I shudder at the mere thought of having to shop for car insurance. And it irks me that some people don’t “play nice”. In the end, many times it’s the unsuspecting (trusting) consumer that loses. The good news is: it doesn’t have to be that way!

Several years ago, my husband and I noticed that our car insurance rates kept rising, even though we were getting older, as were our cars, and our driving records were good. We had our cars and home insured together with one company so as to take advantage of the discount. We paid on time, didn’t have any tickets or accidents, didn’t drive anything fancy, lived in an area with low risk . . . and yet, every time we called to inquire about our ever-rising rates we were given some ridiculous mumbo-jumbo. “But let me see what we can do for you, since you’re such loyal customers,” they’d say. Well, to say the least it wasn’t much. And with the next bill, the rates increased again. Sigh.

Then my husband was in an accident that totaled his car. He got the ticket even though the truck driver admitted fault and it was eventually thrown out in court. (I’ll spare you the disgusting details of the entire ordeal, mainly because I wouldn’t be able to see the computer screen through the tears.) Needless to say, our insurance rates skyrocketed after that incident and we were appalled by the treatment we’d received, so we made the decision to go elsewhere for insurance.

Easier said than done. It’s true. But, we were determined, so we took our time and really investigated different companies, their policies, and the rates. We got several quotes and finally settled on a company and agent that gave us everything we needed, treated us with respect, and helped us save over $800 per year. I can’t tell you how incredibly satisfying it was to make the call to the “other” company, listen to them sputter and plead (then admit they couldn’t match the offer!), tell them they have absolutely no clue what “good customer service” means, then arrange for our refund check to be deposited into our account. Ahhh . . .

Since then, we’ve been incredibly pleased with our agent and everyone in his office. We’ve kept an eye on our rates, making the necessary calls when we had to, but the nice thing is that our agent actually works with us, making any corrections he can and when he says the rates will go down . . . they actually do! Wow! (I know, right?)

So, if you’re in the market for insurance, or feel you might need to make a change, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Get several quotes from reputable insurance companies. Don’t just rely on 1 or 2 — get as many as 4 or 5.
• Write down all the information and ask that he or she also send you an official quote. It should have all the information laid out for you so you can compare.
• Get the name of the representative who assists you. In this case, name dropping can give you an advantage when you’re searching locally, especially if another agent says something different. (Yes, I learned that one from experience!)
• Compare apples to apples. Decide what you need, then make sure all the quotes offer the same conditions. Read them carefully to make sure nothing is flying under the radar that could come back to bite you when you attempt to make a claim.
• Make sure the coverage, premiums, and deductibles are affordable for you. (One agent said he could save me hundreds in premiums, but the coverage was less than what we needed and the deductibles would have put us in the poorhouse!)
• Ask the agent about any and all discounts for which you might qualify. Many companies give discounts for multiple cars plus home, good drivers, good students, paying in full (instead of every month), economy cars, low mileage, or who-knows-what else. Even your profession could earn you a discount. Be sure to ask your agent — it’s a diverse group of companies out there and not everyone offers the same things.
• Finally, and very importantly, ask around. Talk to family, friends, and neighbors about their policies, coverage, premiums, and level of satisfaction.

Once you’ve chosen a company and policy, keep an eye on your rates. If there’s an unexplained increase, call! Ask why! It’s your right to know. Businesses are trying to make a profit. It’s just the nature of the beast. And we can’t go without insurance. It’s the law. But that doesn’t mean we have to go broke just to pay for it. Many people pay more for insurance than they need to, and that’s a shame, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. There are good people out there. Good agents that will do their best to help us. We have choices. And if we have the tools to make informed decisions, it makes the process easier and the outcome better.  It’s up to us to make sure we’re not taken for a ride . . .

A special ‘thank you’ goes to my own agent, Steve, who took the time to answer a few questions – and share a few laughs . . . I truly appreciate it.