William Penn Life, 2001 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2001-04-01 / 4. szám
Shopping for insurance 24/7/365 Tips for buying insurance over the Internet Secure vour future withaWPA tax-deferred annuity. &25% interest For more information about our annuity plans, contact your local WPA representative or our Home Office toll-free at 1-800-848-PENN. I from the Louisiana Dept, of Insurance The Internet is a great way to find information on just about any subject, including insurance. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Internet is that it is always open for business. You can use it 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, to find an insurance agent or company in your area, evaluate your insurance needs, compare insurance rates and even apply for insurance. When using the Internet to shop for insurance, you should follow the same steps you take when shopping for insurance the traditional way. Take time to evaluate your needs, gather several quotes and buy only the coverage you need, based on your research. There are, however, some specific things to consider when looking for insurance online. Since virtually anyone can put information on the Internet, it is crucial that you know who you are dealing with when transacting business online. In one case, a dishonest person set up a phony web site by using an official insurance company logo. A consumer, thinking he was dealing with a legitimate agent, filled out the online application, and included his credit card number. He later learned that the insurance company never received his application or his payment. You should also be careful in giving out personal information over the Internet. Look for the company's online privacy policy on its web site. If a policy is not posted, contact the company directly, and ask about it. If the company does not have a policy or its representative is reluctant to talk with you about it, think twice before doing business with that company. While the Internet provides access to information, products and services you need, it may also allow a company to collect personal information about you. Oftentimes the information collected by one company is shared with other companies without your knowledge. If you are concerned about privacy, let the company know you do not want your personal information disclosed. Before you buy insurance on the Internet, call your state's department of insurance. They can let you know if the agent or company you are about to do business with is licensed to sell insurance in your state of residence. Your state's department of insurance can also let you know if any complaints have been filed against an agent or company. [p[] Money Links For more information about shopping for insurance over the internet, contact your state’s department of insurance. To find your state’s DOI on the web, go to your search window, type in the name of your state followed by the words “department of insurance.” Your state’s DOI web site should appear on the resulting list. 4 William Peni Life. April 2001
