Tips for Searching Online for a Jersey City New Jersey Insurance Agent

When shopping for auto insurance, you have many choices and choosing the right Jersey City car insurance agent is more difficult than just randomly choosing from the yellow pages. The chances are good you’re wanting a great agent that can assess your needs, but you also want the best rates possible.

With State Farm, Allstate and many independent agents all competing for your business, it’s difficult to determine which insurance agency will give you the cheapest rates and the best coverage. Fortunately, you can use online quotes in order to build a list of agents from which to choose.

Jersey City agents for auto insurance

Agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you peace of mind. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting small agencies is important particularly in Jersey City.

After filling out this quick form, your coverage information is immediately sent to companies in Jersey City who will return price quotes for your business. There is no need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent to your email. It doesn’t get any easier! You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby.

Different types of Jersey City auto insurance agents

If you’re trying to find a good Jersey City insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents to choose from. Jersey City agents are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive).

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to contact at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. They often place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.

Listed below are independent insurance agencies in Jersey City who can help you get price quotes.

Prudential Insurance Co – 775 Newark Ave # B – Jersey City, NJ 07306 – (201) 795-1130
Coe Agency – 2330 John F Kennedy Blvd – Jersey City, NJ 07304 – (201) 435-4300
Insurance Agency – 3461 John F Kennedy Blvd – Jersey City, NJ 07307 – (201) 963-2000
Padin Travel and Insurance – 169 Christopher Columbus Dr #1 – Jersey City, NJ 07302 – (201) 434-1880
Stanley Agency – 110 Central Ave – Jersey City, NJ 07306 – (201) 963-4380

Captive Agents

This type of agents work for only one company and examples are AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. These agents are not able to provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. They are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Some people will only buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the brand legacy and solid financial strength.

Picking an insurance agency requires more thought than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

Is assistance available after office hours?
Can glass repairs be made at your home?
If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?
Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?

Upon receiving good answers to these questions as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that meets your needs to adequately provide auto insurance.

Does buying direct online save money?

Professional insurance agents are important, but New Jersey consumers also have the option to buy from companies direct over the internet. Even companies, such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm, who employ agents also allow consumers to get quotes and purchase online, and online price comparisons are easy if you’re trying to lower your rates.

If you’re uncomfortable with not receiving proper advice when shopping online, this is expected but don’t let that bother you. Online insurance companies have customer service departments you can use to get advice on coverages. Consumers also can use online help and live chat that you can use before buying.

When trying to find the best rates, the only way to determine if the best rates are online or from local agents is making fair comparisons of each of their rates. Even though it sounds odd, people frequently get different pricing comparing agents to online prices from the same insurance company. You won’t know whether online or agents have the lower rates without getting separate quotes utilizing both methods.

Can you find lower rates online? The answer is complex since there are so many factors that determine the price you pay. Common sense would say that shopping online for auto insurance saves the cost of an agent commission. But truthfully, online and traditional media advertising are expensive so rates may not be all that different from traditional agents.

Much more information about auto insurance in New Jersey is available on the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website. Click here for link. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, and learn about insurance regulations.

Buy online or local, you save

As you shop your coverage around, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price.

Drivers switch companies for a variety of reasons including high prices, policy non-renewal, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company can be less work than you think.