Trying to figure out the kind of insurance you need for your home or business isn’t exactly an easy job – and the average layperson has to rely a lot on the guidance of their insurance agent.
This can be a serious issue if the agent is more concerned about closing the deal and getting a commission than looking out for your best interests. A lot of bad-faith insurance claims focus on the issue of an agent’s deceptions.
Hindsight is 20/20
It can be hard to spot the signs of a deceptive insurance agent when you’re focused on getting the best coverage, but looking back can help you see the red flags you missed (and help you avoid similar mistakes in the future). These are the hallmarks of trouble with an agent:
- They apply the pressure early and hard. It’s one thing for an agent to point out the potential for loss when you don’t have the right insurance. That’s their job. However, if you were pressured into buying a policy without adequate time to consider all your options, that’s a problem.
- The price was drastically lower than you expected. You may have had sticker shock when you got your first insurance quote – and that meant looking around for a better price. Quotes should all be within a range, so if your agent’s quote was dramatically less than all the others, you need to ask why.
- You were encouraged to lie or the agent lied. Every insurance company has its criteria for issuing a policy. If your agent waved off that “little claim” you had a few years ago or omitted critical information on the paperwork that was submitted to underwriting, that can absolutely come back to hurt you when you file a claim.
If you feel that you were deceived by your insurance agent and it’s affected your insurance claim, it’s wisest to seek immediate legal guidance.