In some cases, consumers can save money with direct marketers because these companies do not have to pay insurance agents commissions to sell their policies. Companies can pass along some of these savings to the consumer. However, some consumers prefer to pay an additional premium for the opportunity to have a local agent available to them. This is considered an advantage to many consumers. If you decide to call agents for quotations, ask them how many companies they represent.
Some insurance companies sell coverage through agents that only represent their company.
These companies call their agents an exclusive agents force. Exclusive agents can only offer you coverage from the company they represent. Therefore, you can only get a quote from one company for each exclusive agent that you talk to. Sometimes exclusive agents may work for a lower rate of commission than independent agents. This is because companies do not have to give the agent an incentive to write their product over another company's product.