When trying to find a good insurance agent in Maplewood, Minnesota, we recommend you do the preliminary legwork by comparing prices online instead of making phone calls. For the sake of this article, we’ll assume you want a friendly agent, but you also need affordable coverage.
With State Farm, Allstate and many independent agents having local Maplewood offices, it’s hard to tell which will provide the cheapest rates and the best coverage. To help decide, consumers can use online price quotes to get a list of insurance agencies to choose from.
Online price comparisons from Maplewood agents
Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is that you can obtain the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local agencies is important particularly in Maplewood.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your information gets sent to agents in your area who will battle for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to leave your computer since price quotes are sent directly to your email. How cool is that?! It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Different types of Maplewood car insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a good Maplewood insurance agent, there are a couple of different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Maplewood agents can either be independent or captive.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, we recommend you get quotes from several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from. Many write coverage with different regional companies which can save you money.
The following are Maplewood independent insurance agencies that are able to give rate quotes.
- Bill Buhl Agency – 2251 Larpenteur Ave E – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 777-2255
- Jeffrey Welle Agency – 2251 Larpenteur Ave E – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 777-4141
- American National Insurance Co – 1799 White Bear Ave N – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 773-9232
- A Allstar Risk Auto Insurance – 500 Carlton St N – Maplewood, MN 55119 – (651) 578-1566
- Kevin Begin Agency Inc – 2091 County Road D E # C – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 484-2025
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents work for only one company and examples are Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. Captive agents receive extensive training on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers often buy from captive agents partially due to loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Listed below are Maplewood captive agents willing to provide price quote information.
- American Family Insurance – 2089 County Road D E # C200 – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 484-2025
- State Farm Insurance – 1703 Cope Ave E # A – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 770-8732
- Allstate Insurance – 2580 White Bear Ave N – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 779-8929
For a complete listing of auto insurance agents in Maplewood, visit this link.
Deciding on an insurance agent requires more thought than just a low price. These questions are important to ask:
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Minnesota?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
After receiving acceptable answers to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have just found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.
Online companies give you options
Insurance agencies are a valuable resource, but Minnesota car insurance can also be bought direct from companies that only sell online. Some specific companies like Allstate and State Farm who sell through the agent channel additionally provide the ability to quote and buy online, and consumers should do that.
If you’re uneasy about not getting proper coverage, that is quite common when buying online the first time. Companies that require consumers to choose their own coverages give you access to trained agents for getting questions answered.
If you’re trying to save the most money, the best approach to discovering who has the best rates, online companies or local insurance agents, is comparing prices for both of them. You may actually get a different price from online quotes as they do from local agents from the same insurance company. You won’t discover if the company’s rates are lower online or from an agent until after comparing identical coverage quotes for both.
Does coverage cost less online? The answer is complex since there are many things that influence the price you pay. Common sense would say that a consumer who buys direct cuts out the middleman. But in most cases, getting their brand in front of customers is expensive so this can offset any savings.
In conclusion
People switch companies for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, poor customer service, not issuing a premium refund or delays in responding to claim requests. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.
When shopping online for auto insurance, you should never reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, someone dropped collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
Additional Minnesota car insurance resources
Additional auto insurance information is located on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website found here. Consumers can download brochures, file complaints about a company, read industry bulletins, and find out industry alerts.
