When You Shouldn’t Switch Insurance Agencies

So you’ve been working with the same insurance agency for as long as you can remember … or maybe you have only been with them for a couple years, but you’re still unsure if they’re the best fit for you.

Whether your agency handles your personal insurance, business insurance, or both, you always want to be sure you’re making the right insurance decisions.

So it’s only normal to be wondering if it’s time to switch insurance agencies. After all, how are you supposed to know if your insurance agency is the right one if it’s all you’ve ever known? How are you supposed to be confident you’re with the best option for you?

As an insurance agency who has been in Massachusetts for a century, we can help. We know what makes a great agency, so in this article, we’ll go over all the signs that you’re with an insurance agency that you probably want to keep around.

Your agency is reputable and active in the community/has good values

Insurance agents are responsible for making sure you are protected from life’s many risks. So you want someone you can trust, right? You want to work with someone who will actually care about you.

So how can you tell if your agency actually cares about you? One way is to consider how much they seem to be involved with the community and their clients.

How long have they been around? Are they brand new, or have they had a base of loyal clients for centuries?

If you can’t gauge if your agency has your best interests at heart based on your experiences with them, check out Google reviews from other clients.

Also consider how your agency interacts with the community. Do they partner and/or volunteer with local groups?

If an insurance agency has good community relations, you can be pretty confident they are a considerate agency with good values. And that probably means they care about you too! You might want to hold onto that relationship.

Your premium cost is still competitive

One of the most common reasons people consider switching insurance is that their premium is going up.

It makes sense. Annual increases in premiums are common in the insurance world, so if you stay with the same insurance company year after year, your rate could be steadily increasing, and you may no longer be getting the best price.

In fact, many people recommend that you switch your insurance company every year to get the best price.

This may be valid advice, but here’s the thing. You don’t have to switch your insurance agency in order to switch your insurance company. 

That’s a perk of working with an independent insurance agency! They have access to several insurance companies, so they can shop your insurance around for you to make sure you have the best deal.

And they can review your policy each year to make sure nothing has changed and you’re still paying the right price.

So if your insurance cost hasn’t increased too much, it’s probably because your insurance agent is doing their due diligence to make sure you’re still getting a good deal.

They’re looking out for you and your wallet, so you might not want to risk switching to an agency that potentially will not have your back in the same way.

Your agent has always been helpful

Don’t downplay the importance of great customer service. 

We know it should be a no-brainer. Your insurance agent should be providing great customer service -- it’s kind of a big part of their job. 

But you’d be surprised at how many professionals don’t employ great customer service.

Your insurance agent should be easy to reach or get back to you quickly. They should offer several ways to contact them and always communicate with you in a positive and effective way. They should be attentive to your policy and handle it without frequent mistakes (although mistakes may happen once in a while, even with a great agent)

If your agency is checking all of these boxes, that’s great. That means you’ve got one of the good ones! So if you’ve had nothing but positive experiences with your agent, you may not want to let them go.

Your agency is easy to reach

Working with an independent insurance agency is completely optional. The whole reason you probably work with an agent is because they add convenience to your life. 

So if you find it hard to reach your agent, don’t get calls back, or have to wait on hold for several minutes, that’s certainly not convenient! You might as well just cut out the middleman and work with a direct writer at that point.

Believe it or not, many agents out there are not always easy to reach. Some larger agencies rely on call centers or automated phone lines, which makes reaching your agent more time consuming and frustrating. Other agents may not be reliable in returning calls or emails.

If your agent is easy to reach, it is yet another sign that they are one of the good ones. If convenience is important to you, you may just want to stick with the agency who is already making your life easier.

Your agency provides additional services

We know insurance agents are there to provide you with and manage your insurance policies. But did you know that some can do even more?

That’s right. There are plenty of insurance agencies out there who exceed the standard tasks expected of an agency.

For example, at our agency, we constantly publish educational articles and videos to our Learning Center and our YouTube channel, as well as helpful worksheets and tools. We also offer additional resources (that aren’t always insurance related) to our commercial clients, aimed at helping them effectively manage their business.

Some agencies may even offer to do your RMV services for you!

Does your insurance agency do these things? If so, you’ve hit the jackpot.

Don’t have insurance agency buyers’ remorse

It’s nearly impossible to know if you’re working with the best possible agency for your business or personal insurance.

Plus, there is this idea out there that you should be switching your insurance often. But the truth is, you can do that while staying with the same agency, once you find one that is right for you.

If your agency has been serving you well, and is still offering you great coverage at a competitive price, it may be in your best interest to keep your relationship with them alive.

Now what if your insurance isn’t meeting all of the qualifications we discussed above? Well then it may be the right time to start shopping for a new insurance agency. 

Ready to start that process? We suggest you begin by reading this article: What to Look For when Selecting an Insurance Agency or Company, so you know the right type of insurance companies to reach out to.

And if you’re in Massachusetts like us, check out our top 10 favorite MA insurance agencies (besides our own).