Maybe it is just me, but in today’s world it feels like you can’t go a day without talking to somebody that works in “insurance.” You can probably think of at least two people that sell insurance in some capacity. That means that your relationship with your agent might be equally as important as the product that they offer. Relationships matter and they always will.

My wife and I recently bought a house. Our real estate agent was a long time friend of mine and our loan officer was one of my best friends. We already had established relationships that went back years but often times that might not be the case. So the real question is… How do you build a relationship with somebody that you may have never met in person and you might only talk a handful times a year? Here are a few thoughts that I have:

3 Things to look for in your insurance agent

1. Look for an agent who makes a solid first impression. First impressions are incredibly important even if it is just over email or the phone. We often base our entire perception on somebody based on the first 90 seconds of an interaction. Your agent needs to make a memorable and solid imprint on your relationship.

2. Look for an agent who is trustworthy and reliable. You want an insurance agent who is going to do what they say they are going to do. You need to know without a doubt that you can rely on them. When they tell you that your plan starts on July 1st, you want to know for a fact that if you blow your hand off shooting fireworks on the 4th of July that the hospital isn’t going to tell you that your insurance isn’t active.

3. Look for an agent who has integrity. Personally, I believe that integrity is an overlooked quality in our culture today. We live in a microwave society that wants things done quickly and easily, but nobody wants to work with the person that cuts corners. Insurance is an incredibly competitive industry, so keep your eyes peeled for the agent that looks like he or she is cutting corners. That could come back to bite you in the butt.

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How an agent builds trust with you

Many of you might be thinking, “Christian, how do you do this yourself?” Well thank you for asking. Here are a few of things that I try to do myself:

1. I send a quarterly newsletter to all my clients. This is just a short and sweet email with a small update on the industry, my life, and any news that is pertinent to my clients. I like to include pictures in this because I believe it allows people to see a little bit of my personality.

2. I try my best to relate with my clients. Thankfully, I have had a fairly good bill of health throughout my life so I can’t always relate with clients. But, I have experienced what it is like to go to the ER when you don’t have insurance. I know what it feels like to be anxious about how much a bill is going to cost and processing how you are going to pay for it because you can’t afford to pay it all right now. I’ve been confused about what my insurance plan covers and who is in network. I always try to be authentic and real with people because that is when people can relate with each person. We relate in the struggles much more than we do in the successes.

3. Hand written thank you’s. I believe that this is a lost art in 2022. Call me old fashioned, but I think that hand written thank you cards truly show a person that you value them. Many of my clients might read this and say “Christian, I’ve never gotten a thank you from you” and for that I am sorry. However, anytime somebody sends me a referral I try to write a hand written card to express my gratitude.

Relationship building at Apollo Insurance Group

The agents at Apollo, myself included, take our relationships with our clients seriously. We make a point to connect with our clients and stay in-tune with their lives so we can help them the way they deserve. If that level of care interests you, then reach out to us today to find out how we can help you.