When finding a good Providence agent, you can always do the preliminary legwork online rather than picking up the phone. Most likely that not only do you want a professional agent, but you also want to find affordable coverage.
With companies like Farmers, Allstate, and independent agents all competing for your business, it’s difficult to determine which will provide the lowest rates and best service. To help decide, it’s easy to use online price quotes in order to build a list of agents to choose from.
When should I talk to an agent?
When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different.
For instance, these questions can help discover if you would benefit from professional advice.
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
- Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent.
Comparing prices from Providence agents
Professional agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local businesses is important especially in Providence.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, the coverage information is sent to local insurance agents who will battle for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to drive around as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!
Car insurance agents in Providence come in two varieties
When finding a good Providence insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Agencies in Providence are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive. Either one can write coverage properly, but it’s important to know how they are different because it can impact buying decisions.
Independent Agents
Independent agents are not required to write business for one company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you include price quotes from at least one independent agent to get the best comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Providence that can give you comparison quotes.
- Zangrilli Agency – 499 Plainfield St – Providence, RI 02909 – (401) 943-9400
- Paolino Insurance Inc – 26 Ship St – Providence, RI 02903 – (401) 421-2588
- Norcal Mutual Insurance – 50 Kennedy Plz – Providence, RI 02903 – (401) 276-7500
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents write business for a single company such as State Farm or Allstate. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. These agents are trained well on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers frequently buy from captive agents partially due to the brand legacy and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Providence that can give you price quotes.
- Liberty Mutual Insurance – 245 Waterman St # 200 – Providence, RI 02906 – (401) 351-2200
- North American Family Inst – 350 Duncan Dr – Providence, RI 02906 – (401) 453-4740
- Allstate – 125 Dyer St – Providence, RI 02903 – (401) 521-1146
To view a full list of captive insurance agencies in Providence, visit this link.
Selecting an insurance agent should depend on more than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:
- Who are their largest clients?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
After getting acceptable answers to these questions and an acceptable price quote, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Does buying direct online cost less?
Auto insurance agents serve a purpose, but you also have the option of buying from online companies direct. Certain companies, such as State Farm, Allstate and Farmers, who employ agents also allow consumers to get a quote and buy online, and online price comparisons are easy if you want to do it yourself.
If you’re uneasy about not getting advice from an agent when shopping online, that should not be a issue. Auto insurance companies provide customer service to help you decide which coverages are appropriate.
Do online companies provide lower prices? That question is hard to answer because there are so many things that impact your premium. It’s logical to say that buying online saves the commission normally paid to an agent. For the majority of companies, however, there are high advertising and marketing costs so there may not be significant savings.
Additional information can be found on the Rhode Island Division of Insurance Regulation website through this link. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, view agent and company licensing information, read state legal mandates and laws, and learn about insurance regulations.
Also read more on Wikipedia and this list of insurance agents in Providence, RI.
One last thing about your coverage
Cheaper auto insurance is possible on the web and also from your neighborhood Providence agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
Consumers switch companies for a variety of reasons including policy non-renewal, extreme rates for teen drivers, lack of trust in their agent or delays in responding to claim requests. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new company is not as hard as you think.
