Smart Auto Insurance Blog

Many companies that offer auto insurance have brokers such as Bristol West Insurance.  When trying to decide if you are going to go through an auto insurance agent or broker it’s important to understand the differences.  There are a few differences between the two and it can make a difference in your overall experience.

Bristol West takes pride that both their agents and brokers are quality and can be trusted.  This may be true but not all companies may have this benefit.  The differences between brokers and agents differs from state to state, but in general, an auto insurance agent will write a policy for a customer on behalf of a broker or company and the broker will simply write the policy on behalf of the customer.

A broker is allowed to have agents under them and often times they own their own auto insurance company.  Brokers tend to be more heavily regulated since they carry more responsibility to this can be to your advantage.  They typically have a strong history of experience and are very knowledgeable in the field.  This can help you make the best decision as you shop around for auto insurance, but be sure you are comparison shopping.  Rates can vary greatly from broker to broker and insurance company to insurance company.  Some brokers will shop around for you, but it doesn’t hurt to do some additional work to ensure you are getting the very best deal you can.