Are you satisfied with your insurer’s customer service?
By Carol Montrose
Unfortunately, a bad agent can make the whole experience entirely too difficult. If you think that your agent is pushy, shady, or simply ignoring you, then it may be time to start shopping around for a new insurance representative. Here are just a few signs that it’s time to move on to greener pastures.
1. “No” does not compute. Insurance agents are masters of the upsell, scaring you into purchasing coverage you don’t need and can’t afford. A good agent, however, will work with your budget and get you the maximum coverage within your price range, without throwing in a bunch of extras that you really don’t need. In short, this person should be someone you trust. So if you find that your agent is pushy to the point of discomfort, you need to dump him and look for someone new.
2. Calls go unanswered. Your insurance agent should always be on call if you have an accident, or at least get back to you expediently. If your agent always seems to be on vacation, away from the phone, and too busy to call you back, then something is definitely amiss. You want to know that when you suffer an accident your agent will jump on top of it to ensure that the end results are favorable. What you don’t want is someone that will leave you hanging in your time of need.
3. Questions are evaded. Experienced agents should be able to answer all of your policy questions, from what is covered (and what isn’t), to how much different policies cost, to how you can get the coverage you need and save some money. If your agent seems elusive or less than knowledgable despite many years in the industry, you may want to rethink your association with that particular insurance provider.
4. Rates are too high. Agents should always be willing to work with you to lower your rates and keep your patronage, especially with businesses across the board suffering from the economy. If you can’t afford your current rate and you need to cut back, a good agent will find ways to help you out so that you can continue to pay and stay insured (even if it means losing some coverage). Agents who tell you there’s nothing they can do are either lazy or lying. Even if you have the cheapest policy, there’s usually some kind of minor discount that can be applied to your bill. If they want your business they’ll find a way to keep it.
5. Rates have gone up. We all know there are certain occurrences that will cause our rates to go up, and usually it’s because we’re at fault. If you cause an accident or get too many moving violations, your insurance company may reevaluate your risk level and determine that there is more of a chance they’ll have to pay out on a claim against you. So they temporarily raise your rates (usually for 1-2 years). But if you were not at fault in an accident, you were the victim of a hit and run, or your provider raises your rates seemingly for no reason, then it may be time to contact another agency.
Author Information
Carol Montrose is a writer for Cheap Car Insurance NY, where you can find great rates on car insurance.
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