When shopping for car insurance, picking a good Kansas auto insurance agent takes more work than just randomly choosing from the yellow pages. Chances are you’re wanting a highly trained agent, but you also want to find affordable coverage.
With Farmers, Allstate, and independent agents having local Ottawa offices, it can be hard to know which one will have the best rates, service and coverage. Fortunately, consumers can get online quoting to assemble a group of insurance agencies and price estimates.
Buying car insurance from a local Ottawa agent
Educated insurance agents can answer important questions and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find lower rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local businesses is important particularly in Ottawa.
By using this form (opens in new window), the coverage information gets sent to local insurance agents in Ottawa who will return price quotes to get your business. You don’t have to leave your house as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. How cool is that?!
Independent or Captive: It’s your choice
When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in Ottawa can either be captive or independent (non-captive). Both types can insure your vehicles, but it’s good to learn the differences since it may influence your selection of an agent.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency.
When shopping rates, we recommend you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from. They often place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can be an advantage.
Listed below are independent agents in Ottawa who may be able to give you price quote information.
- Mutual Of Omaha Insurance Co – 122 W 3rd St – Ottawa, KS 66067 – (785) 242-6042
- Mader-Gilmore Insurance Svc – 1302 S Main St # 4 – Ottawa, KS 66067 – (785) 242-9549
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company and examples are State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some people will only choose to use a captive agent partially due to the prominence of the brand and strong financial ratings.
The following is a short list of captive agents in Ottawa that can give you price quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 1224 E Logan St – Ottawa, KS 66067 – (785) 242-9435
- Allstate Insurance – 109 E 5th St – Ottawa, KS 66067 – (785) 242-4128
- Farm Bureau Financial Svc – 2232 S King St – Ottawa, KS 66067 – (785) 242-1466
- American Family Insurance – 215 S Main St – Ottawa, KS 66067 – (785) 242-2676
- Farmers Insurance Group – 401 S Main St – Ottawa, KS 66067 – (785) 242-1904
For a complete listing of Ottawa captive agents, simply jump to this page.
Choosing a car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Are Progressive, Geico and Esurance cheaper?
Auto insurance agents are indespensible for some people, but you can also find affordable Kansas auto insurance directly from online companies. Certain auto insurance companies who have local agents in Ottawa also allow you to buy direct online, and online price comparisons are easy if you’re trying to lower your rates.
If you’re worried about having to choose coverages yourself when buying online, that shouldn’t be an issue. Insurance companies provide options to walk you through the process. They also offer live help and an extensive research center to clarify any questions you may have.
Is pricing better online? It’s hard to say exactly because there are many factors which can adversely affect your policy premium. It’s a logical assumption that buying car insurance online saves money because there is no commission. For most companies selling online, however, there are high advertising and marketing costs and that can quickly cost more than paying an agent.
Quote more, save more
Insureds leave their current company for a variety of reasons including denial of a claim, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, being labeled a high risk driver or even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company is actually quite simple.
Lower-priced car insurance is possible on the web and with local Ottawa insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
Find out more about car insurance
Additional car insurance information can be read on the Kansas Insurance Department website. Click here for link. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, find out which companies have the most complaints, and learn about insurance regulations.
Also read more on this page for car insurance prices in Kansas and this page of insurance agents in Ottawa.
