Life With Brian

As a client, I’ve been “married” to my State Farm agent for more than 15 years, ever since our family bought our rancher in the little town of Yardley, Pa.

Every year, my agent Megan McShea has served me and my family ably and honorably. Megan, or someone in her office, reviews our policies, suggests shifting coverage when needed, like getting rid of collision coverage when cars have no more value.

For sure, we’re “low-maintenance” clients. We renew our very basic auto and umbrella policies every year and those payments go into Megan’s office every month like clockwork. We’ve never filed a claim.

The only damage we sustained a couple years back was to our 12-year-old Honda Civic and the other party’s insurer paid us.

More than a year ago, my little Fiat 500 sustained body damage under the passenger door after I hit a curb.

In truth, I was too lazy to file the claim and deal with Megan’s office, not that her service is bad. Far from it.

There’s at least $1,500 worth of damage, so I’m told from the auto dealer. In any event, it’s too late to file the claim for damage that happened 15 months ago. Why go through the claim filing hassle only to risk higher auto premiums in the future?

That’s partly why we have a spotless auto claim history. As I say, we’re about as low maintenance as it gets.

But now there’s a new man in my life. His name is Brian and he’s just started his own agency for State Farm’s archcompetitor Allstate.

Brian’s daughter and my daughter play for the same soccer team so I have a weekly touchpoint with Brian and his family that Megan can’t match.

My Megan has some competition.

Nothing’s happened between me and Brian, you understand.

I’ve only sent him some declarations pages to see if he could match Megan’s prices, which he couldn’t – at least not for the time being – though I think they are just a few bucks apart and immaterial in the scheme of things.

Megan’s literally down the street, while Brian’s office is located in the town next door, a 10-minute drive away.

But Brian, handsome and lean fellow that he is, was previously working for a bank and has an asset management background that may serve me in the future for my life insurance needs.
Besides, he’s got plenty of colleagues with life insurance background.

Yes, I’m sure Megan can serve my future life insurance and asset management needs with the help of a State Farm colleague.

Both State Farm and Allstate will protect me and my family at a rate I can afford. The agents aren’t the problem.

I’m the problem. Am I prepared to leave Megan for Brian?

I don’t know.

Maybe I’ll enjoy them both: Stay married to Megan for property, and enter into a new relationship with Brian for life.

Thinking about it.

Bi for now.

InsuranceNewsNet Senior Writer Cyril Tuohy has covered the financial services industry for more than 15 years. Cyril may be reached at cyril.tuohy@innfeedback.com.
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