Whether it's car, home, health or life, everyone will at some point need insurance. With that in mind, Bankrate sat down with some of the top experts in the insurance field to get their thoughts on the industry and what consumers need to know.
Jim Whittle, Chief Claims Counsel, American Insurance Association:
There are so many insurers out there. And you are one consumer but you are actually out there trying to empower yourself. So you have to ask a lot of questions, you have to be comfortable. You can shop around. There is nothing saying you can only deal with one insurer or one agent for that matter. If you find that the agent that is working with certain insurer's maybe isn't offering you what you want, you may seek other agents. So ask questions, shop around, and shop your insurance around.
Madelyn Flannagan, Vice President of Educational Research and Agent Development, Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America:
One of the best things to ask your insurance agent when you're getting a price is to compare and contrast several companies. Most insurance agents represent at least ten personalized carriers. So ask them to give you a price with all those carriers and give you information about those carriers so you can make an informed choice.
Jim Whittle, Chief Claims Counsel, American Insurance Association:
Some of the variables are your own experience. How much are you driving? Where are you driving? You might have an insurer that cares about credit scores. You might have an experience rating, your youthfulness can be an issue. So there is a whole array of variables really shopping around. Empowering yourself, asking questions, making sure you are satisfied with the answers. If you don't like that somebody is using a certain variable you will find somebody that isn't because they are willing to do business without that variable.
To learn more or shop around for the best insurance rates, visit the insurance section at Bankrate.com.