re: To Insurance Agents: Captive or Independent?

My view of insurance is to not only protect what I have now, but also what I may have in the future. If you're buying solely on the cheapest price you can find online, I think you may be shorting yourself. For example, Progressive touts this "name your price tool". So, if I want to spend $80 a month, they will provide me with state minimum liability coverage with $1500 deductibles for Comp & Collision. Yeah, I got coverage for $80 a month, but what did I really get?

For me, I would rather an agent to work with me to find out what I need. From what I've seen the prices online versus buying from an agent are usually very comparable. Depending on your circumstances, you may find better pricing through an agent that knows where to find what you need.