AGENT NO-NO'S

Some agents have found that automotive glass replacement will actually supplement their income at the insureds expense.  This practice is unethical and is supposed to be non-existant in the insurance industry. The bad thing is when YOU let it happen it just increases the cost of glass replacement and also increases the insurance premiums, so who profits by this, certainly not the insured, how about the agent who recieves a "kickback" by directing you to a certain shop, or telling you that they have a shop who does all of their replacements, how about the shops who in turn overcharge for service so they can cover the "payout" for getting them the jobs.

Do not think that all insurance companies are like this, there are only a handfull and most of these are "low end", "multiple underwriters", although some are well known with the name of the State thrown in for good measure, another one implies that they have cover for you to duck into.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR AGENT IS UNETHICAL?

In the State Of Kentucky Automotive glass replacement is covered by FULL, or COMPREHENSIVE insurance.  This means that the insured will have NO DEDUCTIBLE or OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE for Glass replacement, this covers ALL GLASS (windshields, back glass, door glass, vent glass, sunroof glass).

ALL covered insureds have the RIGHT TO CHOOSE who THEY want to replace their glass.  An agent CAN NOT TELL YOU that THEY HAVE SOMEONE WHO DOES THEIR GLASS REPLACEMENT AND WILL SET IT UP FOR YOU, IF THEY TELL YOU THIS THEN YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT THE AGENT HAS HIS or HER HANDS IN THE MONEY GAME. Agents can not have contracts with ANY company to provide service so therefor they CAN NOT direct you to a specific shop, NOR CAN THEY set up a specific shop to do the work for you.  (most insureds believe that the agent has the right to do this, NOT SO, IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO REQUEST WHO DOES YOUR REPLACEMENT, (are you going to add this to the many rights that you have already given up? Are you going to allow the agent to profit from your loss?)

Most insurance companies now have "third party billing" which means that these companies dispatch work orders based on YOUR REQUEST for THE SHOP THAT YOU REQUEST. The best way to eliminate the "Hungry" agent is to call the number on your insurance card and ask for glass claims, if your card instructions say "call your agent to report damage first" then after you report your claim ask the agent for the telephone number to the glass claims reporting unit, then call them yourself to verify that your request of service shop was honored by your agent when they called. Now you have recovered your rights of choice and the agent has an empty pocket.