Why you should work with an independent insurance agent.  What an independent insurance agency can do for you and how we can make your life simpler.  These are some of the answers that we will provide in this article.  

Just about everyone nowadays has multiple insurance policies. Usually that’s an auto insurance policy and some form of home insurance, be it renters, or homeowners. Many other people have multiple other policies for their boats, motorcycles and maybe even businesses. This is why an independent insurance agency is so beneficial.  When choosing to work with an independent insurance agency you get the benefit of working with one agency that can handle ALL your insurance needs!

• Flexibility-Here is a great perk that a captive agent can’t offer. If your relationship with the carrier you currently do business with becomes poor no matter the reason your agent has the ability to find you a new carrier. You don’t have to lose that personal touch you developed and move to a new agency. You can simply have them shop your insurance and they can locate you a better rates, or better service than you felt you were getting before.

• Freedom of Choice-This option that only an independent agent has can’t be emphasized enough. We get into so many conversations with customers while running new quotes and we hear excuses from captive agents as to why the rates are so high. All of them blaming the state and trying to justify that there just isn’t a better rate in the Grand Rapids area, or Michigan for that cause.  They try to convince you that due to the laws we have in Michigan, there is no option to save money and find good rates. While it’s true that Michigan is one of the most expensive places to insure a vehicle, the real problem is that a captive agent doesn’t have options. An independent agency near you can focus on finding the best insurance companies in your area that suite your specific budget and needs.

• Unbiased Opinion-OK, so I admit there is a small amount of bias. Of course, no matter what insurance agency you call whether it be a captive, or an independent they want to earn your business. The point is that an independent doesn’t work for a specific company. They represent multiple companies and don’t care which one they place you with as long as they can earn your business.

• Better Rates-In most cases you are going to get a better rate by choosing to work with an independent insurance agency near you due to the fact that they have the ability to move you to a new carrier when there is a rate change. A captive can only try and convince you why you should stick around and rough it out with them when they see a huge rate increase. On the other hand, an independent agent can use this time to solidify the relationship by moving you to another carrier they represent that can once again save you money!

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Combining Auto and Home Insurance

Combining auto and home insurance is also an advantage of an independent agent. Many times you can save up to 30% on both the auto and home by packaging them together. If you are with a captive agency there is no other choice, but to put both with the same carrier assuming you want to use only one insurance agency for your insurance. On the other hand an independent can shop around and sometimes it ACTUALLY pays off to separate your policies. We find many times that placing the home with one carrier and the auto with another can actually save you HUNDREDS. Our goal is to show you the options available and then let you choose what you want to do with them!

We could go on and on about the benefits of working with an agency that represents multiple reputable insurance companies, but it’s not necessary. We would love to shop your auto insurance and home insurance with all of our carriers and earn your business. We take good care of our customers and if you give us a chance, we will take good care of you too!