All auto insurance companies will
say they have the lowest price. If this were true, it wouldn't
matter who you called, right? Wrong!
The truth is that all auto insurance
companies cannot come up with the lowest price all the time. After
all, some drivers may have a clean record, while other drivers
may have tickets and accidents on their record. Since most insurance
carriers usually favor or target a certain type of driver, various
types of drivers with different driving records will not get the
lowest price from the same insurance carrier. Therefore, calling
the right company for your driving situation is the key to finding
the lowest price.
Who do you call?
You may call an insurance agent, a direct carrier, or a broker. AN
AGENT, in most cases, is captive. This means he or she
offers insurance programs, primarily from one insurance carrier.
By definition, an agent is an employee of that insurance carrier.
Even though the agent is required to look out for everyone's best
interest, the agent's "first
obligation is to his or her employer, which is the carrier."
Because of the limited options available from just one carrier,
it usually means that it's either "all
or nothing at all" when it comes to selection and price.
A DIRECT CARRIER means that the carrier
bypasses the agent or broker and sells insurance programs directly
to the customer. This is usually done by telemarketing or by direct
mail. Many of these telemarketing representatives do not have
a California insurance license, particularly if they are located
out of state. Also, direct mail marketing can be time consuming
because you have to complete and mail a questionnaire in order
to receive a price. The perception created by using a direct carrier
is that the commissions saved when bypassing an agent or broker
is passed along as a savings to the customer. However, the prices
offered by a direct carrier are readily beaten. Plus the direct
carrier suffers the same all or nothing limitations that a captive
agent does by having just one carrier as a resource. A
BROKER, by definition, is an employee of the customer and
not any one carrier or company. Even though a broker is required
to look out for everyone's best interest, the broker's first obligation
is to the employer, the customer. Typically, a broker has a broader
choice of auto insurance programs from which to choose. A broker
makes an agreement with various insurance carriers to present
their programs to the customer. The more insurance agreements
that a broker can acquire ultimately means the broader price selection
the broker has to offer, including down payment and monthly payments.
Most insurance carriers are careful with whom they make an agreement.
Therefore, the more agreements that a broker has actually acquired
means the better the reputation that broker has in the insurance
industry.
Avenida Insurance is one of these brokers.
Having more auto insurance programs than others agents, direct
carriers, and brokers makes Avenida your best source for getting
the lowest price on your auto insurance.
AN
AGENT, in most cases, is captive. This means he or she
offers insurance programs, primarily from one insurance carrier.
By definition, an agent is an employee of that insurance carrier.
Even though the agent is required to look out for everyone's best
interest, the agent's "first
obligation is to his or her employer, which is the carrier."
Because of the limited options available from just one carrier,
it usually means that it's either "all
or nothing at all" when it comes to selection and price.
A
BROKER, by definition, is an employee of the customer and
not any one carrier or company. Even though a broker is required
to look out for everyone's best interest, the broker's first obligation
is to the employer, the customer. Typically, a broker has a broader
choice of auto insurance programs from which to choose. A broker
makes an agreement with various insurance carriers to present
their programs to the customer. The more insurance agreements
that a broker can acquire ultimately means the broader price selection
the broker has to offer, including down payment and monthly payments.
Most insurance carriers are careful with whom they make an agreement.
Therefore, the more agreements that a broker has actually acquired
means the better the reputation that broker has in the insurance
industry.
