When it comes to the insurance policies that cover your home, automobile and other valuables, there are things your insurance agent wishes you knew. These helpful bits make the insurance and claims process easier for everyone involved, especially you, the policyholder. It might even save you money or headaches down the line. Your insurance agent wants to make your life simpler. However, everyone has to be on the same page for this to happen.
Details Are Essential For Accuracy
“Oversharing is far better than undersharing when it comes to providing details to your agent,” says Ashley Kehew, insurance sales manager at AAA Northeast.
Insurance agents will ask you a lot of questions about your personal life because it helps them determine what kind of protection you need to adequately insure your family and property. “It’s so easy to get nervous thinking that every detail you provide is going to cost you more money in premium,” says Kehew, “but don’t forget — every detail unaccounted for is less money toward rebuilding your home in the event of a loss.”
Honesty is also the best policy if you’ve ever had legal trouble or a car accident. If so, tell your insurance agent. They won’t judge. They just need all the information to make the best decisions for you, and that includes the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It’s better to be honest now then pay for it later with a policy based on false information — or worse, a rejected claim that forces you to pay for expensive car or home repairs out of pocket.
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If there’s a new teenage driver in your family, your insurance agent needs to know. Sure, adding a teen driver to an auto insurance policy can cost you money up front, but failing to do so could be even costlier if a claim is rejected and you are forced to pay for injuries or property damage your child caused behind the wheel.
In that same vein, if you’re about to close on your dream home the next town over, your insurance agent needs to know.
If you’re planning to remodel your kitchen with granite countertops or build a 25-meter heated in-ground pool, your insurance agent needs to know.
If you get married … well, you get the point.
A change in your life means a change in the kind of coverage you need to adequately protect your most expensive belongings. Talk to your insurance agent at least once a year to see if any of your insurance policies need to be updated. That goes for anyone who recently started a job as a rideshare driver, pizza delivery person or any profession where you use your personal automobile for work, so you can make sure you would have adequate protection in the event of an accident.
There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Type of Plan
Because insurance coverage is based on personal needs, coverage can vary from customer to customer. What is best for a young family with three kids is not what is best for a single retired adult or an older couple who snowbirds in Florida. Someone who owns a house deep in rural upstate New York will have different needs than someone who lives in a Boston apartment.
Your insurance agent’s priority is helping manage everyday risk by offering tailored solutions. “We ask the right questions to create an individualized proposal with the coverages designed to protect our members in their greatest time of need,” says Raymond Mobile, insurance sales manager at AAA Northeast.
You Can Ask as Many Questions as You Want
Insurance policies have a lot of components, and you are not expected to know them all. If your insurance agent or policy uses an unfamiliar term — such as “endorsement” or “actual cash value” — do not be afraid to ask what it means. If you want to know why your policy is set up in a certain way, ask. A good insurance agent will answer your questions. As John Donovan, insurance sales manager at AAA Northeast puts it: “Our agents love to talk about insurance. Go on, talk to them!”
“Understanding the coverages on your insurance policy allows you to make informed decisions and ensures you’re adequately protected when it matters most,” says Kristen Sorrentino, insurance sales manager at AAA Northeast. “Asking questions helps clarify the details, uncover potential gaps, and gives you confidence that your coverage aligns with your needs and goals.”
Don’t forget to ask about discounts as well. Companies offer multiple discounts based on your driving history, how many cars you own, your AAA membership, your age and so much more. These discounts could save you a lot of money over the course of a year, let alone several years.
There Are Many Convenient Ways To Get in Touch With Your Agent
Have more questions? Need clarification on a line item in your policy? Need to add more coverage? There is more than one way you can get in touch with your agent for anything you need.
“Members are welcome to contact us in person at a local branch, by phone or email, but we also even have a live chat feature on our site where you can connect with an agent,” advises Kehew. “We know life gets busy and people need options, so whichever your preferred method is – we are here for you!”
Speak to a AAA insurance agent today or get a quote at AAA.com/Insurance.
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