Louisiana as of 2010 was THE most expensive state in the union to get auto insurance in. In 2011 we dropped down to the second most expensive state, just behind Michigan. In 2012, we hopped back up again to number one. The point is Louisiana is a state that has very high auto insurance rates, which makes it a very important place to shop around.
State Farm, All State, there are a lot of great companies that are out there that have possibly provided you with excellent service for years. And despite your agent’s most likely sincere fondness for you and their clientele, in the end you are still just part of the bottom line.
That great rate or deal you locked in 5 or 10 years ago might not be the same great rate today. In a state with ever rising rates across the board (on account of terrible driving statistics) it is crucial to shop around and grant yourself possibly better options. Sometimes the rate you have been paying for years is an outdated rate.
And this is why seeking rates through a multiline agent is a fascinating advantage. We would never disparage Geico, All State, or Esurance, these are all great companies, but their critical failing is that they can only look to a single company when sizing up rates. Those commercials where companies size one another up are all based off approximations, but you as the consumer are a unique figure. Those approximations do not typically pertain to you. So an agency that carries multiple insurance companies has the ability to precisely identify the kind of rates you might be accessible to from multiple companies. Atop of that, we also provide our own unique insight. That rate you hammered out online for Progressive might be pretty good, but the knowledge of all the nooks and crannies of the insurance world allows the agent to identify those unique discounts you were not able to dig up in your own research and provide a lower rate with the same company. Agents can be quite helpful, and it is to their mutual benefit with the customer to provide those lower rates. Assuring your low rates assures their upcoming paychecks, so the local agent will fight harder for you than the corporate one whose interest is indeed the large corporation.
Once again, we do not frown upon the company you have been with. It is possible they have been providing you with the lowest rates, but it is possible that steal you landed several years ago is a lemon today. Do yourself a favor, talk to our agents. Worst case scenario, fifteen minutes of your time might be wasted. But in a state that is constantly battling for the highest insurance rates in the country, those fifteen minutes could easily be saving you hundreds if not thousands a year. Let our agents take the time to shop for you, accurately, and wisely. Our experience is your gain.
***Rates Data provided by Insure.com***