If you want to find the right insurance agent, then you have come to the right place. This guide will help you to uncover the best insurance partner for you, so you can feel confident knowing that your business is protected.
Review their Experience
The first thing that you need to do is try and review their experience for your needs. If you end up going with an agency that has no experience for your industry, then this can work against you. They may not be able to provide you with proper coverage leading to under or over-insurance coverage.
If you can, it is always a good idea for you to try and go through someone who can offer you insurance that reflects the business you operate. For example, if you own a construction company, then you should review their experience in the construction space. You can ask the agency for references or prepare questions before meeting with them.
Don’t be afraid to ask difficult questions, you should feel comfortable leaving that meeting knowing they will be your trusted advisor.
Access to Carriers
This is something you can do even before reaching out to the agency. Check out their website and see the insurance companies the agency is appointed with. Not all insurance companies are created equal. It’s common to believe that all insurance companies insure all types of businesses, but this is not true. Some carriers prefer one type of business, which means they can provide certain incentives and discounts as it’s a specialty for them.
If the agency has access to a lot of carriers this would be a big benefit for you. They will be able to present your business to multiple companies securing you the best rate and coverage.
Look up Google Reviews
Before reaching out to any agency, do a simple Google search on the agency and read their reviews. If you notice that a company doesn’t have many Google reviews or a lot of negative reviews, then this should be a red flag. We live in a time where reviews matter as much or more than a recommendation from a friend or family member.
Utilize Social Media
If you can, it is also wise for you to go onto the company’s social media page so you can do additional research. Insurance is not an exciting industry, so don’t expect to find anything that has gone viral. Instead, their leverage social media channels to validate your opinion about the agency. We recommend using LinkedIn to learn about the agency. You can learn from the owner’s and team members’ past experiences.
That is fine if the agency does not have an active social media presence. Posting on social media just to post is not worth it.
They Don’t Hard-Sell
A good agent should be willing to spend a lot of time with you and they should also be willing to explain what the particular benefits of a given policy are and what is covered by it. They should be advising you and not selling you a policy.
When you are not an insurance expert it’s hard to tell if you getting oversold insurance. Rather than trying to figure out the insurance policy, see how the agent treats you throughout the process. Do they have a hard time explaining coverages? Are they rushing you to sign? Do you feel pressured?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be a good time to interview another agency.
Check their Offerings
You will want to work with an agent who can give you many good options, in terms of cost, coverage and service. Service may be overlooked and undervalued until you have a terrible experience.
Let’s say everything is going well and you are ready to get a quote from the agency. Then the agency starts flooding you with paperwork to print and fill out. If this is the case, it could indicate the agency does not have modern technology.
While modern technology may not impact their experience, it may become an inconvenience when you update your policies throughout the year.
They’re Recommended
If an agency is recommended by a fellow business owner, family or friend, then you should consider them as an agency. Just don’t forget the important factors such as experience in your sector and access to carriers.
Time To Get Insurance
We hope this guide educated you on selecting the right insurance agency for your business. At Schumacher Insurance, we focus on insuring small and mid-size businesses in New Jersey. If you have any questions about your insurance, feel free to reach out to us today!