The agents at Kasmann Insurance will be the first to admit, there are AMAZING deals to be found online. The one brand of tennis shoe grandma will consent to wear? Found them, bought 3 pairs. The 5 ottocinclus catfish that will make the fish tank a happy community? Shipment arrives tomorrow. Don’t want to go grocery shopping? Curbside pickup. Don’t want to leave the couch to go thrifting? There’s a Facebook auction every week!
But one aspect of online shopping gives us pause – the ability to shop for and purchase Homeowners Insurance completely online, in as little as 10 minutes. We’ve seen the policies resulting from these online sales, and they inevitably have gaps in coverage that the owners of the policies are unaware of.
The products themselves aren’t necessarily lacking, but Homeowners Insurance is a very nuanced and detailed product, designed to fit each client’s individual needs. There is so much to miss out on, or misunderstand, when navigating buying a new Homeowners policy without the guidance of an insurance agent. You wouldn’t want to purchase a home without a licensed Realtor at your side, so why try to purchase the insurance that protects your investment without the advice of an agent?
The Human Touch
Through years of training and experience, insurance agents have learned what questions to ask when quoting Homeowners insurance, but more importantly, they understand the risks and opportunities indicated by the answers to those questions. At an Agency like Kasmann, where we represent many different companies, the answers to these initial questions determine which companies will be a good fit. While price is one factor used to find the “best” Homeowners quote, we are also making sure the quote meets or exceeds the client’s need for coverage, and that the use, condition, and details of the property meet Underwriting guidelines. A lower premium may look good at first, but does the policy actually meet your needs?
What happens if your new, cheaper Homeowners insurance doesn’t have enough coverage, or a low enough deductible, to satisfy the terms of your loan? What if the new business inspection shows that you have a swimming pool, and the insurance company cancels your policy because of it? Was there even a swimming pool question on the website? What if you love working from home so much, you decide to start a home-based business? The questions asked by online Homeowners Insurance quoting websites are detailed, but none that we’ve tried asked ALL of the questions our agents dive into when quoting new business.
Then there’s the question of customer service. The number or link to report a claim might be front and center on the website, but who will you call when you have a coverage question, or need to make a change? How long will you wait in a phone tree until you find someone qualified to make changes to your policy? Buying a Homeowners policy from an insurance agent doesn’t just help with the quoting process, it gets you a human person (possibly just up the street!) who can answer complex questions in understandable terms, and who will double-check that you not only have the best price, but the best coverage for your unique and changing needs.
Insure with the People you Trust
The agents at Kasmann Insurance are dedicated to finding the right products at the best prices for each individual client. We take pride in successfully completing a challenging set of quotes and presenting our findings in clear, concise language. Call us Insurance Nerds if you like, we’re happy to have earned that title. Just call us. It doesn’t even have to be us. Just please, for the love of Insurance, don’t buy Homeowners Insurance online! Kasmann Insurance has been proudly serving the mid-Missouri community with local, personable agents for almost 100 years, and we look forward to helping you with all of your insurance needs. We’re just an email or call away at 573-442-1105.