When buying car insurance in Reno, choosing the right Reno car insurance agent is not as easy as just calling the closest agent. For the sake of this article, we’ll assume you’re wanting a good agent, but you also need the best rates possible.
With companies like Allstate, Farmers and State Farm as well as independent agents having local Reno offices, it’s difficult to determine which car insurance agent will provide you with the lowest rates and best service. To begin, consumers can get insurance quotes online to assemble a group of insurance agencies from which to choose.
Local Reno agents and car insurance
Licensed agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting local agencies is important especially in Reno.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is transmitted to companies in Reno who will battle for your insurance coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Different types of insurance agents in Reno
If you’re trying to find local Reno agents, you must know there are a couple different types of agents to choose from. Agents are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive).
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, you should always include at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
The following are Reno independent insurance agencies who can help you get competitive price quotes.
Menicucci Insurance Assoc Inc – 9425 Double R Blvd – Reno, NV 89521 – (775) 333-0204
LA Tourrette Agency – 994 Forest St – Reno, NV 89509 – (775) 786-1515
Country Insurance and Financial – 6490 S Mccarran Blvd # D37 – Reno, NV 89509 – (775) 828-2930
Agency Captives
This type of agents can only write with one company such as American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. They are unable to place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. Captive agents receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
The following are captive agencies in Reno who can help you get price quote information.
American Family Insurance – 5370 Kietzke Ln # 105 – Reno, NV 89511 – (775) 823-5300
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 5081 S Mccarran Blvd – Reno, NV 89502 – (775) 827-1000
Farmers Insurance Group – 555 W 6th St – Reno, NV 89503 – (775) 786-6006
State Farm Insurance – 4792 Caughlin Pkwy # 204 – Reno, NV 89509 – (775) 827-1965
Allstate Insurance – 1650 Robb Dr # B2 – Reno, NV 89523 – (775) 853-3939
For a complete listing of captive insurance agencies in Reno, view this link.
Selecting an insurance agency should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions to ask:
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
Upon receiving reasonable responses to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.
What coverages do I need?
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- Does my vehicle need full coverage?
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent.
Alternatives to local insurance agents
Professional insurance agents are perfect for certain consumers, but Nevada consumers also have the option to buy from online companies direct. Even companies who sell through agents in Reno also let you get a quote and buy online, and that is helpful as an alternative to contacting agents.
If you’re anxious about not having an agent to talk to, that shouldn’t be an issue. All companies that allow you to purchase coverage provide access to licensed agents that you can contact for information.
Can you find lower rates online? It’s difficult to say for sure due to the large number of individual components which can adversely affect your policy premium. It’s a common assumption that buying directly from the company reduces premiums because there is no agent. In reality, online and traditional media advertising are expensive so there may not be significant savings.
The best approach to find out who has the best deal, local agents or online insurance companies, is to get rates from both and compare them. You can actually get different rates when comparing quotes online and from an agent for the identical company.
Quote more, save more
Insureds switch companies for any number of reasons including questionable increases in premium, being labeled a high risk driver, lack of trust in their agent or even policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new car insurance company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
When shopping online for car insurance, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, drivers have reduced full coverage only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
To find out more about Nevada car insurance
Much more information about car insurance in Nevada can be found on the website for the Nevada Division of Insurance. Click here for link. Consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, and find a variety of consumer forms.
