One thing I'd add here is that calling your agent isn't always the best way to get clear answers. Agents can sometimes gloss over details or give vague reassurances. Instead, try directly contacting your insurance company's claims department—they're usually more straightforward about exactly what's covered and what's not. Learned this myself after getting mixed signals from my agent... claims reps gave me specifics I hadn't even thought to ask about. Worth a shot if you want clarity.
"Agents can sometimes gloss over details or give vague reassurances."
Exactly my experience. When my wife had a minor fender-bender last year, our agent kept saying everything was "probably covered," but didn't really get into specifics. Felt like pulling teeth. After talking directly with claims, turns out there were some limitations we hadn't even considered. I'm usually skeptical about customer service reps, but in this case, they actually gave clearer answers than our agent... go figure.
Had a similar experience when I got rear-ended in my Audi last summer. Agent kept saying things like
and "shouldn't be an issue," but when I pressed about specifics—like rental car coverage or medical expenses—he got pretty vague. Ended up calling claims directly, and they clarified everything quickly. Makes me wonder, are agents just not trained on the details, or is it intentional to keep us from asking too many questions...?"probably covered"
Agents aren't necessarily trying to be vague intentionally—it's more about their role. Think about it step-by-step: agents sell policies, handle renewals, and give general info. But when it comes to specific claims details (like rental cars or medical coverage), that's usually handled by claims specialists who know the ins and outs. Agents probably aren't trained deeply in claims specifics because that's not their main job. Frustrating? Sure... but probably not a conspiracy to keep us in the dark.
Fair point, but isn't it reasonable to expect agents to at least know the basics of how PIP kicks in after an accident? I mean, if they're selling us coverage, shouldn't they at least be able to clearly explain the general scenarios where it applies or doesn't? Not expecting them to handle detailed claims stuff, but c'mon... shouldn't they at least have enough info to help us avoid surprises later?
