by Tibby Kovacs

Created on: February 10, 2009

There are some things you should feel comfortable buying online. Books, for example, or video games. Not insurance. There is a reason that the insurance industry requires individuals to be licensed to sell insurance. In the state of Connecticut, where all information in this article is based on, classes and continuing education credits are required to renew your license every few years. Agents are held to high ethical and business standards that are regulated by the Insurance Commissioner.

As a licensed agent, I cringe at the thought of customers going online to get quotes. Not because I am afraid they will find a lower rate, which will happen anyway now and again due to rate changes and policy changes. No, the reason I am afraid is due to the fact that unless you are a licensed agent, you should not be creating your own insurance policy without the help of a licensed professional. It is apparent that people feel that they can get a "better deal" online.
Think about this when trying to purchase online: You have assets, whether they be cars, a boat or a house, and you need to protect them in the event there is a situation that you cannot come back from on your own. That is the point of insurance, to put you back in the same position you were in before a claim or accident occurred. You are paying for this protection. Can you imagine getting a policy online only to have a claim and realize it is not something you're covered for due to the fact that you declined a coverage because you didn't fully understand exactly what it was? That is a situation I would never want to find myself in.
As a quick example, would you know to add glass coverage to your Comprehensive coverage? Glass coverage is a part of Comprehensive coverage that waives the deductible in the event of a glass claim. A deductible is an agreed upon amount that the customer will pay up front in the even of a claim. We rarely write policies without glass coverage. However, sometimes a customer may purchase a car when our office is closed and call in to the service center to add the vehicle. We see these changes come through without glass coverage and without notes that the coverage option was even discussed. After any change done by the company, we call the customer to verify everything.

Unless at the end of an online quote you are directed to speak with a licensed agent, I would advise against purchasing a policy online. There are many people out there who are shopping around online, and I would give them the following advice: After obtaining a quote online, take it to or call an insurance agent that you trust in an established company, and have them review it to make sure you have not overlooked any major coverage. I have never heard of any agencies that refuse to quote or charge for quoting or comparing. Afterwards, you can rest assured you have not only found yourself a good deal on insurance, but that you are protecting yourself and your family with the proper coverage.

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