Finding good car insurance in Peabody can be challenging since finding the best Massachusetts insurance agency is not as easy as just calling the closest agent. It’s highly likely you require not only a good agent that listens to you, but you also want the lowest possible price.
With American Family, Allstate, State Farm and Farmers all competing for business in Peabody, consumers have a hard time knowing which will give you the best service and rates. Fortunately, you can use online quotes to assemble a group of insurance agents to choose from.
Your local neighborhood insurance agent
Good agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing rates online is that you can obtain better rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local insurance agencies is definitely important in Peabody.
To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will give you bids for your business. There is no need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier!
Do you need an independent or captive insurance agent?
When looking for a good insurance agency, there are two types of agencies to choose from. Insurance agencies in Peabody are categorized either independent or captive. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s good to learn how they differ because it can impact your selection of an agent.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, you should always contact multiple independent agents for the best price selection.Many can place coverage with different regional companies which can be an advantage.
Listed below are independent insurance agents in Peabody that are able to give competitive price quotes.
- Peabody Group Assoc Insurance – 200 Lake St – Peabody, MA 01960 – (978) 535-0523
- Mccarthy BK Insurance Inc – 10 Centennial Dr – Peabody, MA 01960 – (978) 532-5445
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents write business for a single company and examples are AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agencies are trained well on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage. Some people will only buy insurance from these agents partially due to loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Picking an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- How are claims handled?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
Upon receiving positive feedback in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have just found a car insurance agent that will properly service your car insurance policy.
Buying auto insurance direct is an option
Insurance agencies are important, but you can also find affordable Massachusetts auto insurance direct over the internet. Some companies that are more known for using agents, also let you get a quote and buy online, so keep that in mind.
If you’re apprehensive about choosing your own coverages when buying online, don’t let it bother you. Online companies provide customer service for getting the best coverage. They also make available a frequently asked questions page so buying online is not difficult.
If you’re trying to save the most money, the best approach to discovering whether prices are lower online or from agents is to get rates from both and compare them. Lots of times people will get different prices from the same insurance company from their agents and their website. It’s just impossible to know if the company’s rates are lower online or from an agent without quoting identical coverages for both.
Will buying online save you money? A lot of shoppers won’t buy anywhere else, but it’s impossible to say because of the number of factors that impact your rate calculation. Many people think that buying online cuts out the agent as a middleman. For most companies selling online, however, there are very high advertising costs so there may not be significant savings.
More quotes mean more savings
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Drivers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as lack of trust in their agent, being labeled a high risk driver, policy cancellation or delays in responding to claim requests. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding the right car insurance provider is actually quite simple.
Additional car insurance information is available on the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Click here for link. Massachusetts drivers can learn about insurance regulations, discover disciplinary actions, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Other useful links include Wikipedia and this link where you can get more info about Peabody coverage.
