Hometown Insurance

What does “hometown insurance” really mean?

You have many choices when selecting an insurance provider for your auto, home, farm, or business insurance needs. As a matter of fact, there are 257 insurance carriers that call Ohio home. There are also more than 1,300 independent insurance agencies in the state!  You may be wondering what you should be looking for in your insurance agent. We are going to give you some inside information on things you should look for in a hometown independent insurance agency.

Most insurance purchases start online with research from a cell phone, laptop, or desktop computer. You may do this from the comfort of your home, while waiting in the school pick up line or during your lunch break. When searching things such as insurance near me, car insurance in Findlay, local insurance agent, Ohio car insurance, Findlay home insurance or farm insurance (just to name a few), you may get directed to a great agency. However, the opposite could also happen. Let’s avoid the latter if at all possible!

Here are some things to look for when choosing an agency.

Find an insurance agency who represents several “A” rated financial insurance carriers who support the independent agent distribution model.

Sounds simple, right? Financial stability with an insurance provider is an absolute must! If you pay premium for an insurance policy, you want to make sure the insurance carrier is going to have the finances to pay for your claim losses. We would not recommend doing business with ANY carrier who has anything less than an A- from A.M. best ratings. Anything less than an A- indicates there are some interior struggles with the carrier. There could be future issues with the solvency of the provider.

Insurance helps manage your risks. Do not add to your risk by working with an agency that represents mediocre carriers!

Find an insurance agency who cares about and contributes to the community.

Does your agency support local non-profit organizations in the area? Support can be shown in a variety of ways: monetary, time, talents. This sense of giving back and supporting those who support the agency is incredibly important. It shows commitment to taking care of the community. It demonstrates belief in giving back to improve the lives of others. Overall, it is what encompasses a hometown insurance agency.

At Hitchings Insurance Agency, we believe it is our duty to support various types of non-profit organizations. By investing in our agency for your insurance, you are also investing in the community. These non-profits are the lifeblood for the less fortunate and they need our support now more than ever! In fact, not only do we support these institutions financially, we pay each of our employees 2 hours a month to volunteer at charities of their choice.

Find an insurance agency that has longevity and stability in its community.

When you purchase an insurance policy, you likely want to deal with the same organization and people that welcomed you initially. We have all heard of horror stories when agencies and carriers get bought out or move. Maybe you have heard some of the following complaints:

• “I’m done dealing with so and so. They don’t know who I am.”
• “They make me contact a call center and redirect my call numerous times.”
• “I can’t sit down with anyone anymore.”

Our agency has been here since 1968. We have over 50 years of experience and we plan to be here another 50+ years. Stability and longevity speak to how an operation is run and its commitment to its community and clients.

Find an agent that will fight for you.

Most agents do not want to get in the middle of claims. That is not the feeling at our agency. We have a claims specialist on staff to make sure your claims process is handled accurately and to your satisfaction with timely payment. If needed, we get directly involved with claims adjusters, body shops and rental car companies if things go awry.

Find an agent that gives you the best value for the coverage you need.

Every insurance agent or carrier can strip down a policy and sell you a “cheaper option”. With insurance it always comes back to this principle: you get what you pay for. Find a viable solution that is affordable and know that you are going to have an agent that has your best interest in mind. We may not always win on price, and that is okay. However, we will always offer you the best coverage for your situation.

We are so glad you found our page. In your search for your first insurance agency or a new insurance agency, we hope these considerations are helpful for your decision making! Hitchings Insurance Agency is a full-service agency that provides auto, home, umbrella, farm, business, health, Medicare supplements and so much more! We have solid representation and expertise in a complicated industry. We would love to help you and become your hometown insurance agency! Click on the image below to learn more about an independent insurance agency.