When shopping for car insurance, there are a lot of options and finding the best Rhode Island insurance agency is not as easy as just randomly choosing from the yellow pages. It’s assumed you want a friendly agent, but also the best rates possible.
With insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate and many independent agents having offices in North Providence, it’s difficult to determine which will have the best service and rates. To help decide, consumers can use online quoting in order to build a list of agencies to choose from.
Online price comparisons from North Providence agents
Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing rates online is you can get better rates and still choose a local agent. Supporting local businesses is especially important in North Providence.
Once you complete this short form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy! You’ll get the best rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Two different types of car insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a local agent, there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Agencies in North Providence are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive).
Independent Agents
Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, we recommend you include price quotes from multiple independent agents to get the best comparison. They often place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which may provide better rates.
Shown below are independent agencies in North Providence who can help you get price quote information.
- B K Agency Inc – 1598 Smith St # 1 – North Providence, RI 02911 – (401) 353-4000
- Leo Nadeau and Agency – 1528 Mineral Spring Ave – North Providence, RI 02904 – (401) 421-9400
- Horton Insurance – 1804 Mineral Spring Ave – North Providence, RI 02904 – (401) 353-4447
- Stop and Save Insurance – 1115 Mineral Spring Ave – North Providence, RI 02904 – (401) 722-9985
Agency Captives
This type of agents write business for a single company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. They receive extensive training on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from captives mainly due to the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.
Deciding on an insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
After receiving reasonable responses to any questions you have as well as a affordable price, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that can properly service your car insurance policy.
Is buying direct online an option?
Auto insurance agents are perfect for certain consumers, but you can also find affordable Rhode Island auto insurance direct online. Some companies, such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm, who sell through the agent channel also permit you to quote and buy online, so that should be considered to possibly find a better rate.
If you’re uneasy about not getting proper coverage when shopping online, that is quite common when buying online the first time. Auto insurance companies provide access to licensed agents to walk you through the process. Also available are online help and live chat so buying online is not difficult.
The only way to know if agents have better prices than online companies is making fair comparisons of each of their rates. You could possible even receive different price quotes when comparing agent prices to online quotes for the identical company.
Do online companies have better rates? Many people think so, but it’s hard to say for sure since there are so many components that determine the price you pay. It’s often assumed that buying car insurance online saves money because there is no commission. For most companies selling online, however, promoting brand recognition is pricey and those expenses can offset most of the savings by selling direct.
More effort can pay off
People switch companies for any number of reasons including high prices, unfair underwriting practices, extreme rates for teen drivers or delays in responding to claim requests. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
To find out more about Rhode Island car insurance
Additional information is available on the Rhode Island Division of Insurance Regulation website through this link. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, view agent and company licensing information, and view a list of available companies.
The following information may also be useful.
