Comparing car insurance rates in Chicago can be a lot of work since choosing the right Chicago insurance agent is more difficult than just picking up the phone. Consumers need a good agent that listens to you, and also want to find the best price on car insurance.
Because there are so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be impossible to locate the most cost effective insurance company.
Local Chicago car insurance agents
Licensed agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your insurance data is submitted to agents in your area who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You never need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!
Choosing an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
Auto insurance agents in Chicago come in two varieties
When looking for local Chicago agents, there are a couple of types of agencies to choose from. Agents are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive). Both types can write coverage properly, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them since it may influence your selection of an agent.
Agency Captives
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company and some examples include AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captives receive extensive training on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent mainly due to the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below are Chicago captive insurance agencies who can help you get price quote information.
- American Family Insurance – 8441 S Cottage Grove Ave – Chicago, IL 60619 – (773) 994-3622
- Farmers Insurance Group – 5802 S Archer Ave – Chicago, IL 60638 – (773) 284-6077
- Allstate Insurance – 1512 S Wabash Ave – Chicago, IL 60605 – (312) 435-2200
- Alton Williams State Farm Ins – 3406 W Irving Park Rd – Chicago, IL 60618 – (773) 463-4343
Independent Insurance Agents
These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part. When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.Many can place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
Below are independent insurance agents in Chicago that are able to give price quotes.
- Carter Insurance Svc Inc – 6148 N Campbell Ave – Chicago, IL 60659 – (773) 262-6501
- City Squire Agency LTD – 639 W Diversey Pkwy # 220 – Chicago, IL 60614 – (773) 737-2000
- Bertucci Agency Inc – 330 S Wells St # 904 – Chicago, IL 60606 – (312) 427-4228
- Elkins Insurance – 3348 W Irving Park Rd – Chicago, IL 60618 – (773) 539-0456
- Charles Ramos Agency – 2540 W Chicago Ave – Chicago, IL 60622 – (312) 782-8177
To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Chicago, view this link.
After getting positive feedback to all your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that will insure your vehicles.
Can you save by buying online?
Insurance agencies are indespensible for some people, but Illinois consumers also have the option to buy direct from companies online. Certain companies who sell through the agent channel also allow you to get a quote and buy online, so that should be considered if finding the best price is important.
If you’re anxious about not having professional advice when buying direct, this really isn’t an issue. Car insurance companies that allow you to purchase coverage have toll-free phone numbers and other options for getting advice on proper coverages.
Do online companies have better rates? Many people think so, but it’s hard to say for sure because there are a lot of things that impact your rate calculation. Common sense would say that buying directly from the company saves money because there is no commission. For the majority of companies, however, marketing expenses are significant and those expenses can offset most of the savings by selling direct.
More tips and info about car insurance is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, discover disciplinary actions, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
Other informative sites include this site for Illinois car insurance information and this page where you can also get Chicago car insurance quotes.
Keep this in mind
As you shop your coverage around, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
Cost effective car insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to many Chicago insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
