Sackrison Insurance Agency | Napa

Last time, we took a look at the difference between buying insurance from the Big Guys vs. your local agent.

Did you realize that you have more than one choice when it comes to local insurance?

Basically, a captive agent works for just one agency. They are often limited to selling only the policies available through the company they work for but tend to be knowledgeable about the products their agency offers.

An independent broker, on the other hand, has access to multiple insurance companies. They can dig in, searching for the most affordable, specific policies that you might need, doing the “shopping around” for you.

Here are some examples:

Geraldine owns a flower shop in a busy district. She loves finding bargains and researching before making any big decisions.

When it came to choosing her insurance provider, she asked fellow business owners, searched online, and called around to see which agency would provide the best policies for her risks.

She decided on a prominent insurance company that was well established, working with one of their agents to customize a business policy for her shop.

Geraldine never had any complaints as Nancy, the captive agent who worked with her, was well informed and always happy to answer Geraldine’s questions.

When the flower shop window was broken by a vandal, Nancy efficiently helped Geraldine file her first claim and get the window replaced.

Vincent owns three properties: a mechanic shop, which is his main business, a golf course that his son maintains and a Christmas tree farm where his house is located.

He owns multiple vehicles, he deals with customers on a daily basis at all three properties, and he has expensive and potentially dangerous equipment and tools for all three businesses.

Vincent hates to spend any time researching for deals, so he was glad to find a local independent insurance broker early on when his mechanic shop was in the works.

Lyle was one of Vincent’s customers, often bringing his vehicles to be repaired at the shop. Lyle worked with Vincent to find the most affordable coverage from multiple agencies providing coverage for all Vincent’s needs.

When Vincent had questions about how to handle horse and buggy rides on the Christmas tree farm, Lyle found the best way to handle the risk. Vincent knew he was covered when his employee got in an accident with a customer’s vehicle.

Despite the unique risks Vincent faced, Lyle was able to find the right agencies with the coverages needed.

As you can see, both types of local agents can be useful in many situations.

If you are comfortable with a certain well-known agency that can provide the coverages you need, a captive agent may be right for you.

If you want a wider selection of coverage options, an independent broker with multiple agencies to choose from might be your best bet. If you have questions about any of your insurance needs, give me a call.

We are all familiar with the big insurance agencies, well-known thanks to their catchy commercials.

Give their 800 number a call and you are promised the best insurance prices on the planet!

Is that always the case?

Do the guaranteed low prices always give you what you are paying for?

Let’s take a look at Walter’s experience with one of the big guys versus his twin Wilbur’s experience with a local independent broker.

Walter retired from his job of 25 years and moved several states to the west, closer to his young grandkids. He bought a smaller home, a hybrid car and began a little side business restoring furniture.

Walter had no idea who to choose for insurance, so he called the 800 number that he was familiar with, thanks to evening news commercials. They got him set up with homeowners and auto insurance policies.

A sticky situation arose when an electric fire started in Walter’s garage.

Several expensive pieces of furniture he was restoring were ruined, along with many of Walter’s tools. His homeowners insurance covered the loss of Walter’s belongings and damage done to the garage, but it became a mess when his side business got involved.

He is still working with his insurance company, figuring out if he will receive any compensation for the burned furniture belonging to his customers. It had never entered his mind that he would need business insurance for such a small business.

Let’s visit Wilbur next.

Walter’s twin lives in the town they grew up in. He has always been a cabinet maker, doing as much business locally as possible. Alice, one of Wilbur’s loyal customers, is an insurance broker. Wilbur has gotten his insurance policies through Alice, ever since he custom-built her kitchen island.

Alice knows Wilbur and his family personally, taking it upon herself to find out the details she needs to make sure their insurance needs are met. She researches to find the best providers for each type of insurance they might need.

When Wilbur’s home was destroyed in a fire, Alice made sure they had a place to stay and wrote a personal check for some immediate needs the family had before the insurance coverage kicked in.

When Wilbur’s son became an honor student at his high school, Alice was able to get a discount for his auto insurance.

Wilbur installed a security system on his property and Alice got better rates for his homeowners insurance.

This is just one look at how big companies versus local brokers can vary in service.

​The big guys can be a perfect fit if you are savvy and know what you need. Local brokers don’t always take initiative as Alice does.

When it comes down to it, the search is up to you. Look for the provider who understands your needs, and someone you trust to protect you and your assets.

Give me a call if you are looking for loyal service.