A Look Behind The Scenes At Higgins Insurance

Fortunately, we do not have these concerns in our business of Insurance.  Our goal is to educate the consumer so that they feel very comfortable about their purchase decision, with the ultimate goal being peace of mind.How does this happen?  As an insurance brokerage, we are the conduit between the consumer (YOU) and the Insurance Companies.  The following are some of the daily activities that we thought you would be interested in hearing about, based on direct questions from our customers.​

What information is most important when determining rate?

Auto Insurance – Age of driver and if he/she completed a recognized driving course; Type of vehicle; Use of the vehicle; Claims and Infractions; Province and Territory the vehicle will be primarily operated in.  From this information we are able to get a quote from our Insurance Partners.  The colour RED does NOT impact your premium.

Home Insurance – Like Real Estate, Insurance premium today is determined by “Location, Location, Location.”  Companies today use complex algorithms to determine the likelihood of a claim event occurring.  Outside of the geographical location we would want to know: age of building, updates to key areas of the home, and replacement cost of the home.

How do you determine the “best” quote from multiple insurance companies?
At Higgins Insurance, we use software called Compuquote to compare the rates between the insurance companies we represent.  However, “best” doesn’t mean the “cheapest or lowest” rate.  By asking the right questions we are able to determine what companies will provide our clients with the optimal coverage and protection.  We will not sacrifice coverage for premium.

How does a claim get settled?

Most claims will go as follows:

1. Incident occurs where there is damage to property or individual named in a policy, and the insured contacts their broker.
2. Broker and client contact the insurance company’s claim centre to open a claim and speak with an adjuster.
3. The adjuster reviews the policy to confirm that the claim is covered by the policy
4. When confirmed, the adjuster and insured remain in contact until the conclusion of the claim.
5. The adjuster organizes ALL parties responsible to complete the claim and bring the client back to state they were in before the accident.  This can include repair, restoration, replacement, medical practitioners, recreation specialists, lawyers, and so on.
6. When the insured is FULLY satisfied, the claim is closed and the broker is advised by the insurance company that they have fulfilled their obligation of the policy.
7. Broker calls client to confirm, and answer any further questions they may have.
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In the event that a claim deviates from the above, your broker is there as an advocate for you and will work with the Insurance company to ensure you are satisfied with the resolution.