Why are You Asking All These Questions?

Insurance consumers have become very price conscious and from time to time they will seek quotes to see if they can improve their rates.

The first step for an agent in quoting a policy, whether for HOME, AUTO or BUSINESS insurance, is gathering information about the prospective client's situation. The questions we ask can seem intrusive and sometimes almost irrelevant to the matter at hand. The fact is, though, that every questions we ask is used by the insurer to develop a rate for a specific client.

Managing your risk requires a thorough review so that your options are clear and you can make intelligent decisions about how best to protect yourself.

There was a time when fewer factors were considered than are today – age, claims history, location, length of prior coverage and so on. This resulted in higher premiums for many consumers because they were inevitably lumped in with other clients, potentially some with higher risk factors.

Today insurers know that with just a little more information they can see a client much more as an individual and charge a rate that is more appropriate to the client individually. A person's credit, home ownership and even level of education are indicators of the likelihood of future claims and can influence the premium for a policy.

The bottom line is that the more complete and accurate the information your agent starts with, the better your policy and its price will be tailored to you.

Please know that at Darnielle Insurance we deeply respect your personal and private information, and take care to see that it is protected. In the event we are unable to earn your business we will see that the information we gathered is properly destroyed.

Article By: Dennis Gambill - The author is an Insurance Litigation consultant. Adjunct professor at EMC for 8 years-Risk & Insurance. 40+ years-both MGA and agency experience.