What is an Independent Insurance Agent? Everything You Need to Know
You need insurance. We all do. In some cases it's required by law, in others it's required by the unwritten code of being a responsible adult that owns things. So, what’s the best way to buy it?
Online or with an agent? What kind of agent – independent or captive? Oh, and what does this all mean?
We think life is complicated enough; your insurance doesn’t have to be.
What is an independent insurance agent? An independent insurance agent is a trained and licensed professional that tailors programs to meet their customer’s specific needs. They can do this because they work with many insurance carriers, rather than just one. They are locally based and operate out of their own local insurance agency.
This may surprise some people, but an independent agent is a small-business owner. Agents are not an employee of the insurance companies whose products they offer. The insurance agency is often run by a few agents and administrative staff members. Oftentimes it's family owned. Another misconception is that they sell their own insurance products. They do not. Instead, they work on behalf of their customers to obtain policies from insurance companies.
Continue reading at Auto-Owners Insurance here.