Tips for Researching a Carrollton Auto Insurance Agent

To locate a good Carrollton agent, you can always do an initial search on the internet instead of calling around. There is a good chance you’re wanting a highly trained agent, but you also need affordable coverage.

With insurance companies like Allstate, Farmers and State Farm as well as independent agents all competing for your business, consumers have a hard time knowing which will provide you with the best service and rates. To help decide, consumers can use insurance quotes online to assemble a group of agents to choose from.

Best way to find Carrollton agents

Licensed agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates but also keep your business local. And supporting small agencies is important especially in Carrollton.

After filling out this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will battle to get your business. You never need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Carrollton insurance agencies are either independent or captive

If you’re trying to find a local agent, you need to know there are two different agency structures from which to choose. Carrollton agents are classified as either independent or captive.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you won’t have to switch agencies. When searching for an agent, we recommend you include at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. They also have the ability to place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can be an advantage.

Shown below are independent insurance agents in Carrollton who may be able to give you price quote information.

  • Texas Colonial General Agency – 1925 E Belt Line Rd – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 416-6991
  • Todd Spence Insurance – 1930 E Rosemeade Pkwy # 206 – Carrollton, TX 75007 – (972) 492-8667
  • Direct General Ins Agency – 1910 E Trinity Mills Rd # 102 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (214) 483-3475
  • Texas Commercial Insurance – 1120 Metrocrest Dr # 100 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 820-2089
  • Caballero Insurance Agency – 1925 E Belt Line Rd # 209 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (214) 390-8066
Captive Insurance Agents

These agents work for only one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are well schooled in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes buy from captive agents mostly because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Shown below is a list of captive agents in Carrollton that are able to give price quotes.

  • Liberty Mutual Insurance – 4125 Fairway Dr # 132 – Carrollton, TX 75010 – (972) 242-2255
  • Allstate Insurance – 4125 Fairway Dr # 145 – Carrollton, TX 75010 – (972) 394-7329
  • State Farm Insurance – 1060 W Frankford Rd # 110 – Carrollton, TX 75007 – (972) 394-3700
  • Farmers Insurance Group – 2340 E Trinity Mills Rd # 223 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 416-6616

To view a full list of captive insurance agents in Carrollton, view this link.

Picking an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

  • Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
  • Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
  • What insurance company do they write the most business with?
  • Do they make recommendations based only on price?
  • How are they compensated?

After receiving satisfactory answers to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide auto insurance.

Keep your options open

Insurance agents serve a purpose, but you also have the option of buying Texas car insurance direct over the internet. Certain companies like State Farm and Allstate who sell through agents in Carrollton additionally provide the ability to buy direct on their websites, and that is helpful if finding the best price is important.

If you’re concerned about whether or not you’ll have guidance when buying direct, don’t let it bother you. All companies all provide contact methods to help you decide which coverages are appropriate.

Can you find lower rates online? That question is hard to answer since there are many things that are calculated into your premium. It’s a common assumption that buying directly from the company prevents the agent from taking a cut. But that assumption is generally incorrect because there are high advertising and marketing costs so rates may not be all that different from traditional agents.

Smart consumers save more

While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many cases, someone dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Lower-priced auto insurance is attainable on the web and with local Carrollton insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

Much more information about auto insurance in Texas is available on the Texas Department of Insurance website located here. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, learn about specific coverages, and discover disciplinary actions.

Other informative sites include this page for auto insurance in Texas and this link which helps you find a Carrollton agent.