It’s hard to imagine someone using the word “free” in the same sentence as insurance, but it does occasionally happen. I’m not talking about the free pen they let you keep after you sign your life away on an insurance policy. What I am talking about is the unseen benefits you may not know you are getting when you sign on with an agency or company. Yes, you pay premiums to keep your home, auto and other possessions protected to prevent financial loss, but you also need to keep in mind some of the other things that are included in the total package.

Some companies give you the basic trivial items, a stuffed duck, a calendar complete with company logo plastered all over scenes of beautiful Southern California or maybe even a fully stocked picnic basket filled with everything you need for leisurely day in the park. Those things are great but when you live in SoCal who needs a calendar full of things you see on a regular basis. An insurance agency that offers you valuable gifts on a regular basis is the one worth keeping.

Let’s face it. Nothing is ever really free. You still pay for your insurance premiums, but it’s the little things an agency does for you that constitute the extra mile they go for you without the benefit of extra compensation. One of the most important “free” things you get is peace of mind. The feeling you have when you know things are being taken care. It’s knowing that when something happens you have a company behind you that is there when you need them. Even at 2 am when you come home to find someone has broken into your home. Your insurance agent is there to help you get through it. Do they get paid for those late hours? Probably not, but they are dedicated to providing the best service possible to their customers. If that means leaving the comfort of a nice cozy bed to be there for one of his clients who is facing a disaster, so be it.

Another “free” perk is an insurance is just as reliable as your mailman. If an insured customer is left str anded in the middle of nowhere in a down pour because his car is stuck or because of an accident, his insurance agent is there with an umbrella and a ride to the nearest car rental place to make sure he gets where he needs to be.

The free pens and promotional gifts are excellent sales tools, but the free things that are important come under the heading of dedicated service and pride in the policies and companies they represent. Your insurance agent is there for you, no matter what, no matter where. Their job doesn’t end when you sign your name to the policy, it’s just beginning.

Lexi