Comparing car insurance companies in Wichita, Kansas can be challenging because there are a lot of options and finding the best Kansas car insurance agent is not as easy as just picking up the phone. For this article’s sake, it’s assumed that not only do you want a decent agent, but you also need affordable coverage.
With American Family, Allstate, State Farm and independent agents having offices in Wichita, it can be hard to know which will have the best rates, service and coverage. Fortunately, consumers can get online quoting in order to build a list of agencies to choose from.
When should I use an insurance agent?
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique.
For instance, these questions might point out whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Kansas minimum liability coverage?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent.
Car Insurance through a local Wichita agent
Educated insurance agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates and still have an agent to talk to. And supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in Wichita.
By using this short form, the coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Wichita who will battle for your business. You won’t need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier!
Compare rates from both independent and captive car insurance agents
When looking for a reliable agent, there are two different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are either captive or independent. Both do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they differ since it may influence the selection process.
Independent Insurance Agents
These agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to get quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.Most can insure with lesser-known insurance companies which may provide better rates.
Listed below are Wichita independent insurance agents that are able to give pricing information.
- Heartland Insurance Group – 7701 E Kellogg Dr # 640 – Wichita, KS 67207 – (316) 683-0900
- Insurance Resource Ctr Inc – 12828 E 13th St N – Wichita, KS 67230 – (316) 733-9588
- Eck Agency Inc – 200 E 1st St N – Wichita, KS 67202 – (316) 264-5097
- James Mcqueen Agency – 9415 E Harry St – Wichita, KS 67207 – (316) 618-3000
- Steve Pickard Agency – 10939 E Harry St # 101 – Wichita, KS 67207 – (316) 652-7228
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies work for only one company and examples are State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. They usually cannot compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below are captive insurance agencies in Wichita that can give you price quote information.
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 9319 E Harry St # 122 – Wichita, KS 67207 – (316) 684-0282
- Allstate Insurance – 7603 W 21st St N # 105 – Wichita, KS 67205 – (316) 773-5955
- Farmers Insurance Group – 4351 S Broadway St – Wichita, KS 67216 – (316) 522-7757
- American Family Ins Agent – 10333 E 21st St N – Wichita, KS 67206 – (316) 630-0395
- Shelter Insurance – 6160 E 21st St N # 170 – Wichita, KS 67208 – (316) 683-1221
- State Farm Insurance – 4617 E Kellogg Dr – Wichita, KS 67218 – (316) 685-4006
To view a complete directory of Wichita captive agents, simply jump to this page.
Picking an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Kansas?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Upon getting good answers to all your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that will provide car insurance coverage.
But what about Geico, Progressive and Esurance?
Car insurance agents are indespensible for some people, but you can also buy Kansas car insurance from companies direct over the internet. Certain companies like Allstate and State Farm who employ agents also allow you to buy a policy online, and that is helpful if finding the best price is important.
If you’re worried about whether or not you’ll have guidance when buying car insurance direct, that should not be a issue. Car insurance companies give you access to trained agents that you can contact for information. They also have extensive coverage information and 24/7 assistance to clarify any questions you may have.
The only way to know who has the best rates, online companies or local insurance agents, is to make apples-to-apples comparisons of both. It’s fairly common that you receive different coverage costs returned by the same company depending on if you quote online or with an agent. It’s not possible to know which has the best rates without quoting identical coverages both ways.
Do online companies have better rates? Whether or not you’ll save is impossible to say since there are so many factors that influence the price you pay. It’s a logical assumption that going direct saves money because there is no commission. For most online online companies, however, advertising budgets are huge so there may not be significant savings.
Additional information can be read on the Kansas Insurance Department website through this link. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Best coverage at the best price
As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a great new company is not as hard as you think.
