How to Get a Travel Insurance Agent

Although you may be tempted to purchase tickets and insurance online, you may not get the same level of service as you can with a travel insurance agent. The key to getting the best deal on travel insurance is to find an experienced agent.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Initiate phone conversations with potential travel insurance agents to gauge their levels of service. A good insurance agent will keep this conversation relatively short by providing you with details on specific policies instead of a prolonged sales pitch.
2. Research past customer experiences with a particular insurance agent before you purchase a policy. A variety of online forums and newspapers highlight professionals in the travel industry, including insurance agents. Collect multiple reviews to develop a good picture of an agent's reputation.
3. Solidify your budget for travel insurance before you meet face to face with an agent. Figure the premiums for an insurance policy into the overall cost of your trip to determine your maximum financial threshold for coverage.
4. Compile all of your travel documents to help an insurance agent give you an accurate quote. The agent you select will be able to modify an insurance policy to cover every travel destination on your itinerary for the length of time specified.
5. Meet with a few travel insurance agents to get a feel for the costs and various coverages of insurance policies. Bring a list of questions to this meeting that will define your expectations from a travel agent. Assert yourself in the meeting by stating upfront that you are only considering services and won't sign a policy that day.
6. Weigh the strengths and weaknesses of local insurance agents over national or international providers. Agents in your area offer an easy route for customer service but may lack the customer volume to provide high financial coverage or international policies.
7. Keep the contact information for each insurance agent you meet in case you need to switch policies after a trip. Agents that you have met with in the past will have a file for you and will try hard to meet your needs to keep you away from the competition.

Tips & Warnings

• Request a list of qualifications and a portfolio from a potential travel insurance agent. Agents have to pass state licensing exams as well as certification if they work through an insurance company. Also ask how many clients they have served and about the most popular insurance policies for these clients.