Finding an Insurance Agency: 3 Tips

Whether you're looking for an insurance agency to cover your home, your belongings, your car, or something else, you want to look for a combination of two things: a low premium and a low deductible. Of course, you have to do this in the context of making sure you're signing on with a company that is going to be there when you need them as well as making sure you are covered if you wind up facing exorbitant costs. A $1,000 policy isn't going to do much for you if your car is totaled or your house is destroyed by a fire. Here are three tips that can make looking for a policy easier.

Use The Same Insurance Agency

More often than not, you can save substantially by getting all of your coverage from a single company. It's easier, more convenient, and often cheaper to get any and all policies from one source, rather than having two or three different companies. If you already have a car policy, ask the company if they have something for your house. Many such companies exist and, rather than put all of their eggs in one basket, they find it more profitable to cover a gamut of properties. Don't assume, either, that just because you don't see a company's commercials all over television that they aren't worth talking to. These companies sometimes have better rates than the ones with the mascots and spokesmen.

Shop Tirelessly

You can't know what you should be paying an insurance agency for coverage if you haven't done your homework. Shopping around takes time, but the results can be well worth it. There are even internet sites that let you compare rates and coverage at a single glance, which can save you a lot of time. The only thing to be cautious about is making sure that you're comparing apples to apples. Don't look at one company's basic coverage and compare it to another company's gold standard policy, as the figures won't help you make an informed decision.

Make Different Choices

You can bring your rates down in a variety of ways. If you're looking for car coverage, you can save money by choosing a car that isn't on the hotlist (cars and traits that tend to drive up policy rates, such as sports cars or even the color red). If you want your home rates to go down, consider implementing some security measures, such as cameras or an alarm system. These may not have a substantial effect on your rates, but an insurance agency will usually factor it in to your premium cost.