The best questions to ask an insurance agent cover what a policy excludes, how much coverage is enough, how your premium and deductible work, who helps you when you file a claim, and whether the agent is independent or captive. Buying insurance should feel like a step toward protecting your future, not another confusing item on your to-do list. Yet it’s easy to feel stuck when two quotes have different prices, unfamiliar terms, and coverage limits that seem impossible to compare. Whether you’re insuring your first car, reviewing your homeowners policy, or protecting a growing business, these 15 questions will help you understand your choices and recognize when a policy truly fits your needs.
Absolute Insurance Agency is an independent insurance agency in Clive that serves the Des Moines metro, including West Des Moines, Urbandale and Waukee. On Episode 9 of the Fully Covered podcast, President and CEO Jeff Eastvold and Vice President Dan Bell told host Mike Downer what separates a strong independent agency, and Dan named the questions he wants every client to ask before signing with any agency. Their answers appear throughout this list.
Why Do the Right Questions Matter Before You Buy Insurance?
The right questions matter because the lowest quote can hide a higher deductible, narrower protection, or limits that leave you paying more after a loss. A low price might look appealing, especially when you’re trying to keep household expenses manageable, but insurance prices tell only part of the story.
Asking first means you leave the conversation knowing what your policy covers, what it doesn’t, and what you’ll owe after a loss. You don’t need to become an expert. You just need someone willing to explain the details, because, as Dan put it on the episode, “People are looking at price.” The questions below look past it.
What Should You Ask About Your Insurance Coverage?
Ask about coverage before you compare prices, because these first four questions reveal whether a policy protects the things that matter most to you.
1. What Types of Insurance Coverage Do I Actually Need?
Your needs depend on what you own, the people who rely on you, and the risks you face. A first-time driver may need liability, collision, and comprehensive auto coverage. A homeowner may need protection for the building, belongings, personal liability, and additional living expenses after a covered loss.
Ask your agent to separate required coverage from optional protection. Focus on risks you couldn’t comfortably pay for yourself.
2. What Does My Insurance Policy Exclude?
An exclusion identifies a situation or loss that a policy doesn’t cover. You might have homeowners insurance and still lack protection against certain types of water damage. FEMA notes that most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, which typically requires a separate flood policy.
Good questions to ask a home insurance agent start with sewer backup, wear and tear, and any special wind or hail provisions. Have the agent explain the policy language and the ways to address important gaps.
3. How Much Insurance Coverage Is Enough?
Coverage limits are the maximum amounts an insurer may pay for a covered claim, subject to policy terms. For a home, the cost to rebuild matters more than the price someone might pay to buy it. For auto insurance, state-required liability limits may not be enough to cover a major accident.
Ask your agent how the recommended limits were calculated. Discuss belongings, financial obligations, and possible umbrella liability coverage. Ask for clear reasons behind each limit.
4. What Happens If My Coverage Limits Are Too Low?
When a covered loss exceeds your policy limit, you may have to pay the difference. For example, a serious auto accident could leave you personally responsible for liability costs beyond your coverage.
Also ask about actual cash value versus replacement cost. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners explains that actual cash value accounts for depreciation, while replacement cost generally uses the cost of comparable repair or replacement, subject to the policy.
What Should You Ask About Insurance Costs and Discounts?
Ask how the price is built, because a reasonable premium matters only when you know what you’re paying for, and these questions make price comparisons useful.
5. How Is My Insurance Premium Calculated?
Insurers consider different factors depending on the policy. Auto rates may reflect driving history, vehicle characteristics, location, and coverage choices. Home rates can reflect rebuilding costs, the property’s condition, local risks, and claims history.
Ask which factors have the biggest impact on your quote and which ones you can influence. Maybe a different deductible would help, or perhaps another insurer evaluates your situation more favorably.
6. How Does My Deductible Affect My Premium?
A deductible is the amount you’re responsible for on a covered claim before the insurer pays its share. Choosing a higher deductible often lowers your premium, but it also increases what you could owe after a loss.
For example, moving from a $1,000 deductible to $2,500 might reduce your annual cost. Make sure you can afford that difference. Ask your agent to show the premium difference and explain whether separate wind or hail deductibles apply.
7. What Insurance Discounts Am I Eligible For?
Discounts vary by company and policy. Depending on the insurer, you might qualify for savings related to home security features, safe driving, multiple vehicles, or payment arrangements.
Rather than assuming the quoted price includes everything available, ask your agent to review your eligibility. Also find out whether a discount is temporary or depends on maintaining a particular status.
8. Can Bundling My Insurance Policies Save Me Money?
Combining home and auto coverage with one insurer may qualify you for a multipolicy discount. However, a bundle isn’t automatically the least expensive choice.
Ask to see the combined annual cost. Sometimes placing your home with one company and your vehicle with another is the better fit. Compare prices, deductibles, limits, and protection before deciding.
What Should You Ask About Claims and Ongoing Support?
Ask about claims before you buy, because insurance matters most when something goes wrong, and you’ll want to know who helps you before you need them. On the episode, Dan listed the questions he wants every new client to ask: “Who do we contact if we need to change vehicles or get an ID card? What happens at the time of a claim? Who do we reach out to?”
9. What Should I Expect When Filing an Insurance Claim?
Ask how to report damage, what evidence to collect, and whether there are deadlines for submitting information. Depending on the situation, the insurer may request photographs, receipts, estimates, or a statement describing what happened.
It also helps to understand who evaluates the claim and when the deductible applies. Your agent can explain the general process, but the insurer determines coverage and payment under your policy.
10. Who Will Help Me If I Have Questions About a Claim?
After an accident, you don’t want to chase answers. Ask whether you can contact your agent for guidance and who handles claim decisions.
An agent may help you report the loss, explain documents, and connect you with the insurer’s claims team. The claims adjuster typically investigates damage and evaluates payment.
Losses often happen after hours, so Dan suggested asking which phone apps your insurer offers for self-service, and which changes your agent would prefer to make with you. “Now, you can always call the agent, and we can direct you 100 percent,” he said.
11. How Often Should I Review or Update My Policy?
At a minimum, review your coverage around renewal and whenever something significant changes. Buying a vehicle, renovating a home, adding a driver, or expanding a business can all affect your insurance needs.
Ask whether your agent offers regular reviews or contacts you when important options change. If you’ve purchased expensive equipment, started renting out property, or made major improvements, speak up instead of assuming the existing policy automatically adjusts.
What Should You Ask Before Choosing an Insurance Agent?
Ask about the agent’s options, advice and service, because knowing what to look for in an insurance agent is just as important as understanding a policy, and these final four questions cover it.
12. Are You an Independent or Captive Insurance Agent?
A captive agent primarily represents one insurer, while an independent agent can work with multiple companies. Neither model guarantees a better policy, but the difference affects the options an agent can offer.
When deciding how to choose an insurance agent, ask which insurers the agency represents and whether it can revisit those choices at renewal. That flexibility is one reason some households choose an independent insurance agency instead of buying insurance online.
13. Can You Compare Quotes From Multiple Companies?
Two quotes aren’t comparable simply because both say “homeowners insurance.” One may include different roof settlement terms, liability limits, or endorsements. An auto quote might have a larger deductible or omit optional protection that another includes.
Ask your agent to walk through a side-by-side comparison. If one option costs less, find out exactly what changes.
It is also fair to ask how the agency chooses the insurers it offers. Jeff said Absolute looks for carriers that are competitive, carry strong AM Best ratings, and pay their claims. “We’re not going to sell policies for a carrier that isn’t taking care of their claims,” he said. AM Best’s ratings weigh balance sheet strength, operating performance, business profile, and enterprise risk management.
14. How Do You Identify Gaps in My Existing Coverage?
Bring your current declarations pages and describe how you use your home, vehicles, or business property. Your agent should ask follow-up questions, not simply copy the limits from your previous policy.
For Iowa homeowners, it’s worth discussing storm damage, roof coverage, water backup, and any changes to rebuilding costs. The Iowa Insurance Division also encourages consumers to discuss coverage for items or risks that standard homeowners policies may not address.
15. How Will You Support Me After I Buy a Policy?
Your relationship with an agent shouldn’t end the day you pay your first premium. Ask how to request policy changes, who responds to questions, and what happens if your renewal price jumps.
Find out whether you’ll have a consistent point of contact and how the agency handles urgent requests. At Absolute, Jeff said, “the agent who sells the policy is still mostly doing a lot of the service work and re-rating,” and the agency works to keep turnover low so those relationships last. Being available, explaining changes, and revisiting your choices are part of what makes a good insurance agent.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Buying Insurance?
The most common mistake is comparing premiums without comparing what’s included. A cheaper policy might shift more risk onto you through a higher deductible or narrower coverage. Another is assuming that every type of water damage, storm loss, or personal property is automatically insured.
People also forget to report changes that could affect their policies, such as a new household driver or using a home for business. Finally, some buyers skip the paperwork because the quote looked straightforward. Before you sign, review the declarations page, endorsements, limits, and exclusions. Ask for explanations of anything unclear.
How Does an Independent Insurance Agent Make Buying Coverage Easier?
An independent agent makes buying coverage easier by organizing options from several insurance companies and explaining differences that aren’t obvious from the premium alone. Comparing insurers on your own can mean sorting through unfamiliar terms and repeating the same information several times.
Dan described the difference as relationship versus transaction. “We want to understand your situation, your needs, and your budget, and tailor a plan that’s appropriate for you,” he said. Jeff and Dan explain the rest in our summary of how the best independent insurance agents in Des Moines work.
For Des Moines-area homeowners and drivers, that might mean reviewing storm-related coverage, checking liability limits, or exploring alternatives after a renewal increase. Keep your list of questions to ask an insurance agent nearby, but pay attention to the answers, too. You deserve clear explanations, realistic expectations, and recommendations that make sense for your life.
Who Can Answer Your Insurance Questions in the Des Moines Area?
Absolute Insurance Agency in Clive can, and its agents compare options from multiple carriers for households and businesses across the Des Moines metro. Maybe your premium keeps rising. Maybe you’re buying your first home, or you’ve had the same policy for years and aren’t sure what it covers anymore. Those are good reasons to ask for help, not reasons to feel embarrassed.
At Absolute Insurance Agency, we believe insurance should make sense before you need it. We take time to understand what’s important to you, discuss coverage, explain the trade-offs, and help you choose confidently, without pressure to buy something you don’t need.
Contact Absolute Insurance Agency to review your current coverage and ask your questions, or request a quote online. Let’s make sure the protection you’re paying for fits the life you’re building.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Questions Should I Ask an Insurance Agent?
Ask what the policy covers and excludes, how the limits were chosen, how the premium and deductible work, who helps you at claim time, and which insurers the agent can offer.
What Should I Bring When Meeting With an Insurance Agent?
Bring current policy declarations pages, vehicle or property details, and a list of changes since your last review. Include your main questions and concerns.
Is It Better to Buy Insurance Online or Through an Agent?
Online shopping can be convenient for straightforward purchases. An agent can help explain exclusions, compare coverage, and discuss complicated needs. The better choice depends on how much guidance you want.
Can an Insurance Agent Help If I Already Have Insurance?
Yes. An agent can review your existing coverage, compare available alternatives, and suggest changes if your needs have shifted.
Can I Switch Insurance Companies Before My Policy Expires?
Ask your agent and your current insurer before you switch, because cancellation terms and fees vary by policy. Make sure the new policy begins before the old one ends, so there is no gap in protection.
Do Independent Insurance Agents Charge Extra Fees?
Fees vary by agency and policy. Some agents earn commissions from insurers. Ask whether you will pay any separate agency or service fees before purchasing.
When Should I Shop for Insurance Before Renewal?
Start several weeks before your renewal date when possible. That allows time to compare coverage and prevent a lapse.
What Is the Biggest Red Flag When Choosing an Insurance Agent?
Be cautious if an agent avoids questions, cannot explain exclusions, or pressures you to buy immediately. Get clear answers before agreeing to anything.