In the United States, it is mandatory to have auto insurance if you own and drive a vehicle. Since auto insurance is such a huge investment, it is important to make sure that your insurance plan includes the best coverage for your personal needs. There are so many factors to consider when selecting a plan: affordability and rates, services offered, and customers service and company reputation. When it comes to cost, thesimpledollar.com says that the car you drive, your driving history, your credit score, your driving habits, and the services offered within that coverage can all go into your final auto insurance monthly rate.
Services
Some services within an auto insurance plan may include towing your vehicle to a repair shop when necessary, helping you find rental vehicles, getting vehicle inspection after an accident, finding repair shops in your area, assisting in replacing stolen electronics associated with the vehicle, or helping to cover any other losses or damages to your vehicle.
Balancing Price and Service
When considering all the different insurance plans, you may be torn between these services and the bottom line — your wallet! Co-founder and chief revenue officer of Clearsurance, Todd Kozikowski, advises that drivers find the right mix of quality service and good pricing, rather than seeking out the cheapest premium. “When it comes to insurance, consumers often think too simplistically. They are only thinking about price. We forget about service reputation and the ability of a company to honor your policy should something go wrong,” said Kozikowski.
Kozikowski also says that you don’t have to go with a nationally known auto insurance brand to get the best combination of price and service. Some regional carriers who offer great rates have higher ratings on service quality than some brands known nationally.
So, who do you trust? The big national brands, like Geico and Progressive, are most familiar to us. Flo and the gecko are tried and true characters. Do we stick with State Farm because that’s what dad uses? Do we also consider the smaller, private insurance companies? How do we sort through the advertisements and overwhelming variety of providers?
Utilizing Customer Reviews
Since there are so many factors that go into determining which providers have the best rates and service, it is important to consider using a customer review site to help you make a more informed decision. Whether they have a positive or negative opinion, customers likely want to talk about it. These customer reviews can provide valuable insight into a company’s products and services, their ability to honor those services, and any hidden loopholes or scams. Studies have shown that 90% of consumers read online reviews, and 88% of consumers trust online reviews when deciding which companies to use. By hopping on the customer reviews bandwagon, you can take advantage of the abundance of information.
When looking for an auto insurance provider, stay on the lookout for “insurance comparison” websites. While they allow you to compare prices and benefits of different providers, they may be showcasing certain companies that benefit them financially. Insurance providers may give these insurance comparison sites incentives for pushing their business to the top of the list, and if you select them, they may get paid. Stay away from websites that utilize this method of incentives. Instead, use reviews-based websites where other customers can offer up their experience with auto insurance providers.
Trustworthy Reviews and Reviews-Based Platforms
It is also important to find authentic review websites, free of advertisements and fake reviews. Some businesses have been known to fabricate fake positive reviews in order to boost their online presence and overall business reputation. Steer away from reviews that are overly emotional or hostile or that lack detail in their explanation. Another red flag is if the review is left by a random, no-name reviewer. The best reviews are detailed and articulate.
A trustworthy review website is compare.com. Compare.com is the United States’ leading auto insurance comparison website. Compare.com reviews have provided insurance quotes to over a million users. eKomi, “The Feedback Company,” is Europe’s largest provider of customer reviews. More than 14,000 companies use eKomi’s customer review service, and they have published over 40 million reviews for decision-making customers.
When making an important decision such as picking an auto insurance provider, don’t let the comparisons and ads get the best of you — have assurance in the plethora of customer reviews and find the provider that will meet your service needs and budget! Visit eKomi-us.com today to find the most trusted reviews.
2 thoughts on “Choosing Service Over Price: How Customer Reviews Can Help You Select an Auto Insurance Provider”