Indie Label
Jan 9, 2012You may have heard us say that Bisnett is an independent agency. (We really like to talk about it!) Ever wonder what that means? And more importantly, what it means for you, the buyer?
Have you ever dialed a 1-800 number or gone directly to an official website to connect with one of those insurance giants—such as Geico or Progressive—who advertise frequently on TV but do not maintain brick-and-mortar branches? Then you’ve experienced a Direct Response or Direct Writing System. In these cases, salespeople are employees of the insurance provider. As such, Direct Insurance presents several limitations:
-The telephone representatives are salespeople, often not agents. This limits their expertise and ability to address your questions and educate you on your options and needs.
-The salesperson can only sell you that company’s product (though they provide the illusion of choice by sometimes offering to compare their company’s rate with other rates). It also means you’re getting a subjective sales pitch, rather than an unbiased analysis.
-Customer service is only offered by phone and/or email, but not in person. Furthermore, the caller is randomly directed to a random representative each time they call, so there’s no opportunity to build an ongoing relationship with a person who understands your needs.
When they were your age, your grandparents likely had an insurance agent who had an office in town. For instance, the local State Farm agent. Such agents, who work for a single provider but have a brick and mortar presence in the community are known as Captive Agents.
-Captive agents offer more personalization and expertise than Direct Insurance providers, but they can still only offer you one company’s product only, and therefore, one price.
-Captive agents can be difficult to connect with quickly. Some don’t have online contact tools. Some require an appointment before speaking with an agent.
-Agents receive commission for selling the provider’s product, meaning their advice may skew toward what’s in their best interest, not yours.
-Many people choose captive agents because that’s what their families have always done. Yet consider that in previous generations, there were fewer choices.
An Independent Agent or Independent Agency (hey, that’s us!) has an office in the community (we have 8 across Oregon, Idaho and Arizona), and represents multiple insurance providers rather than working in-house for a single company.
-Independent agents work for the consumer, not a single insurance company.
-Independent agents can provide options and products from a variety of providers to help find just the right coverage to meet your needs.
-Because they have the ability to connect consumers with products and policies from multiple providers, customers often receive a better value.
-Agents are licensed and many independent agents possess additional certifications and training, to stay on top of the latest products, regulations and trends.
In addition, Bisnett offers 24/7 access to free personal and commercial quotes from more than two dozen providers, and educational online resources. Our agents are also available by phone, email or in any of our branches—we love to help visitors assess their needs, compare their options, and help them find hassle-free insurance solutions. The big names can keep their endless TV ads—we are proud to be independent, so we can better serve our neighbors in the West.
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