Hiring a bad insurance agent costs you time, money, and a lot of headaches. Most people pick the first name they find online or the one their cousin recommends. Stop doing that.
Licensing & Insurance Questions
Check their license on your state's insurance department website. Takes two minutes. Ask if they hold any designations like CIC or CPCU — those mean they studied beyond the bare minimum. Find out how many carriers they represent. Someone tied to one company can only sell you that company's products. That's not advice, that's a sales pitch.
Experience & References Questions
Ask how long they have been selling the specific type of coverage you need. Personal lines and commercial lines are different animals. Request three client references from the last year who had a claim. Call them. Ask how fast the agent responded when something went wrong. A smooth talker who disappears when you file a claim is useless.
Pricing & Timeline Questions
Get quotes from three different agents before you decide. Prices vary wildly for the same coverage. Ask how long they take to respond to emails and calls. A good agent answers within a few hours during business days. Anyone who says they can bind coverage in under an hour without seeing your documents is lying or cutting corners.
Contract Questions
Read the service agreement before you sign. Some agents lock you into a long term or charge cancellation fees. Ask if they own the renewal rights to your policy. If they leave the agency, you want to know who handles your account next. Get everything in writing, including promises about service response times.
Stop guessing and start comparing local insurance agents on RatingsNearMe.