Insurance Agents and Their Role

By Ed Hulse


When getting to know and understand insurance agents and their role, one can consider look to the role of the salesperson for information. The agent is a salesperson first and foremost. The product being sold is the coverage that is offered an individual in regards to life, auto, and homeowners/renters insurance and even health insurance.

The role of an agent is that of medium between the company and the customer. The salesperson's job is to find out the customers needs and assess the customer's risk. Then, he or she shall advise the appropriate amount of coverage to the customer.

In a perfect world, the relationship between the sales agent and the customer is long and trusted. It behooves a person to stay with the same agent for a long time because rates usually go down for long time customers. An agent should have the customer's interest at the forefront of their minds and then sell the right amount of coverage - neither too much nor too little in order to save the client money every month.

An agent is expected to ask a lot of questions of the customers. They must gain a total and clear picture of the client's situation. The potential customer is highly advised to answer the questions honestly so as to avoid not having enough coverage in time of need.

This is a regulated industry so it is important to be checking the legitimacy of the agent. Since there are many long-standing agencies, it is best to do business with one of these or any other proven reputable company. Beware of scam artists and crooks in this business and never give your money or information to an agent without first doing your homework on that person or the company they represent.

This is also a very competitive industry, so it is wise to shop around and compare prices. Doing an internet search will narrow down your choices quickly. It is advised to be completely honest and not try to get the lowest quote which wouldn't give you adequate coverage when you need it.




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