Coverage

March 29, 2018

Why Local Agents Aren't Always the Best Option

Written by:
Kelly Klee Staff
Reviewed by:

Buying goods and services locally makes a lot of sense in many cases. When you choose gifts from a neighbor’s boutique, you’re helping to support her family. Fruits and vegetables from a farmer’s market are often tastier than those available at a supermarket chain. A realtor who specializes in selling a particular area will have insights into the school system and civic life that an outsider won’t.But local can also translate into lack of selection or expertise. A neighborhood cobbler may be able to repair the heel on your dress shoes, but can he make you a new pair of running shoes with customized arch support and cushioned springs in the heel?In the insurance realm, a local agent could be meeting the needs of the majority of her customers just fine. She may regularly give appropriate advice about deductible levels or suggest the correct additional coverages as her customer’s lives evolve. But there may be areas she is overlooking simply because she doesn’t know any better—either she doesn’t have the expertise to give the best advice or she doesn’t have access to the right types or levels of coverage because she only works with mass-market insurance companies.This is why, for high-net-worth individuals, a national insurance brokerage like Kelly Klee is usually a better choice. Kelly Klee was founded specifically to meet the needs of successful people who have more to protect. Our insurance knowledge is specialized and comprehensive, and our partnerships with some of the nation’s finest insurers allow us to offer multiple quotes from reliable, reputable companies that offer better coverage to those who need it.How might this matter? Say your net worth is $15 million and you get into a car accident that causes a serious neck injury to the other driver, who happens to be an orthodontist. That driver’s attorney does a bit of digging and finds out you have significant assets. They sue you for $10 million, and you are found to be liable. A local agent who has relationships with mass-market insurers can typically offer excess personal liability insurance only up to $2 million. That would leave you on the hook for the remaining $8 million, which would cut your net worth in half overnight. Kelly Klee, on the other hand, can offer personal liability limits of $50 million to $100 million.Another example: you hire a housekeeper who does a great job cleaning, but one day you see her discipline your child with a hard swat. So you fire her on the spot. She is angry and files a lawsuit claiming discrimination on your part. A typical agent might not have known that you needed employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), coverage that Kelly Klee recommends to anyone who employs household staff. With no EPLI, you would have to pay to defend yourself and would be responsible for any judgment issued against you. If you had EPLI, whether you were found guilty or not, you would be covered for the cost to defend yourself and for any judgment.While Kelly Klee can offer these and other advantages, we work hard to combine our national reach with a focus on the type of service that you might expect from a local agent. We don’t use call centers, and our clients are not known to us as policy numbers.Our Kelly Klee team members are highly trained insurance experts who will make it a point to get to know you. That’s how we ensure that your insurance will cover and protect what you value most. If you have collections of jewelry or memorabilia or wine, we’ll be sure it is properly valued. If you love boating with family and friends, we’ll make sure adequate liability limits are in place. By marrying our experience with a clear understanding of each of our clients’ unique situations, we find the right insurance solutions. That’s the Kelly Klee difference.*If you’d like to find out if Kelly Klee is the right insurance agency to meet your needs, please contact us at 844-885-1600 or email support@kellyklee.com to get a comprehensive overview of your needs and a no-obligation quote.

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