On line application and get dozens
According to Onecallusa.com over the last 20 years, if you only buy insurance from Allstate, State Farm, American Family, Farmers or Geico you are guaranteed not to have the best price and the best policy! This sounds shocking and unbelieveable to some but not to people that have learned long ago that using an independent broker to do your shopping. You will find a much better price, a much better policy contract and often both in one place.How often do all of these companies use ads in print that say or read like this?"15 minutes can save you 15%...Drivers that switch to State Farm save an average of $545...or... if you switch to Allstate drivers save an average of $345...." Ads like this are everywhere. You get them in the mail, newspapers and on line.But are they truthful? Bob Korvas president of the Bob Korvas Agency an independent insurance broker chicago states "...it's all true, sort of? It's also the oldest trick in the book. "Read the fine print." He goes on to say that most Americans are either not good with details or not good with numbers. If you look into these huge misleading advertisements by those companies you'll see the truth. The truth is 'If people switch...' or 'Those that switch save as much as...' or 'an average of...' All that really means is even if 1 in 20 people save ($545, $345 etc.) then they switch. It doesn't matter that the other 19 save no money or the rates are higher so they don't switch.People preprogrammed into playing "musical chairs" by only shopping two or three of these direct market companies? Two reasons for this behavior are shopper fatigue and convenience. First look at fatigue. Most people hate to shop for insurance. It takes some time to call (or go on line) with each company, answer the same questions over and over. After 2-3 calls or online attempts you're done. When you go to each direct company you only see that company's price quotes. You get worn out. So as soon as you get a better price you stop and take that one. Why usually only the BIG spender directs? On television, in print and on line they spend so much money that it looks like they're the best and only choices.What advice do professionals like money managers and financial planners give to their clients? They often will direct the clients to private professional independent brokers. They know that a consumer can get the best insurance product advice because the independent is not obligated to one insurance company. The companies are competing for high quality consumers through better policies and not just price. Not only that but a persona can make one call or on line application and get dozens of prices plus good professional advice about whether there are things that are missing from the customers current policy needs. Direct captive insurance agents can't do that because if they don't have any other company of policy products except one. Do you really think they'll tell you to go to another, better option?
