Tips To Find a Great Georgia Insurance Agent

 

October 29, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Insurance Agents 

As much of a proponent as I am of doing your own work and finding out about the best GA car insurance quote online, many people still prefer to go through agents. This is understandable, because there are a lot of us who do not have enough time on our hands to be able to go through the process of researching, gathering a selection of GA car insurance quote, and picking the right company, even if it only takes a few hours. In these cases, an agent comes in hand. If you think you might need an agent to get a GA car insurance quote and policy, think about who they are and what they do before you make the decision not to go it alone.

  • Who does a car insurance agent represent?
    • The company. Car insurance agents work with several different companies in some cases to get you the best GA car insurance quote. For these companies, they attempt to get more customers with heavy coverage.
    • You. The car insurance agent also works for you, picking from his or her folder of companies to come to the one that will provide you with the cheapest GA car insurance quote.
  • What kind of car insurance agents are there?
    • Captive car insurance agents. These agents work for only one company, so it is a lot like going through the company itself. They can only give you a GA car insurance quote from that one company.
    • Independent car insurance agents. These agents work for several companies, usually five or six, and can offer you a car insurance quote from each. This is better when you want help deciding which car insurance company to go with.

Before you start doing business with your agent, you need to find out what the fee for services will be. Some don’t charge any at all, because they get commission. However, if you don’t ask beforehand, that car insurance quote might be bigger than you expected.

Like car insurance companies, car insurance agents need to be licensed with the state. To determine if your agent is, you should check the Georgia Department of Insurance website. If they aren’t licensed, then they don’t have the right to provide you with an authoritative GA car insurance quote from the company they claim to be representing.

Atlanta Auto Insurance – What You Should Ask Your Agent

 

October 29, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Insurance Agents 

When you call an Atlanta auto insurance agent, you need to hand over some information to help you get your insurance policy initiated–much the opposite of Vin Diesel with this unwitting car insurance company agent. The Youtube video is funny, but the disconnect of understanding isn’t too far from what happens between a lot of first time Atlanta auto insurance buyers and their agents. If you don’t want to sound ignorant, go into the conversation prepared.

The first tier of information beyond basics such as your name and age are:

  • Mileage–this concerns how many miles you drive every year with some companies, while other insurance companies consider the daily mileage driven on your car.
  • Make & Model–not only will the make and model of your vehicle impact your liability rating, but if you have a car that is considered unsafe or in danger of car theft, then you should expect a high insurance rate.
  • Coverage–that you will need the minimum  insurance coverage for liability is a certainty, but before you call think about what kind of coverage you will require beyond that.
  • Location–this is a big factor in your insurance rating, and is why most forms for car insurance quotes online require your zip code.
  • Drivers–you will need to give the names and driver’s license numbers of all of those who will be insured on your new automobile insurance policy.

The second tier of information that you should be asked will shape your rating, tailoring it to your specific attributes.

  • VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)–this number follows your car around throughout its existence, and it allows the automobile insurance company to see what other claims have been made on it, whether it has been totaled before, and so on.
  • Features–things such as anti theft devices and safety features will determine your collision and comprehensive insurance ratings. Some companies won’t even sell you comprehensive insurance if you don’t have an acceptable anti theft device.
  • Discounts–you might be asked about this and you might not, but if you aren’t you should absolutely bring it up yourself.  Automobile insurance discounts can cut your premium by half or more.

If you have a bad memory, you might consider writing these details down so that you don’t find yourself digging around looking for your VIN number and other details while you’re on the phone with your automobile insurance agent. Whatever you do, make sure you understand these details ahead of time to make the process simpler.