When you shop for insurance in Colorado, you'll quickly run into two very different kinds of agents: captive agents and independent agents. The difference between them has a direct, dollars-and-cents impact on your wallet.
What is a captive agent?
A captive agent works for one company and only that company. State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, and similar agencies are all captive. If you walk into a State Farm office and State Farm's rate for your home is twice the market average, the captive agent has only two options: sell you that overpriced policy, or send you out the door empty-handed.
What is an independent agent?
An independent agent — like Sells Insurance — represents you, not a single carrier. Cassondra has appointments with 60+ top-rated national and regional carriers and shops them simultaneously to find the right combination of price, coverage, and claims service.
Why this matters more in Colorado
Colorado's hail and wildfire exposure means carriers re-rate aggressively. The carrier that was cheapest two years ago may now be 40% more expensive than a competitor for the same risk. A captive agent can't do anything about that. An independent agent can simply move you to the new market leader at renewal — without you having to start the shopping process from scratch.
The bottom line
If you've been with the same captive carrier for more than three years and never had a market-wide comparison done, you are very likely overpaying. Cassondra runs a free comparison and tells you the truth — even if your current policy turns out to be competitive.
Sources
Rules, rates, underwriting practices, and market conditions can change. Consult the original source and your policy for current details.