If you’re looking for a licensed insurance agent in Elizabeth, you can do an initial search using online quotes instead of making phone calls. For this article’s sake, it’s assumed you’re looking for a decent agent, but you also want the lowest possible price.
With companies like State Farm, Allstate and many independent agents having local Elizabeth offices, it’s hard to tell which provider will provide the best rates, service and coverage. To begin, consumers can get online price quotes to get a list of insurance agencies and thier coverage prices.
Compare Elizabeth agent rates online
Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the best rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local businesses is important especially in Elizabeth.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Elizabeth who will compete for your coverage. You won’t need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy!
Two different types of auto insurance agents
When looking for an insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of agencies from which to choose. Agencies in Elizabeth can either be independent or captive. Both types can write coverage properly, but it’s worth learning how they differ because it can impact the selection process.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When searching for an agent, we recommend you include several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.
The following is a list of independent insurance agents in Elizabeth who can help you get competitive price quotes.
Ar and Mar Insurance Svc – 545 Edgar Rd – Elizabeth, NJ 07202 – (908) 352-9691
Chapman Agency – 435 Elizabeth Ave – Elizabeth, NJ 07206 – (908) 354-0918
Hal Rose Agency – 118 Elmora Ave – Elizabeth, NJ 07202 – (908) 354-1000
P and P Agency – 1106 Magnolia Ave – Elizabeth, NJ 07201 – (908) 289-4900
Omega’s Insurance – 623 Westfield Ave – Elizabeth, NJ 07208 – (908) 355-8765
Agency Captives
Captive insurance agents work for only one company such as Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They are unable to shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Deciding on an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
Once you have received good answers to your questions and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that can service your policy.
Online companies can help you save
Car insurance agents are perfect for certain consumers, but New Jersey car insurance can also be bought direct from companies that only sell online. Some companies who employ agents also allow you to buy direct on their websites, and online price comparisons are easy if you are the do-it-yourself type.
If you’re uneasy about not having an agent to talk to when shopping online, that is quite common when buying online the first time. Online insurance companies all provide contact methods to answer any questions you may have.
Do online companies have better rates? That question is hard to answer since there are so many factors which can adversely affect your policy premium. It’s a logical assumption that shopping online for auto insurance lowers rates due to not having any agent compensation. For most online online companies, however, marketing their products costs a lot of money so there may not be significant savings.
The only way to know if the best rates are online or from local agents is to take the time to compare rates from both. It’s possible to get different rates from the same company depending on if you quote online or with their agents. But you can’t find out which way will be cheaper without quoting coverages from both.
More information can be read on the website for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance located here. Consumers can find out industry alerts, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.
Other useful links include this page for New Jersey auto insurance and this list of insurance agents in Elizabeth.
Final thoughts
Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including high prices, poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers or even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason, finding a new auto insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.
When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.
