If you’re looking to buy auto insurance, picking a good Wisconsin auto insurance agent takes more work than just driving to the closest agent’s office. Chances are you’re wanting an excellent agent, but you also want great rates as well.
With insurance companies like Allstate, Farmers, State Farm and many independent agents all competing for business in Oshkosh, it’s difficult to determine which one will provide the best service and rates. To begin, it’s easy to use online price quotes to build a list of insurance agents and price estimates.
Quote online, buy local
Agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you can get the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from local businesses is definitely important in Oshkosh.
After filling out this short form, your coverage information is transmitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes to get your business. You never need to leave your house since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier!
If you want to view licensed agents in Oshkosh, please go to this site.
Picking a car insurance agent should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- How long has their agency been in business in Oshkosh?
- Who are their largest clients?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
Upon getting reasonable responses as well as a affordable price, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that can adequately provide auto insurance.
Is buying direct online an option?
Professional insurance agents can be invaluable at times, but you can also find affordable Wisconsin auto insurance direct over the internet. Certain companies who sell through the agent channel also give you the ability to buy direct on their websites, so that should be considered if you are the do-it-yourself type.
If you’re anxious about not receiving proper advice when buying online, don’t be too concerned. Insurance companies provide toll-free numbers you can use to get advice on coverages. They also have live help and an extensive research center that you can use if you have questions.
The only way to know where you can get the lowest rate, either online or from agents, is to take the time to compare rates from both. You may actually get a different price from the same insurance company depending on where you get the price quote from. But you can’t find out where you can get the lowest rates until you actually compare rates each way.
Will you save money buying auto insurance online? That question is hard to answer because there are so many things that influence how your policy is priced. It’s a common assumption that a consumer who buys direct cuts out the agent as a middleman. But the fact is, it’s expensive to advertise and that can cost more than having to pay agents.
In the end, you save
Consumers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as denial of a claim, not issuing a premium refund, poor customer service and policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that they should have had better coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Informative consumer insurance sites
Additional information can be read on the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website found here. Wisconsin drivers can read consumer alerts, read industry bulletins, read state legal mandates and laws, and find out industry alerts.
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