Monthly Archives: December 2015

Which Insurance Is Right for You and Why Independent Agents Matter

You can be well read and still not know everything, so you go to the specialists. Even in a particular industry like the law, you go to someone who specializes in a particular area such as criminal versus family law. Insurance has its specialists, too, and even licenses follow lines like health versus casualty and fire. Another area of difference in insurance is a captive agent versus an independent. 

Insurance has a broad spectrum of coverage including automotive, life, homeowners, renters, commercial, small business, and long-term care.  Just as daunting can be the question of what kind of an agent do you want — independent or captive.  The definitions of each word tell you everything you need to know as one is not requiring or relying on others, and the alternate means to be held under the control of another but having the appearance of independence.

A captive agent represents only one carrier. Whatever the parent entity offers, including pricing, structure, products are what the captive agent has to offer you. So your costs are whatever the company makes available whereas an independent agent has a vast field of carriers to find the coverage you need at the rate you can live with.

Captive is about branding because that’s what you will buy, that and the relationship with the agent. The independent agency has to have a deeper well of knowledge to go to, and be quick and clever in finding the best coverage and pricing for their client. The independent agent can evaluate and develop a risk profile designed to protect the client.

When you deal with a captive agent, your costs are set by the company, and only go up or down based on the procedures and profiles from the corporation.  An independent isn’t tied to one carrier, so they represent different companies and offer more choices.

If you want the freedom to choose from your best options, then come to Colling Insurance Services, Inc. and talk to one of our independent insurance agents serving Denver. 

 

5 Things to Know When Buying a Car as a Present

Buying someone a car as a gift can be one of the most generous things that you can do for the holidays. It can also create a whole lot of problems for the recipient. Here are five tips to make sure that that doesn’t happen.

Be Picky. You need to make sure that the car you’re buying is right for the recipient. You’re going to have to be picky. For instance, if you’re buying a used car, make sure that it’s in good condition, or that you’ll be able to fix whatever might be wrong with it.

Let the Dealer Know it’s a Surprise. By letting the dealer know that the car is supposed to be a surprise, you can avoid the embarrassment of them calling the house and spilling the beans that the paperwork has gone through or something.

Get the Insurance Ready. An insurer might not be ready to sign a policy over until the driver is there to put their own name on the dotted line. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have the paperwork for a basic insurance policy all ready to go and the first month already paid for, however. Talk to an independent insurance agent from Colling Insurance Services Inc. and get those ducks in a row.

Take a Test Drive. The main reason to take a test drive: So that you can let the recipient know anything they need to know before they get behind the wheel. Does it have a light touch on the gas? Does it make wide turns? Find out.

Coordinate Your Gifts. Chances are nobody else you know is buying them a car, but with such an expensive gift, you’re better safe than sorry.

Make sure calling Colling Insurance Services is on your list if you’re adding a new vehicle to your fleet for the Holidays.