Working with Your Insurance Agent

 “What do you need to make this change?”  “Do I pay you or do I pay the company?” “What do I do in the event of a claim?”   

These are some common questions you may have for your insurance agent.  As a tree service owner you are already busy with hundreds of tasks each day and insurance questions can be just one more thing to make you stress out.  That is why it can be helpful to know the best way to work your insurance agent. 

Here are some helpful tips that can make working with your insurance agent a smooth process:

1) Don’t Be Afraid to Ask.  I often hear “this may be a stupid question…”  It may sound cliché but there is no such thing as a stupid question.  As licensed professional insurance agents, we are here to help you.  It is much better to ask a question regarding coverage before something happens than asking after an incident occurs.  

2) Be organized when calling/emailing.  Agents understand how hectic your days are and how many different directions you are being pulled.  However, when reaching out to your agent know why you are calling/emailing and what you are asking.  Being clear in your request will help your agent be able to answer your question in a timely and accurate fashion

3) Be detailed.    If you are calling/emailing to add a piece of equipment or vehicle, make sure you have the proper information.  Typically an agent will need year, make, model, serial number or VIN, and value to add a piece of equipment or vehicle.  Having the title or a picture of it will help make sure that info is readily available.  When adding a driver, an agent will typically need name, date of birth and driver’s license number and state.  Having this information will save unnecessary back and forth.  

4) Open and Honest. To go along with being detailed, it is extremely important to not omit details that may change your coverage need. Many insurance policies are specifically written for the business operations that were initially declared. If you begin offering a new service or start working in another state, you need to discuss that with your insurance agent to make sure the coverage you think you have is actually there. 

5) Claims.  Claims are never fun and can often be unnecessarily stressful.  When a claim does happen, start by taking a ton of pictures. Claims can get your mind going in a million different directions, so the pictures help you keep the facts straight and give the adjuster the proper idea of what happened. Of course, being prepared before you need to file a claim is best. Click here  to read an article on how to be prepared for an accident or injury. 

6) Be Patient.  My number one priority as an insurance agent is to help you, the customer.  However, we don’t always have the answer right away and sometimes we are at the mercy of the carrier when getting these answers.  Keeping in my mind we are here to help, a little patience can help keep a situation from getting frustrating.

All insurance agents strive to provide the best service possible to their clients.  Remembering these helpful tips will help foster the important relationship between service agent and customer. ArboRisk specializes in the tree care industry, helping tree services of all sizes become extraordinary. If you are continually trying to explain what you do to your insurance agent, reach out to an ArboRisk team member today and feel the difference of working with an agency that truly understands what you do.