Your friends and family want what’s best for you, as you do for them. Unfortunately, this desire for you to have the best things in life can lead to offers of advice that are not necessarily as informed as you hoped, as well intentioned as they may be.
One good example is when family and friends give you advice when shopping for homeowners insurance.
Everyone is certain that they know exactly what is required in a home insurance policy, which is fine—when it’s their own policy they are talking about. But when you are looking for insurance to cover your home, the best advice you can get is from your own local agent. Your agent understands all the different aspects of insurance policies and knows how to get you the most comprehensive coverage at the best price.
While well-meaning friends can offer advice about relationships, television shows and new restaurants it is best to leave the financial advice to the licensed professionals. It is doubtful that your friends and family have much training, education and experience as your local insurance agent. The experiences of peers are often limited—resulting from anecdotal or their own insurance shopping experiences, which is a small sample of the information out there. These stories also may contain bias or misinformation that your friends are not even conscious of.
Insurance agents, conversely, go through intensive educational courses before they can obtain a license. Additionally, they must attend continuing education courses every year to keep their license. They handle countless different insurance and claims situations each year and they are up-to-date with trends and changes in legislature. They are experts in their field, and they have put a lot of effort into attaining that title.
So even though Aunt Sara has the best advice for getting stains out of shirts, and Uncle Joe knows the best sci-fi shows on TV, relying on these thoughtful but often misinformed individuals for advice on insurance could lead to dire consequences.
Call us today to discuss insurance options for your home, car or business at 713-349-0400.