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Our Agents Answer: What You Really Need to Know about Insurance
By Insurance Blog
July 13, 2015
July 13, 2015
From the intense public debates around the Affordable Care Act to the bevvy of natural disaster insurance claims that were filed after hurricanes Sandy and Katrina, the necessity of a quality insurance company has become more and more salient over the years.
At the same time, many questions about insurance have arisen, and these questions are often answered inaccurately, which makes it even more important for trusted agents to circulate accurate information.
The purpose of insurance is to prepare financially for situations that are otherwise out of your control. For example, if you experience a house fire, a stolen vehicle, or some other grievous damage, the repair costs are out of reach, more often than not.
A good insurance policy safeguards you against these worries by providing you with assistance should something out of the ordinary occur. In other words, insurance is about planning ahead.
Because insurance protects the most important things in life (your home, farm, major belongings, etc.), the very nature of insurance is personal. Agents don’t just sell policies, they help you to select coverage that will ensure that your family and home is safe.
The Agent-Policyholder Relationship: Built on a Foundation of Trust
Jerry Johnson of Monte Johnson Insurance Services, Inc. noted that some people believe that agents see insurance from a strictly transactional standpoint.
Grange Insurance Association partners with independent agents to offer several types of insurance to policyholders in California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Because agents live in the communities they serve, their policyholders are often neighbors or friends.
Said Johnson “[some] people expect us to be only salesman, to me it is much more personal than that.”
In reality, agents must spend a considerable amount of time to assess their clients’ priorities, goals, and plans for the future. In other words, in order to help select a policy that meets their needs, an agent must first truly understand their client.
Making the Complex Understandable
Agents also help to distill highly complex insurance jargon and coverages into terms consumers can understand.
“We do ourselves and customers a disservice trying to reduce a highly complex, professional service and product to sound bites,” said another agent of the process of outlining highly complex policies. Instead, agents need to work closely with policyholders to ensure that they really understand their coverage.
An independent agent also can help alleviate concerns about pricing changes. One agent noted that there is often a notion that pricing is “somehow disconnected from broad[er] economics” when, in reality, it is likely to be dependent on factors like, “age of home, age of driver, claims history, fire protection, marital status, etc.”
The solution? An open discourse. As long as repair and medical costs continue to adjust your insurance rates will too. Working under the guidance of an independent agent will help to keep those changes reasonable.
A trusting relationship between agent and policyholder ensures open communication and a better understanding of their needs.
An Agent for Life
“Establishing a trust[ing] relationship with clients alleviates concerns people have with insurance in general. Regardless of which company they are with, if they trust their agent to take care of them then it doesn’t matter,” said Johnson.
An agent can be seen as a long-term investment; once the right fit is found, they help their client navigate all of life’s unexpected turns and changes.
We know the importance of a personalized approach to insurance. We only appoint knowledgeable, service-minded independent agents. At the core of our business is not just a comprehensive policy, but the relationship between agent and policyholder. We invite you to learn more about our history, agents, and our wide range of policies today.
The content available via Grange.com is for informational purposes only and may not be used for any other purpose. Content provided or expressed on Grange.com, including that of third parties, may not reflect Grange Insurance Association’s (GIA) policies or conform to any agreement you may have with GIA and its subsidiary companies. Please contact a licensed insurance agent to obtain particular advice.
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