I’ve heard it said that in any buying decision process, there are always three qualities you can choose from. Fast speed, low cost and high quality. Or, put another way: Fast, Cheap and Good. The challenge is that you only get to pick two of the three.
The attraction of taking the fast and easy way out is strong. Buying online or calling the 1-800 number can seem like a great way to just check the box and move on about your life.
However, there are a few points you may not have considered that we’ll briefly talk about now. Without further ado, here are 3 things to consider before you buy that policy online.
1. When you buy online, you give yourself the responsibility of being an expert
When you call the 1-800 number or go on a website to buy insurance, you have removed the local agent from the equation. One things most people overlook is the fact that you have removed someone from your insurance decision who you can hold accountable. Good luck holding a call center or phone app accountable if something is wrong with your coverage.
Unintended Consequence: If you buy online and there’s a mistake, that’s on you.
2. When you buy online, there is no one to advocate for your best interests in a claim
When people are buying insurance, no one thinks to themselves that they are going to have issues if there is a claim. In fact, most people think that they’ll never have a claim so that never enters into their thought process. They are simply looking for insurance that they can afford. They don’t consider what may go into the fast and cheap parts. Online and 1-800 companies achieve fast and cheap by taking the local agent out of the loop. I know that they have local agents, but that’s not where the lion’s share of their business come from.
That means that in every interaction, you have to get online, or call into a call center. You have to talk with someone who doesn’t know you, doesn’t care about you, and doesn’t have any reason to extend themselves for you. The customer is just another voice on the other end of their phone. Whether the customer wants insurance now, or they want their claim paid now, they’re just another voice in the representative’s ear. Either way, when the call is disconnected, the representative will note the file, move it to the proper queue, and take the next call. Do you think that call center employee is ever going to proactively call you to see how your claim is going?
Unintended consequence: If you buy insurance online, you’re on your own to resolve a claim.
3. When you buy online, you’re declaring that your time isn’t worth much
You may not know this if you’ve never made the mistake of clicking on a banner ad offering you insurance quotes from 30 companies delivered right to your inbox. Virtually all online and 1-800 companies only offer quotes from their own, in-house company options. If you fill out a form to get quotes from many companies at the same time, you are guaranteed that a company is selling your information as a “lead.” You can expect to get BLOWN UP by anywhere from six to twenty or more insurance agents who want to sell you something. Sounds like fun, right? So, your choices are limited to getting a quote from one company at a time, or choosing to be sold as cannon fodder to a hoard of insurance sales agents who buy leads for a living.
Unintended consequence: If you buy insurance online, it’s either extremely time consuming and repetitive, or you get to play the “Not interested” game about twenty times
…
A Better Alternative: Work with a well-equipped, local independent insurance broker
When you choose to work with an independent insurance agent near you, you win in several different ways. You gain an advisor, who will personally assist with your insurance search, and deliver carefully tailored options to fit your needs. You also gain an advocate, who will be there to help and lend a hand when that bad day comes along and you need to file a claim.
It’s important to do a little homework before you start calling people. Everyone will be eager to win you over, and say all the right things. Make sure you are using your resources. Go to Google and search for the agent near you who has the most 5 Star Reviews and read through a few of them. Ask for personal recommendations on social media.
If you’re reading this, we’d love to connect with you and show you a better way to shop your insurance. Stop now and call our office at 469-678-8001.
Or, you can visit this link, fill out a brief form and we will personally help you. www.riskwell.com/quotes
We absolutely love helping people fix problems, get better protected and gain a partner in the insurance world.
How can we help you today? Call us at 469-678-8001