If insurance scares you as much as it frightened Max Dennison when he lit the Black Flame Candle and inadvertently resurrected the Sanderson Sisters from the dead, you're not alone. But we're here to tell you, there's nothing Hocus Pocus about insurance! In fact, it's pretty straightforward, helpful, and not the slightest bit spooky. Don't believe us? Let's go over some common insurance fears and debunk them together to uncover just how frightfully fantastic insurance really is (no sorcery or spells required).

Fear #1 You're on your own to figure out what kind of policy you need.

Reality: You're never on your own when you choose a local, independent agent to help you customize the perfect insurance policy based on your needs. Independent agents are experts at what they do and they come with quite a few perks, like being able to offer you:

More Choices 

With unlimited access to a variety of insurance products and a vast knowledge of the market, your independent agent can make sure you're given all the options you need to determine the best coverage for you. Only they can provide you with the right blend of price, product, and protection to fit your life, no matter where it takes you.

Personalized Customer Service

Because your independent agent is right around the corner, you won't have to go far for the personalized service you need and deserve. Insurance is complicated, filled with unfamiliar terms and guidelines, but your independent agent can sit down with you and educate you to help determine the coverage that best suits you and your wallet with ease. They aren't an unfamiliar voice recording at the end of the phone line. They're real people with real concern for taking care of you. It's not just about selling a policy for them - it's about making sure you're protected and satisfied with your insurance buying experience.

Advocacy For Life

Should you need to file a claim, change your billing schedule, or make any changes to your coverage, your independent agent is there to be your advocate. They will walk you through any concern with ease and work on your behalf with your insurance company. At the end of the day, you can relax knowing your independent agent will do most of the heavy lifting for you.

One-Stop Shop 

Independent agents can find you coverage for more than just your home. They can provide you quotes for auto insurance, life and health insurance, renter's insurance, and more. Your independent agent's capabilities are endless when it comes to getting you all the types of coverage you desire. And the best part is you won't have to do any of the shopping or paperwork because your independent agent does it for you. So sit back, relax, and only do the shopping you like to do.

Fear #2 Do I have enough insurance?

Reality: This is one of the most legitimate insurance fears because it holds so much weight. The truth is, you may have enough insurance, you may not. If you fear you fall more closely under the "may not" category, there's a simple fix to your problem. But you have to consider the worst case scenario first.

Many people are underinsured because they think insurance is not affordable, and they don’t consider much of their assets even worth insuring. This state of mind likely comes from the misunderstanding of how insurance works, and the belief that "it will never happen to me". But what would happen to your life and your family if you didn’t have insurance and your property is badly damaged or completely destroyed? How would you rebuild? Where would you even start?

Could you comfortably replace your clothes, furniture, or electronics without the help of insurance? Would you have enough in savings or would you have to rely on family, friends, and charities to recover? While we hope you never have to deal with such circumstances, it serves as a great reminder to make sure you have the proper insurance coverage in place for all your things, big and small.

The only way to be certain you have enough insurance to keep you afloat in the event of a catastrophe, is to meet with your insurance agent every year and have them review your policy. This is especially helpful if you've recently made improvements to your property. These things increase your property's value. When you let your agent know of the upgrades, they can contact the insurance company on your behalf to increase or adjust the amount of coverage on your policy if necessary, allowing you to rest a little easier knowing all of your home improvements are adequately covered.

Fear #3 You'll actually have to use your insurance.

Reality: Insurance is there to be used when you really need it. Why else would you invest so much of your money in it? While no one wants to have to use their insurance, as the thought of dealing with an unexpected circumstance is gut-wrenching, remember that you won't be alone in the process.

As we've echoed throughout this blog, your agent will be there for you, like a trusty sidekick, to help you work through the claims process. Because they have a first-hand knowledge of the claims world and personally know the adjusters of the companies they represent, they're able to act as a positive middleman in the situation, taking the burden off your plate and instead placing it on theirs. Working together with your insurance company, your agent will make sure your claims experience is as quick and easy as possible, keeping your stress level to a minimum.

Now that we've overcome your biggest insurance fears as a team (go, us!), find a CFM agent near you to serve as the insurance guru you've been missing in your life.