… rather than going direct to an insurer.

1. Customer service – Although the majority of direct insurers will provide good customer service, due to the volume of calls, most of them will be based in a large contact centre so the chances of you speaking to the same adviser each time is very slim. However, R K Shipman is office based so you can get the same great service time and time again from the same person.

2. Personalised – Direct insurers tend to have scripts that they follow and quite often take call after call after call. R K Shipman uses some scripts, but we are not timed on our calls and are able to treat each customer as an individual.

3. The computer says no! – Direct insurers are only able to offer their own product, so this means that if the customer needs do not fit the criteria of the insurers product, then insurance would not be offered. However, R K Shipman now specialises in certain areas and we do their best to find an insurance to fit the customer’s needs (even if it means providing two separate policies).

4. Time Consuming – Taking point 3 into consideration, if the first insurance company is unable to help, then you would have to contact another company and so on. Brokers do all that for you, so you only need to give the details once which means more time for you.

5. Making sure you have the best time & time again –A direct insurer is only able to invite the current policy for renewal. Home insurance premiums generally increase over time, and unless you are prepared every year to contact each insurer again, the likelihood is that before long, you would be paying too much for your insurance. However, R K Shipman will look to re-broke your insurance each year to make sure that the deal we are offering you is the best one.

… rather than a comparison site.

1. Customer service – Sometime it’s nice not to speak to anybody when taking out insurance, because all the person wants to do is sell you something, however, some insurers only put the basic price on the site and you find that when you go through to their website, you have to add this, that and the other, and before you know it, the price is not any different to what you are paying. Brokers such as R K Shipman, believe in customer service, we want to give you the policy that suits your needs and will explain the features and benefits of each product.

2. Personalised – Comparison sites are very generic, the questions are nearly the same on each site however, if you miss a question out, you might end up not being insured correctly. R K Shipman will make sure that any policy taken suits your needs and covers your property.

3. The computer says no – The insurance companies that quote on comparison sites, ideally want simple properties to insure and are not looking for anything that is out of the ordinary. For example, if your property has flooded in the past 15 years, you are likely to find that you will not get any quotes. R K Shipman are a specialist broker and deal with insurers that are not on the comparison sites, so would be able to find a policy suitable for you.

4. Time consuming – Although Comparison sites were designed to help customers find a good deal by comparing a number of insurers together. They have now really gone into competition with each other. By offering toys and gimmicks they are incentivising you to use their site over a competitors – the reality is that to reach and explore the whole market you have to use a number of these sites. Or choose a broker. R K Shipman does not use gimmicks; instead we have a wealth of experience and knowledge which will get you the best deal and saves you time and money

5. Making sure that you have the best time & time again – Once you have used a Comparison Site, you are then in the hands of the insurer that you choose. You would be limited to only their policies and may find that at renewal, your premium increases. By using a broker such as R K Shipman, you have the knowledge that each year your insurance will be re-broked and you have the best deal that we can offer.

For help with your insurance/if you would like any further information on getting competitive home insurance for you main residence, holiday home, let property or your motor home, please call 0844 846 8298 or email insurance@rkshipman.co.uk.

R K Shipman are Trading Standards Approved which means you can ‘Buy With Confidence’ when purchasing your insurance through us.

R K Shipman are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority