Agri General Auto Insurance Review

The Agri General Insurance Company sells many types of policies, including auto insurance. However, this insurer often is overlooked by people seeking auto insurance because of the company’s focus on agricultural-related business insurance.

Other similar privately owned insurance companies may also be overlooked by buyers due to being less well-known than larger, publically owned corporations.

Fortunately, some online comparison sites makes comparing all types and sizes of companies and their policies simply a matter of filling out a brief form.

Thorough investigation

When choosing a policy and insurer, the purchaser should conduct a thorough investigation prior to the purchase. The individual should ensure the selected company is licensed and legally operating within the state. The person should also ascertain the insurance company’s financial security and stability. Additionally, the buyer should check to see if there have been any consumer complaints filed against the company. For instance, if someone selected Agri General Insurance Company (AGIC), they would find the following information when they conducted their investigation:

• Company history: AGIC was established in Johnston, Iowa in 1983, so it is not a fly-by-night company. Its parent company is Rain and Hail Insurance Services, LLC. Rain and Hail, along with 15 other crop insurers made an operating agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to lower their company profit and agents’ commissions. This agreement eventually led to the company being acquired by the Swiss insurer, ACE Limited in 2010. Until the 2010 ACE acquisition, Rain and Hail Insurance Services was employee-owned. However, ACE Limited has also been around since 1985, and is a global publically-traded insurance company. ACE Limited is a leader in the commercial property and casualty insurance arena.
• Mission: AGIC’s primary mission is to help rural Americans manage their risks. They have been one of the leading crop insurers in the U.S. for over 80 years. They have sold auto coverage, as well as coverage for other types of vehicles as a part of their mission to protect rural Americans against risk.
• Financial security and stability: Due to its own financial security combined with that of ACE Limited, AGIC was given a superior financial strength rating of ‘A+’ by the A.M. Best Co. and an issuer credit rating of ‘aa-‘ in February 2011. The Fitch Ratings company has also recently given an insurer financial strength rating of ‘AA-‘ to AGIC. Both rating companies expect AGIC to remain stable and financially secure over the next few years.
• Company operations: AGIC is licensed to operate in 47 states. The three states in which AGIC doesn’t conduct business in are Alaska, Hawaii and New Hampshire. It provides a full range of auto insurance coverage through its parent company, Rain and Hail Insurance Services.

AGIC offers a flexible premium payment plan. However, the rates, discounts, and benefits that are available vary among the states. Thus, the consumers must ascertain which are included or excluded on their specific policies.

Comparison shopping online

As with most products, doing a bit of comparison shopping online for insurance can save the buyer money and time. Online comparison shopping is more convenient, less frustrating, and more economical than off-line comparison shopping methods. The easiest and fastest way of comparison shopping is to utilize the Internet. There are numerous websites available that offer comparison services, as well as many websites devoted to insurance topics.

How to conduct online comparison shopping

Conducting online comparison shopping is usually just a matter of filling out one or two brief forms. However, each site has its own methods of connecting the potential buyer with the interested insurance company. The following basic buying guideline outlines the typical procedure.

• First, the individual fills out and submits a form that gives all the details about the vehicle to be insured , the driver’s occupation, place of residency, and the driver’s driving history.
• Next, the site submits the form to various insurance companies or insurance brokers that it is affiliated with. Then the insurers provide their quotes to the individual. Either they will contact the potential buyer directly or they will contact the individual through the website. In some cases, the website will direct the person to contact the insurance company and will just provide the contact information for the various insurance companies that fit the individual’s needs.
• After the individual has obtained several quotes (at least 3-5), the person compares the offers. The person must compare the same types of policies in order to ensure the best policy and best price are obtained. For instance, compare simple liability coverage to simple liability coverage, but don’t compare a simple liability policy to a comprehensive policy.
• The potential buyer then selects the policies that best suit his or her needs.
• Once the policies have been chosen, the individual should then start checking out each insurer thoroughly. It’s especially important to investigate the financial stability, consumer complaints, the level of customer service, and how the claims process works.
• Next, the person should ensure they completely understand what is and isn’t covered by the policy. It’s essential to take time to read all the small, fine print before signing the contract. It’s necessary to look for any hidden fees and administrative charges.

Insurance comparison websites can help people to find companies that may be easily overlooked as well as provide side by side comparisons of the coverage available in the area.

In many cases, the person will then be given the option to purchase the auto insurance coverage online.

Numerous insurance companies give discounts for purchasing and conducting business online. Most insurers, including Agri General Insurance Services, now also offer their customers 24/7 online support for filing claims or making payments.