You don’t always have to go through one of the major insurance companies to get a good insurance plan. In fact, choosing to work with an independent insurance agent has many benefits, including competitive rates, one-on-one advice and attention and acting as a one-stop shop for different types of insurance.

If you have decided that an independent insurance agent is right for you, choosing which agent you want to work with can be a daunting task.

Before you decide to work with just any independent insurance agent, be sure to check out the top five ways to choose the perfect insurance agent for you:

1. Ask around: Your friends and family are some of the best resources when you want to find an insurance agent. They can give you unbiased referrals of auto, life and health insurance agents and can point you in the right direction to an insurance agent with great customer service and knowledge of the insurance world.

2. Take location into account: Ideally, your independent insurance agent’s office will be located close to where you live. You should be able to get in contact with your agent whenever you need to, and location plays a major role in the convenience of your insurance agent’s office.

3. Research: Visit each of your potential independent insurance agents’ websites to find out what services they offer, their history and credentials. A website can give you insight into an agent’s personality and style of working; make sure to choose the insurance agent you think would be a good fit with you.

4. Check their credentials: You should ideally hire an independent insurance agent who has been certified or accredited to do his or her job — usually, these agents will have letters following their name. Some certifications to look for are Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) or Associate in Risk Management (ARM).

5. Go with your gut: There’s no real way of knowing if an independent insurance agent is necessarily trustworthy during your first meeting, but usually you will be able to tell if someone has good intentions by speaking to him or her. Go with your gut feeling — don’t hire an independent insurance agent who uses pressing sales tactics with you. Learn more about this topic here: www.jfinsurance.net