Selecting a car insurance company in Rutland, Vermont can be time consuming since selecting the best Rutland insurance agent for your needs is harder than just picking up the phone. It’s highly likely you not only want a professional agent, but you also need the best rates possible.
With companies like State Farm, Allstate and Farmers Insurance having offices in Rutland, consumers have a hard time knowing which provider will have the best service and rates. Fortunately, it’s easy to use online quoting in order to build a list of agencies and thier coverage prices.
Rutland agents and online quotes
Agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find better rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local agencies is important especially in Rutland.
After completing this quick form, the quote information is sent to insurance agents in Rutland who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!
Types of insurance agents
When researching a reliable agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Agents can either be captive or independent. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s worth mentioning how they differ because it can influence the type of agent you choose
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparison shopping, you should always contact at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.
Listed below are Rutland independent agents that can give you competitive price quotes.
Green Mountain Agency Inc – 33 Cottage St – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-5579
Hull Maynard Insurance – 105 Center St – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 773-3000
Rabideau Agency – 40 Woodstock Ave – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-1628
Smith Insurance – 56 1/2 Merchants Row # 220 – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-5655
Don Steere Agency – 607 Us Route 4 E – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-2746
Agency Captives
Captive agents work for only one company such as Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents are trained well on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Shown below are Rutland captive agents willing to provide price quotes.
Allstate Insurance – 240 S Main St – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-2587
State Farm Insurance – 56 Allen St – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 747-7975
To view a complete directory of captive insurance agents in Rutland, go to this page.
Picking an auto insurance agent should depend on more than just a cheap price. These questions are important to ask:
- How long has their agency been in business in Rutland?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Upon receiving positive responses to these questions and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.
Can you buy online and save?
Licensed agents can be invaluable at times, but Vermont drivers can also buy directly from online companies. A few companies, such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm, who sell through agents in Rutland also give you the option to quote and buy online, so keep that in mind if you are the do-it-yourself type.
If you’re concerned about not getting advice from an agent, that shouldn’t be an issue. Companies have customer service departments for getting advice on proper coverages. Also available are live help and an extensive research center you can access prior to buying.
Are car insurance rates lower online? Whether or not you’ll save is impossible to say since there are many things that impact your final bill. It’s a common assumption that shopping online for auto insurance cuts out the agent as a middleman. In many cases, marketing their products costs a lot of money and those expenses can offset most of the savings by selling direct.
Affordable insurance is out there
The cheapest car insurance is possible on the web as well as from independent agents in Rutland, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. A few companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed collision coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price.
Some additional reading
More information is located on the website for the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation. Click here for link. Consumers can file complaints about a company, learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
The articles below may also help you learn more about car insurance in Rutland
