How an Independent Agent Shops Your Renewal Across Carriers

In Seguin, we talk about knowing our neighbors by name. In insurance, knowing your agent is only half the story. The other half is what your agent does with your policy when the renewal notice shows up.

Westerholm Koehler Insurance (WKI) is an independent agency. A captive agent works for one insurance company and can only quote that company’s rates. If that carrier raises your premium, the options are limited, because you’re asking one company to negotiate with itself.

An independent agent can quote your renewal with several carriers at once. Here is how we handle it:

1. We look past your current carrier’s quote. Before your renewal date, we review the risks that drive your price: your home, your vehicles, your household, your farm or your business.
2. We shop those risks across multiple carriers. We shop multiple carriers on every renewal, so we can see where each one is competitive.
3. We compare more than price. One carrier may be cheaper on your auto and pricier on your home. Another may give a better bundle discount or friendlier terms. We look at the premium, the deductibles and the coverage together, so you can see where the real value is.

Because we aren’t tied to one brand, we can also tell you plainly when your current carrier is still the best fit. Sometimes it is, and then you know you checked.

We’re equally plain about what we don’t do. WKI is not an ACA marketplace broker, and we don’t handle HealthCare.gov plans, Medicare Advantage or small-group employer plans. If that is what you need, we’ll say so up front and point you in the right direction. What we do handle: personal lines (auto, home, life and supplemental health), commercial lines like general liability and workers’ comp, and farm and ranch coverage.

Before you let a policy renew on its own, or switch to a national online provider, give us a chance to shop it. A local agency that knows your name can lay several carriers’ offers side by side.