What kind of support can I expect from my insurance broker or agent?

What kind of support can I expect from my insurance broker or agent?

Sam Friedman (Editor-in-Chief, National Underwriter, Property & Casualty Edition) gives expert video advice on: Do I need insurance?; How much insurance do I need? and more...

First and foremost, you want your agent or broker to get you the best coverage at the best price. You want them to listen to you as to what your liabilities are, how much property you own, what types of exposures you're worried about, and let them get you an insurance policy that will cover you when the chips are down and you have a loss. And, when you do have a loss, you'd like to have a broker or agent who will help you through that process, because that can be a traumatic time especially if there's any question about whether the loss might or might not be covered. So you'd like to have an agent and broker who's an advocate for you with the insurance company, make sure that you're treated fairly, because the agent and broker's reputation depends to a large extent on how good the experience is with the carrier they place you with. So they have a lot of incentive to try to make sure that you're well taken care of. So you want them to be your advocate.