When shopping for health insurance, pay attention to the insurance agent you will be working with. It’s tempting to focus only on the cost. But with so many different plans available, a good insurance agent can be the difference between a great policy and a bad one. Such an agent will put in the time and effort needed to get you the right plan.
There are certain qualities a good insurance agent should have, and you should have these in mind when deciding.
Look for someone with knowledge and experience
Good insurance agents know there’s more to customer relationship than just selling a health insurance policy. They take pride in their work, and they show this by taking the time to learn. So look for an agent who is an expert in his or her field. One who has taken the time to pass exams and is certified by agencies that control those who work as insurance agents.
If your agent has the right experience and knowledge, they can guide you on what is the best plan for you. When you have a claim, they can also help you to file a claim in the right way. Your insurance agent’s knowledge and experience will also come in handy if your claim is rejected or not handled properly by the insurer. Your agent can stand up for you with the claims department.
Let people you know recommend someone
We are more likely to visit a business if friends and family tell us about the great service they had with that business. Do the same thing when looking for an insurance agent. Ask people you know. Someone recommended by your friends and family them is more like to be a great agent who will look out for your interests rather than just focusing on selling you a policy. But don’t just assume this. Find out the reason why your friend likes that agent. Ask about their customer service, whether they follow up, how easy it is to reach them by phone or email, etc.
Visit their Websites
Most insurance agents have websites where you can get information about them. You can also get an idea about the way an agent or their agency does business, just from looking at their websites. If they haven’t updated the information on it for years, then they probably don’t pay much attention to detail. If they make it easy to find information, and to get quotes, either online or via telephone, that could be an indication that they are easy to work with. And if you send an inquiry and they don’t respond on time or at all, well, customer service may not be their strong point.
Talk to them
A one-on-one conversation, either by phone or in person will give you an idea of an insurance agent’s personality. It will help you know whether this is someone you can work with. You will get to see how they handle questions, whether they know what they’re talking about and if they are truly interested in helping you or just concerned about their commission.
What does the future of health insurance look like?
There have been lots of questions about health insurance in the US in recent times. People are also concerned about what changes will happen in the future. Which makes it easy to think that there’s no point in paying so much attention to finding a health insurance agent. After all, who knows if we will even need them anymore?
However, experts believe that the industry is not likely to change much in future. In fact, research suggests that health insurance will continue to thrive. Which means that insurance agents will continue to play an important role when it comes to finding the right plans for yourself and your family.
