Finding good car insurance in Hoffman Estates can be challenging since choosing the right Hoffman Estates auto insurance agent is harder than just randomly choosing from the yellow pages. Chances are you require not only a highly trained agent, but you also want to find affordable coverage.
With companies like State Farm, Allstate and many independent agents having offices in Hoffman Estates, consumers have a hard time knowing which insurance agency will provide you with the cheapest rates and the best coverage. To begin, you can use insurance quotes online to get a list of agencies from which to choose.
Online quotes help locate Hoffman Estates agents
Insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates but also keep your business local. Buying from local businesses is important especially in Hoffman Estates.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your information is sent to local insurance agents who will compete for your coverage. You don’t have to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. How’s that for easy! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.
Two different types of car insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of agencies that you can select. Agencies in Hoffman Estates are either captive or independent.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. 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 shopping rates, it’s a good idea to contact multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.
The following is a list of independent agents in Hoffman Estates that may be able to provide pricing information.
Al Gaddini Insurance – 2155 Stonington Ave # 210 – Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 – (847) 885-4860
Brazelton Insurance Inc – 2543 W Golf Rd – Hoffman Estates, IL 60194 – (847) 882-4800
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents write business for a single company and some examples include State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are well schooled on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Listed below are captive insurance agents in Hoffman Estates who can help you get rate quotes.
Farmers Insurance Group – 525 W Higgins Rd # 100 – Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 – (847) 490-1200
Allstate Insurance – 2500 W Higgins Rd # 1142 – Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 – (847) 884-7800
American Family Insurance – 2155 Stonington Ave # 210 – Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 – (847) 310-1990
To view a complete directory of captive agencies in Hoffman Estates, visit this link.
Picking an insurance agency should depend on more than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
Once you have answers to your satisfaction to your questions and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurance agent that will insure your vehicles.
Buying direct is an option
Professional insurance agents can be invaluable at times, but Illinois car insurance can also be bought from online companies direct. Some specific companies who have local agents in Hoffman Estates also allow you to buy direct online, so keep that in mind.
If you’re worried about not having an insurance agent’s advice when buying online, don’t let it bother you. Online companies provide options to walk you through the process. Consumers also can use 24/7 live help and a car insurance FAQ section that you can use before buying.
Will you save money buying auto insurance online? The answer to that question is complicated because of the number of factors that impact your rate calculation. Common sense would say that buying online saves by not paying a commission. But that assumption is generally incorrect because advertising and marketing take a lot of money so there may not be significant savings.
If you’re not set on any one company, the best way to find out whether prices are lower online or from agents is to compare price quotes from both. You could possible even receive different price quotes from online quotes as compared to agent rates from exactly the same company. But you can’t find out which has the best rates until you actually compare rates both ways.
Online plus local equals savings
When shopping online for car insurance, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate.
Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like delays in paying claims, unfair underwriting practices, poor customer service or even delays in responding to claim requests. Whatever your reason, finding a new car insurance company is less work than it seems.
More information can be found on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance found here. Consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
