Blasingame Insurance
200 N. Argonne Road
Spokane, WA 99212
509-891-1000 Office
877-659-9948 Toll Free
509-891-1430 Fax
Monday - Friday
8:00AM to 4:30PM
 Auto | | Home | | Renters | | Motorcycle | | Recreational Vehicles | | Boats | | Business | | Bonds | | Flood & Earthquake | | Health | | Life | | Dental | | Vision | | Group Employee Benefits |
|
What should I look for in an agent?
|
|
|
Agents are there to help you. At the most basic level, any agent should be able to answer your questions about insurance, provide you with a thorough assessment of your insurance needs and offer you a choice of insurance products to meet those needs. Also, your insurance agency should provide you with prompt, quality service in the case of a claim.
Just as important is the level of professional confidence and personal comfort you feel with the agent. Many people stick with the same insurance agent for decades, even generations. It helps to find an agent you can get to know and trust.
An important, but sometimes overlooked, factor to keep in mind is that there are two kinds of insurance agents: those who represent only one insurance company and those who represent more than one insurance company.
Agents offering through their agencies only the policies of one insurance company often are referred to as "captive agents" because the company they represent does not allow them to offer their customers competitive alternatives.
By contrast, agents offering through their agencies the policies of more than one insurance company are called "Independent Insurance Agents" because they can shop around for their customers for the best insurance values among a variety of competing companies.
|
What factors affect the cost of insurance?
|
|
|
The likelihood of a loss occurring -- The greater the probability a loss will occur can mean a higher rate {e.g., earthquake insurance in California ).
The potential size of the claim -- If you purchase a large amount of coverage (that is, if the item you are insuring is quite valuable), the chances are there could be a large claim and the premium will need to cover that possibility.
The percentage of loss the insurance company will be required to pay -- If you have no deductible, the company will pay 100% on a covered loss. This increases their risk and your premium. To understand how a deductible works, consider the following: If the deductible on your auto insurance is $100, it means you agree to pay this amount first, and your insurance company will pay for damages exceeding this deductible. By increasing your deductible from $100 to $250, or even $500, this decreases the insurance company? risk, which may mean a savings in your premium.
Other factors can influence premiums such as the number of lawsuits and the average amount awarded in a given state. In short, your insurance company tries to ascertain how much it needs to accumulate to cover all the claims it will receive.
|
|
|
Insurance 101
|
Who keeps an eye on the insurance companies?
|
Help! I've lost everything! Where do I start?
|
How do I file a claim?
|
How will becoming a parent affect my insurance needs?
|
Will getting married change my insurance needs?
|
Do I need insurance if I go into business for myself?
|
I'll soon be renting my own apartment. Is there insurance for that?
|
Does it matter that I'll be moving around a lot in the next few years?
|
If I receive no benefits through my employment, what do I do?
|
Can I get insurance through my employer?
|
Should I look into auto insurance before I buy my first car?
|
What does auto insurance cover?
|
Can I get all the insurance I need from one agent?
|
What kinds of insurance do I not need?
|
Am I still covered by my parents' policies?
|
How do I decide which kinds of insurance I should buy?
|
What should I look for in an agent?
|
|
|
|