When buying car insurance in Fort Dodge, you have many choices and finding the best Iowa auto insurance agent is not as easy as just making a phone call. Consumers require a professional agent, and also want to find the best possible price.
Because you have many car insurance companies to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to locate the most affordable insurer.
How to buy car insurance from an agent in Fort Dodge
Insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get lower rates and still choose a local agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your coverage information is sent to local insurance agents in Fort Dodge who will compete to get your business. You don’t have to leave your house as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. Now that’s easy!
Picking an insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- Who are their largest clients?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
Independent or Captive: It’s your choice
When searching for a good Fort Dodge insurance agent, there are two types of agencies to choose from. Agencies in Fort Dodge are either captive or independent. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different because it can impact buying decisions.
Captive Insurance Agents
This type of agents write business for a single company and examples are AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below are captive insurance agencies in Fort Dodge that are able to give rate quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 116 N 15th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-3626
Farm Bureau Financial Svc – 106 Avenue O – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-8520
Allstate Insurance – 1031 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-4341
Farmers Insurance Group – 1235 1st Ave S – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 573-2234
American Family Insurance – 11 N 14th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-4000
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, you should always get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.
Listed below is a list of independent insurance agents in Fort Dodge who can help you get price quote information.
Knights Of Columbus Insurance – 1728 Central Ave # 14 – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-1492
Kingsgate Insurance – 126 N 25th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-4321
To view a full list of car insurance agents in Fort Dodge, please click here.
Upon receiving positive responses to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.
But what about buying insurance online?
Car insurance agents serve a purpose, but you also have the option of buying Iowa car insurance from companies direct over the internet. Certain auto insurance companies that are more known for using agents, also give you the option to get a quote and buy online, and consumers should do that if you are the do-it-yourself type.
If you’re worried about not having an insurance agent’s advice, that should not be a issue. All companies provide options to answer any questions you may have. They also have extensive coverage information and 24/7 assistance to help with the buying process.
Do online companies have better rates? The answer is complex due to the fact that there are multiple individual factors that impact your rate calculation. It would make sense to think that buying directly from the company saves the commission normally paid to an agent. For the majority of companies, however, getting their brand in front of customers is expensive and this tends to eat up any savings.
More Iowa car insurance information
Even more information is available at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can read state legal mandates and laws, report car insurance fraud, and download brochures.
In Summary
When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
The cheapest car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Fort Dodge agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
