To locate a good insurance agent in White Plains, New York, we recommend you do the preliminary legwork for an agent online to save time. For the sake of this article, we’ll assume that not only do you want a good agent that listens to you, but also great rates as well.
With insurance companies like Allstate, Farmers and State Farm as well as independent agents all competing for your business, consumers have a hard time knowing which car insurance agent will have the best service and rates. To begin, you can use online quoting in order to build a list of agents from which to choose.
Quote online, buy local
Insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local businesses is important especially in White Plains.
Upon completion of this simple form, the quote information is submitted to companies in White Plains who will give you bids for your business. You won’t need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How cool is that?!
Different types of insurance agencies in White Plains
When searching for a good insurance agency, there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in White Plains are classified as either independent or captive. While both can do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they are different because it can impact your agent selection.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
Shown below are independent insurance agencies in White Plains that are able to give price quote information.
Scavone Insurance – 470 Mamaroneck Ave – White Plains, NY 10605 – (914) 428-2316
Scavone Insurance Ctr – 470 Mamaroneck Ave # 205 – White Plains, NY 10605 – (914) 428-7111
DCAP-White Plains Agency – 200 Hamilton Ave – White Plains, NY 10601 – (914) 285-1311
Rosol Agency – 88 E Post Rd # 2 – White Plains, NY 10601 – (914) 428-7491
Cy Mark Agency Inc – 88 E Post Rd – White Plains, NY 10601 – (914) 636-2600
Captive Insurance Agents
This type of agents write business for a single company like State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Captive agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Shown below is a list of captive agents in White Plains who can help you get price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 650 N Broadway – White Plains, NY 10603 – (914) 682-0020
Allstate Insurance Co – 54 Lake St – White Plains, NY 10603 – (914) 993-3300
To view a full list of captive insurance agents in White Plains, please view this page.
Picking an insurance agency requires more thought than just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Upon receiving positive feedback and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.
But what about Geico, Esurance and Progressive?
Professional insurance agents are perfect for certain consumers, but New York consumers also have the option to buy directly from online companies. Some companies, such as State Farm, Allstate and Farmers, that are more known for using agents, also allow consumers to quote and buy online, and consumers should do that if you want to do it yourself.
If you’re uneasy about having to choose coverages yourself when buying direct, don’t sweat it. All companies all provide contact methods for answering any questions you have.
Are car insurance rates lower online? The answer to that question is complicated since there are many things that can increase policy rates. It’s a common assumption that buying direct saves the cost of an agent commission. For most online online companies, however, marketing expenses are significant and this tends to eat up any savings.
Informative consumer insurance sites
More information can be found on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services. Click here for link. Consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Other useful links include BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this list of agents in White Plains, NY.
In the end, you save
Cost effective car insurance is available online and with local White Plains insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
Drivers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, being labeled a high risk driver, poor customer service or policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new insurance company is not as hard as you think.
