It is often said that this is the age of the internet – the age of shopping online for practically any goods or services you may care to buy. If you are looking for insurance for your home or your motor car, for instance, there is certainly no shortage of nationwide insurers and price comparison sites etc. offering the cover that might seem to suit you, but could it benefit you more to buy insurance locally?

Think again?

It might be worth thinking again, however:

• does the nationwide provider / price comparison site really understand your particular needs and requirements;

• are you receiving a personal service provided by real people, from a location you know in your own home area;

• are your personal interests genuinely to the fore;

• are you offered discounts, special offers and promotions that help cut the cost of your insurance; and

• do you receive personal help and assistance in the event of a claim?

Local insurance

From our offices here in Whitstable in Kent at GSI Insurance we believe that we are able to offer you all of this and more by buying insurance locally.

We are local brokers, offering local insurance for local people. We know the area, we have an expertise and experience in understanding your particular insurance needs, yet with a network of working relationships with all the leading insurers to help ensure that we obtain the most competitive quotes for the cover you need.

Saving you money

But we go one step further in ensuring good value for money by offering discounts and promotions for local customers:

• if you live within a 25-mile radius of our local office, we undertake to match any like for like insurance quote you might have found on the internet – if we cannot beat that quote (and subject to some terms and conditions) we will give you a local shopping voucher to spend as you will;

• if you arrange more than one insurance policy with us, we offer an attractive discount on the premiums you pay for the second policy – subject to a certain minimum expenditure on premiums;

• further discounts are available if you refer a friend or member of your family; and

• special discounts are also offered to local employees (and retirees) of the civil service.

The benefits of using a local insurance broker

The British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) emphasises the fact that brokers are the agents of you, the customer – by offering cost effective insurance that is good value for money, they are looking after your interests and not the insurers’.

Your confidence and peace of mind may also come in the knowledge that an insurance broker is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The government sponsored Money Advice Service recommends the use of an insurance broker for all types of insurance – no matter how straight forward your needs may appear – by arranging better cover to meet your needs, at a competitive price.

Finally, local insurance brokers are available on the ‘phone to give you tailored help and advice when needed – something pure online insurance providers may not be able to do.