Most people believe that it doesn't really matter where they purchase insurance, when nothing could be further
from the truth. This widespread misconception is costly to consumers in more ways than one. In all likelihood, they
are paying higher premiums for coverage that does not adequately protect them and is not ideally suited to their
needs, and they may have an agent who is not working in their best interest. Self-education when purchasing
coverage is very important because insurance is a safety net protecting your loved ones and assets.
Currently, there are three sources for the purchase of insurance products- Captive, Direct and Independent
Insurance Agents:
from the truth. This widespread misconception is costly to consumers in more ways than one. In all likelihood, they
are paying higher premiums for coverage that does not adequately protect them and is not ideally suited to their
needs, and they may have an agent who is not working in their best interest. Self-education when purchasing
coverage is very important because insurance is a safety net protecting your loved ones and assets.
Currently, there are three sources for the purchase of insurance products- Captive, Direct and Independent
Insurance Agents:
- Captive Agents, by definition, are salespeople who work exclusively for one insurance carrier and are
obliged to sell only products offered by that company. Captive Agents are most often self-employed
business owners, with their local agency in a neighborhood. Allstate, Farm Bureau, and State Farm fall
under this classification.
- Direct Agents, a sub-group of Captive Agents, although licensed, are not "agents" in the traditional sense.
The Direct Agent approach uses telephone call center employees to explain and sell their single insurance
product. Direct Agents rarely operate out of neighborhood "brick and mortar" agencies with the majority of
their business being conducted through online transactions and correspondence. Geico and USAA fall
under this classification.
- Independent Insurance Agents represent an average of eight insurance companies. Trout Insurance of
Asheville is a locally owned Independent Insurance agency and our agents are not bound to any one
company, giving them the freedom and capability to actively compare insurance plans and programs offered
by several different companies. At Trout Insurance, our agents strive to ensure that we find the widest range
of coverage options available and secure the most competitive rates for our clients. We will work closely with
you to help determine your insurance needs and will review your coverage as you move into and begin to
plan for different phases of your life. Our agents are always happy to answer any questions you may have,
assist you with claims, or help you navigate the sometimes confusing and overwhelming world of insurance.
At Trout Insurance, our primary goal is to meet and exceed the expectations of our clients with an emphasis
on complete customer satisfaction.
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Why Work With An Independent Agent from
Trout Insurance
Trout Insurance
| Dave Trout 828.658.1472 |
| Christopher Smith 828.231.3047 |
| Ralph Redpath 828.275.3343 |
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| Trout Insurance is a full line insurance agency located in Asheville, NC. Trout Insurance offers life, health, disability, home and auto insurance for individuals as well as college funding and retirement planning. Christopher Smith, Dave Trout, Jan Trout and Ralph Redpath are independent insurance agents with Trout Insurance. Christopher Smith specializes in group health insurance, employee benefits, insurance needs for business owners, individual life insurance, short term health insurance, disability and critical illness insurance. Dave Trout specializes in life and disability insurance, retirement planning for individuals and businesses, commercial business insurance and college funding. Jan Trout specializes in individual health insurance. Ralph Redpath specializes in home and auto coverage. Web site design by Christopher Smith. Agency photo by Jason Sanford, Mountain Express. © 2010 Trout Insurance Corporation |