When you pick a protection for your beloved car, you need more than just knowledge about coverage and policy details. A car insurance agent is your mediator between you and your insurance company, helping you treading through various details of policy and coverage, and you can also discuss about things that make you confused more easily. Plus, insurance agent also helps you finding good deals and even discount opportunities that are available for your specific needs, something that you will not find easily if you just read the policy details from brochures or policy documents.
However, like any other businesses, car insurance companies also have their shares of less virtuous agents. Make sure you know their signs so you will not make mistakes in choosing the right financial decision related to your policy, because it will bring losses and even decreased credibility in the eyes of car insurance company.
Signs of Dishonest Agents
Some car insurance agents can be quite obvious in their ways to get as much money as possible from policy holders without thinking about their needs. Here are some signs of a dishonest car insurance agentyou must be cautious about:
- The agent is vague and discreet about his or her formal credential. This must be the first surefire sign to spot dishonest agent. Every insurance authority in all areas must have lists of agents’ license numbers and credentials, and if the agents do not give the clear answers about the credentials, you should just directly ask the state authority to make sure.
- The agent offers payment method by transfer or check given to him or her instead of the formal insurer institution. This is sometimes done by some agents as a legitimate payment method, but not often. Therefore, even if you, at some point, paying to the agent, make sure you get the receipt as proof.
- The agent adds coverage that you do now want into your policy. Although you probably only need certain coverage options in car insurance policy, sometimes a dishonest agent will try to insert something you do not want or need into the policy, inflating your policy payment obligation. This is because the dishonest agent wants to get more commission, which is earned through the amounts of money policy holders pay.
- The agent gives super low premium that is far from the market price range for the type of premium you pick. There can be something behind offer too good to be true, so you must be aware if the agent does this.
- The agent does not give you policy document that says you have paid your renewal premium. This can be because the agent keeps the money you send to him or her, instead of giving it to the insurance company as a part of your premium payment. The maximum waiting period for car insurance policy renewal document is around 30 days, and if you have not received the document within the period, you need to be suspicious.
- The agent rushes you to buy a policy, even using urgent tone to quickly buy certain policy by saying things such as “hurry up before the premium goes up,” which only means that the agent wants you to buy as quickly as possible. A good car insurance agent will patiently explain about all your options and possibilities after listening to all your protection needs, so each customer gets the right policy with details that fulfill all your coverage needs.
- The agent gives false information about your past losses and accident history. For example, when the agent is giving the information details about you to the car insurance company, the agent probably falsify some information in your data, such as saying that your history is clean while actually you have two losses history. When the insurance company finds out about this, the company will think negatively about you, and your credibility will decrease.
- Finally, the agent is suspiciously hard to contact or call, whether it is through email, phone call or text message. Sometimes, a dishonest agent even does not have valid PO BOX and home address, and when something happens, policy holders cannot get their money back because they cannot even trace the agent.
Buying car insurance is important for all car owners, but we must also be careful when it comes to choosing the agents that will help with all your coverage. Make sure you spot all the suspicious signs before actually making a car insurance agent your regular contact.