Consumers Guide to Researching a Carrollton, TX Insurance Agent

Selecting a auto insurance company in Carrollton, Texas can be time consuming since you have many choices and finding the best Texas car insurance agent is not as easy as just making a phone call. We’re assuming that not only do you want a highly trained agent, but you also need great rates as well.

With insurance companies like Farmers, Allstate, and independent agents having offices in Carrollton, consumers have a hard time knowing which will provide the best service and rates. To begin, consumers can use online price quotes to get a list of agencies to choose from.

Price shop online but buy from a local Carrollton agent

Licensed agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you may find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for local businesses is definitely important in Carrollton.

Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is emailed to participating agents in Carrollton who will battle to get your business. You don’t have to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier! You’ll get the best rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.

Independent or Captive: It’s your choice

When searching for a good Carrollton insurance agent, there are two different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents can either be captive or independent.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, you should always get quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.

The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Carrollton that are able to give price quote information.

Texas Colonial General Agency – 1925 E Belt Line Rd – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 416-6991
Alpha Discount Insurance – 1400 E Belt Line Rd – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 245-7630
Caballero Insurance Agency – 1925 E Belt Line Rd # 209 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (214) 390-8066
Segler-Smith Agency – 2340 E Trinity Mills Rd # 110 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 416-1149
Paterek Insurance – 1930 E Rosemeade Pkwy # 220 – Carrollton, TX 75007 – (972) 492-4734

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents write business for a single company like AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are very knowledgeable on the products they sell which can be an advantage.

The following is a list of captive agents in Carrollton willing to provide rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 2828 E Trinity Mills Rd # 370 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (214) 390-1998
State Farm Insurance – 2540 Old Denton Rd # 311 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 466-2005
Farmers Insurance Group – 2550 E Trinity Mills Rd # 130 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 478-2705
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 4125 Fairway Dr # 132 – Carrollton, TX 75010 – (972) 242-2255

To view a complete directory of captive insurance agents in Carrollton, please go to this site.

Deciding on an insurance agent requires more thought than just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:

Is assistance available after office hours?
Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?

After getting good answers to these questions and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets your needs to provide auto insurance coverage.

What if I want to buy from an online company?

Insurance agencies can be invaluable at times, but you also have the option of buying direct online. Some car insurance companies, such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm, who sell through agents in Carrollton additionally provide the ability to buy direct online, so that should be considered to possibly find a better rate.

If you’re uneasy about having to choose coverages yourself when buying online, this really isn’t an issue. All companies that allow you to purchase coverage provide phone numbers and online resources for getting advice on proper coverages. Many online companies also provide online education and live help anytime you can access prior to buying.

Does it save money buying online? It’s difficult to say for sure since there may be dozens of rate factors that influence how your policy is priced. Some people think that purchasing direct online saves money because there is no agent involvement. In reality, advertising and marketing take a lot of money so rates may not be all that different from traditional agents.

When trying to find the best rates, the only way to determine if local insurance agents or online providers are cheaper is making fair comparisons of each of their rates. It’s even possible to receive different pricing from online quotes as compared to agent rates from the exact same provider.

More information is available on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance through this link. Texas consumers can learn about specific coverages, download brochures, and file complaints about a company.

And the best car insurance company is…

People switch companies for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, delays in paying claims, policy non-renewal or not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

While you’re price shopping online, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.