Choosing a UK insurance broker
Few would deny that brokers are the best way to purchase insurance. As independent advisers, we can explore your personal or business situation and choose from the best policies in the UK insurance market.
It certainly beats a lifetime of surfing the net just to compare terms of cover or find the best quote!
But how do you know when you’ve found the right broker? Whether you’re looking for a life quote, mortgage protection or business cover, there are a few things you should look out for before buying insurance from a third party…
Qualifications
Many insurance brokers are highly skilled sales people, but that doesn’t qualify them to look after your insurance needs. You should ask your insurance broker about their life in and out of the insurance industry. What qualifications do they hold? What training have they received? Before you ask for a quote, are you confident that they understand the UK insurance market?
Client Base
You can gauge your insurance broker’s level of experience by the size of their UK client base. Can they offer testimonials from happy customers? Do you personally know someone who’s used them before? If you’re putting your life in their hands, you’ll want to know they look after their clients before you ask for a quote.
Time in Business
Insurance is a complex business, and the best brokers are the ones who’ve spent a lifetime building their knowledge of the UK insurance industry. So don’t be afraid to ask your insurance broker, how long have they been in business? The more years they can boast, the more you can relax – because (1) they clearly know their business and (2) they can only have survived this long by keeping their customers happy.
Are they truly independent?
On paper, all brokers are independent. But if you feel they’re looking to quote for one provider over another, you might want to ask yourself why. It’s no secret that insurance brokers are paid by providers to recommend and sell their policies, but the broker should be acting in your interests – not theirs, and not the providers.
What are their terms of service?
Brokers should help you cut through the small print rather than add to it! Their job is to explain the insurance provider’s policy in plain and simple terms, but if their own terms of service complicate the issue, it half defeats the object! Of course every broker in the UK will have their terms of service, but they should be able to summarise (and justify) terms before asking you to sign.
By asking these simple questions, you should make sure your insurance broker is right for you. If in doubt, call Howell Insurance on 01446 792505.
