Guide to Finding an Insurance Agent in Columbus Ohio

When shopping for car insurance, you have many choices and picking a good Ohio auto insurance agent is not as easy as just making a phone call. Consumers need a professional licensed agent, and also want to find affordable rates.

Because you have many choices of insurance companies, it is very difficult to choose the right insurer.

Situations that might require an agent

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there is no best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different.

For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.

Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Columbus?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
Who is covered by my policy?
Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent.

Online price comparisons from Columbus agents

Agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about getting online price quotes is you can get the lowest rates and still choose a local agent.

By using this simple form, the quote information is emailed to insurance agents in Columbus who will give you bids for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your house since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent.

Picking a car insurance agent should depend on more than just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:

Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?

The type of auto insurance agent you choose is important

When finding a reliable agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Columbus agents can either be independent (non-captive) or captive.

Agency Captives

Captive agents work for only one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. Captives are trained well on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents partially due to high brand loyalty and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Below are Columbus captive agents who can help you get price quote information.

Allstate Insurance – 2484 Scarborough Sq # A – Columbus, OH 43232 – (614) 866-7000
Farmers Insurance Group – 1500 S Hamilton Rd # H – Columbus, OH 43227 – (614) 864-0097
American Family Insurance – 3530 Snouffer Rd # 202 – Columbus, OH 43235 – (614) 798-1444
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 2280 Henderson Rd # A – Columbus, OH 43220 – (614) 459-2008
State Farm Insurance – 1763 Harrisburg Pike – Columbus, OH 43223 – (614) 274-7130

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When searching for an agent, we recommend you get quotes from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.Many can place coverage with smaller regional carriers which may provide better rates.

Shown below are independent insurance agents in Columbus who can help you get price quote information.

Lonnie Perlman Agency – 3314 Morse Rd # 208 – Columbus, OH 43231 – (614) 337-1300
Danduran and Assoc Insurance – 1827 Obrien Rd – Columbus, OH 43228 – (614) 777-8200
Mc Cune Agency – – Columbus, OH 43220 – (614) 451-5558
Boughner Insurance Svc – 4778 Glengate Dr – Columbus, OH 43232 – (614) 837-0370
Insurance Unlimited Agency Inc – 5900 Cleveland Ave – Columbus, OH 43231 – (614) 895-3131

For a full directory of Columbus insurance agents, click here to link.

After receiving satisfactory answers to all your questions and a good coverage price, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.

Do online auto insurance companies have better rates?

Licensed agents are perfect for certain consumers, but you can also buy Ohio car insurance direct from companies that only sell online. Certain auto insurance companies who employ agents additionally provide the ability to buy direct online. This is something to consider if you prefer not to work with an agent.

If you’re concerned about not having an insurance agent’s advice when buying direct, this is a normal reaction for first-time shoppers. Car insurance companies that allow you to purchase coverage all have toll-free customer service to answer any questions you may have. Also available are 24/7 live help and a car insurance FAQ section to make it easier to purchase.

If the best price is important to you, the most effective way to determine if prices are better online or from an agent is making fair comparisons of each of their rates. You can actually get different rates when using both online and agent quotes from the same company. But it’s difficult to know if the company’s rates are lower online or from an agent without quoting coverages from both ways.

Is auto insurance cheaper online? It’s difficult to provide an answer because of the fact that insurance companies use many factors that impact your premium. Some people will tell you that shopping direct saves money because there is no agent involvement. But the reality is there are very high advertising costs so the lack of a commission may be a wash.

Even more information can be read at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Ohio consumers can read consumer alerts, find disaster information, download brochures, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

The following information may also be useful.

More effort can pay off

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Insureds leave their current company for any number of reasons including high prices, not issuing a premium refund, being labeled a high risk driver or even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Whatever your reason, finding the right car insurance provider is easier than you think.