when shopping online, that shouldn’t be an issue. Auto insurance companies have customer service departments to walk you through the process. Additionally, most companies also offer live chat and online tools to clarify any questions you may have.
Is online auto insurance cheaper? It’s hard to say exactly due to the fact that there are many factors that are calculated into your premium. Some people think that a shopper who purchases direct lowers rates due to not having any agent compensation. But that assumption is generally incorrect because promoting brand recognition is pricey so rates may not be all that different from traditional agents.
A little work can save a LOT of money
When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.
Cheap auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Coralville agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
Additional Iowa car insurance resources
Additional auto insurance information is available on the Iowa Insurance Division website located here. Iowa consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, file complaints about a company, and download brochures.
