Buying auto insurance through a broker has its many benefits; however, there are a few things consumers should be aware of and should keep in mind when choosing to purchase a policy through a brokerage.
Brokers give consumers access to many different carriers. Unlike going through a carrier directly, one can shop from multiple companies and compare rates and the many other factors including coverage availability, stability and more.
When a consumer visits a brokerage, the insurance agent can assess one’s coverage needs as well as other details such as years licensed, violation history and type of vehicle which are all entered into a computer. Once rating information is entered into a computer, the agent can immediately see the rates of various, sometimes dozens, of carriers and programs depending on a brokerage’s appointed companies.
The agent can then narrow down the choices to fit the consumer’s coverage and budget needs. The benefits are the various choices that one has instant access to vs. going direct where one would be limited to one insurer’s underwriting guidelines.
Being able to have those associated benefits also can come with a few required precautions. Broker’s fees are common and although they are legal as long as they’re disclosed to the person purchasing the policy. Be aware that fees are usually negotiable by laws. One shouldn’t pay more than what sounds reasonable. If a policy has multiple drivers and vehicles, this would give the agency more work and in that case, it would be reasonable to charge a bit of a higher fee. Brokers’ fees range in the averages of $50-150 dollars and should be re-negotiated beyond those ranges unless, as mentioned earlier, there are multiple cars and drivers.
Brokerages usually will also charge what’s called an “endorsement fee” when it comes time to make policy changes such as adding vehicles or drivers. Endorsement fees also can vary; however, these fees are usually disclosed and negotiated upon policy purchase and can range from $25 – $100. Again, anything beyond that range should be renegotiated before the policy purchase unless there are many changes involved such as adding multiple vehicles at once. Read the “broker agreement” upon purchase and ask questions about the fees involved with purchase and policy changes.
Some brokerages charge a renewal fee aside from the insurance company’s fees. Since your policy is already active while renewing, one should make sure to be aware if the auto insurance broker decides to issue a new policy upon renewal instead of renewing the expiring policy. Make sure you’re not issued a totally new policy unless those are your intentions.
There are many brokerages out there offering quality services without any broker’s fees. For example, Auto Solutions Insurance Services offers no broker’s fees if one were to purchase a policy online through OnlineAutoInsurance.com. Making an online auto insurance quote comparison is simple and fast. Feel free to log on and compare the rates of multiple insurers. They represent a large variety of companies and can also offer you a great referral to a network of partners if they cannot insure you through their appointed companies.
This article was brought to you by the licensed authors of http://www.OnlineAutoInsurance.com
