During a recent webinar presented by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Jeffrey Cirino, Midwest field supervisor of GEICO's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), and others discussed the growing problem of cross-border claims and the
Homeowners, he said, have no idea that their home insurance isn't handled by their auto insurer, but farmed out to Home Site. Home Site handles homeowner's insurance for Geico, Progressive, and 21st Century, among other automobile insurers.
Direct Car Insurance offers free rate quotes on a number of products including not just auto insurance, but also coverage for RVs, boats, motorcycles, life, home, and health. It does this by finding out what zip code a person lives in and then leads them to several insurance companies, such as GEICO, Progressive, and Liberty Mutual, letting consumers know which company will offer the best rate for where they live, bypassing the hype of the companies' slogans.
One might wonder in all of this, though, if using this method for auto coverage, or any coverage, is the most pragmatic means of doing business.
Direct Car Insurance Goes Around Sales PeopleAsking an insurance agent who uses commissions he earns to feed his or her family and keep the lights on if he has fair prices and great products can be like walking into a hair salon to get advice on whether or not one should get a style or trim. When using Direct Car Insurance, though, consumers are not being sold anything. Instead, they are being led to information about the insurance companies and what they have to offer.
The only time this might become a problem is if a person normally purchases insurance from a close friend or relative.
Paying More for Insurance is Sometimes Worth the CostFor people who maintain car insurance with a person in their professional network , paying a few extra dollars may be worth the cost. After all, the insurance salesperson may be sending business back through friends and colleagues, and in a world where so many people offer the same services, it would be unwise to save a few dollars at the cost of losing business.
For instance, if a person who owns a doughnut shoppe is getting his insurance through a GEICO salesman who then buys snacks for his office each week, the gain is not in the box of doughnuts he buys for his office, but also in the free advertising that that regular purchase offers.
When other people in the office say, 'hey, great doughnuts, Chuck,' he'll say something to the effect of how the proprietor of said doughnuts is a customer of the business. Those people in the office will feel a kinship of sorts with the shoppe, and may buy them for a church function or to bring to a friend's house. When others remark on the quality of the doughnuts, those who brought them will say something positive as well.