10 Essential FAQs to Add to Your Insurance Brokerage Website

Some businesses have a difficult time figuring out which FAQ would be best for their website. Others can’t seem to narrow the options down. In the insurance world, you’re likely on the latter side of this problem. There are so many questions that people have about insurance and how your brokerage works; how can you possibly narrow it down to the most important ones?

The truth? You really can’t. You have to simply choose the ones that you think are most relevant and useful, and once you’ve reached a point where the FAQs seem complete without being 20 pages long, invite people to contact you if they have any questions or concerns that weren’t addressed here. 

Yeah, it’s that simple. 

Of course, several people struggle with coming up with questions that are effective, educational, and not too “simple” or too complex for the audience to understand. That’s why we’ve created this guide as part of our series on the value and importance of FAQ pages. 

The FAQ page is one of the most-used self-service tools available today. Not only that but it can help you with more than customer service. A well-designed page can boost your marketing efforts and namely assist with improving SEO. Then there’s the sheer fact that 82% of consumers expect self-service options from the businesses that they work with, including professional services like insurance brokers. 

Today’s audience wants instant answers. They’ve been spoiled by the advances in technology that result in everyone having the world at their fingertips, in their pockets, and anywhere they go. Because of that, brands are fighting to keep up and one of the best ways that you can gain back some valuable ground is to brush up your FAQ page and make sure that it’s on point. 

People have expectations from the companies with which they do business. Those expectations will vary from one business to the next, but the access to quick, easy answers is something that cannot be overstated. An FAQ page is often one of the most overlooked resources on a website, but it can take you further than you may have anticipated when you do it right. 

First, let’s talk about how to set up your FAQ page and create a structure that’s easy to follow, and then we’ll look at 10 FAQs that your insurance brokerage can’t do without. 

Setting up your FAQ for success

Today’s companies need to take stock in all the knowledge and self-service options they’re providing to their audience. Often, in offering these solutions, they’re not well-planned or strategized, and that looks almost as clumsy as not offering them in the first place. Take the time to create a solid strategy for your self-service tools, including your FAQ page. 

Start by deciding whether you need a single page or multiple pages for your database. Some businesses want to start light and keep it simple and will divide topics onto a single page for the sake of brevity. Others will realize that the Q&A required of their business or industry is much too extensive for a single page. In this case, you can opt to create multiple pages that branch off the main page of general FAQs. 

Topics covered in insurance FAQs could include things like:

• Policy coverage Q&A
• Payments and premiums
• Q&A about your company specifically
• General insurance knowledge

The goal is to keep things organized and answer as many questions as you can to help your audience gain clarity in their insurance shopping. If you choose to do multiple pages, make sure that you have simple navigation and that getting back to the main page is easy, too. 

The more difficult you make it for people to find what they need, the less likely they are to keep looking. Even if you just have a single page of a dozen or so FAQs, having a Table of Contents or at least keeping them organized by topic will make it that much easier for people to find what they need. 

And now, let’s take a look at the 10 FAQs you can’t do without. 

10 FAQs all insurance brokers need

1. What type of insurance do you sell?

This might seem obvious, but that’s the point—you’re giving people easy answers here. Make sure that you use this to explain all the types of insurance that you offer, including any specialty coverage or policies they might not find everywhere. Those can be invaluable in many cases. Even if you just sell typical insurance products, though, you’ll want to list them here and make sure that you explain exactly what you offer. 

As a bonus, if you don’t sell a particular type of insurance and have a connection to someone that does, this is a great place for cross-promotion, too. You can also link to your coverage or insurance product pages from this answer, helping people dig deeper into your site and get that closer to converting to a customer. 

2. How do I know how much insurance I need?

This is a big question for people. Buying insurance can be tricky. There are so many variables involved, no matter which type of coverage is being discussed. By providing an answer to this question, you’ll be able to give people peace of mind. Granted, you won’t be able to just say that people need “X amount” of insurance, but you will be able to explain how to figure out how much coverage they need. Plus, you can use this opportunity to encourage them to work with your brokerage so that they don’t have to do the work themselves because you’ll handle it all. 

3. How much does [auto, life, home, etc.] insurance cost?

Here’s the million-dollar question, if there is just one, in the world of insurance. Everyone wants to know what they’re going to pay for insurance. Rarely do they realize that it depends on so many variables that there’s no way to do it than to get a custom quote. Sure, you can estimate and consider the national average, but you’ll also have to factor in your specific circumstances and other relevant details. That’s why it’s best to work with an insurance brokerage to ensure that you get the best coverage at the most affordable rate, no matter what type of insurance you need. 

See what we did there? That’s how you handle closing that question, and then invite them to contact you for more details or to get a quote of their own. 

4. Why do I need an insurance agent?

This is where you get to sell yourself. Also, note how we phrased it “WHY do I need an insurance agent?” and not just “do I?”—this doesn’t give people the option to not choose an agent. It just tells them that they need one, and here are the reasons why. Essentially, this is where you can tell them all the benefits of working with an insurance broker or agent and what it can do to make their shopping experience easier. You can also reassure them that you can take the complex details of insurance and make it simple for them to understand so they know what they’re buying. And the list goes on. 

5. Are you licensed to sell insurance in my state?

This is where you’ll want to list your professional credentials, including what kind of insurance you’re licensed to sell, which states you’re licensed in, and other details. If you have specialty licensing of any kind, be sure to share that, as well. People like knowing that they’re working with a reputable source. Plus, this gives you a chance to explain the value of licensing to your audience so that they don’t get duped by someone out there trying to take advantage of people. 

6. What are the minimum requirements for insurance?

There are different minimum requirements in every state for different types of insurance coverage. By providing those details on your FAQ page (such as the state requirements for car insurance in Ohio), you’ll be able to help people learn more about insurance while also ensuring that they get the coverage that they need. 

Make sure that you use this space to provide as much transparent information as you can about getting insurance coverage and then advise people that you can assist them along the way, creating a call-to-action right here in your FAQ. 

7. What’s the difference between an insurance broker and an insurance agent?

Insurance agents typically work for the insurance company, or as a representative of them. Brokers are independent workers who represent buyers and study the market to help clients get the best insurance products. Agents are typically reimbursed through a commission structure with the insurance company that they sell policies for. Brokers are also paid on commission from insurance companies, but they may also charge additional fees to customers which must be approved by each customer before the broker can collect. 

Agents can write policies and secure coverage for people. Brokers simply submit applications and take care of the paperwork and approval process for clients, with the policy underwriting and coverage approval being the responsibility of the insurance company that is providing the coverage. 

8. Do you charge a fee for your services?

This is an important question and one that’s relevant to brokers more than agents. Brokers and agents are both paid commissions by the insurance companies that they produce or secure policies for. Agents, however, do not charge any additional fees of their own to the insured (the customer). Brokers may have their own fees that are charged, but all customers must agree to those fees before a policy is secured on their behalf. 

Explain this to people so that they understand the process and include whether or not you charge any additional fees (and how you get paid, if not). 

9. Who will take care of the claims process?

People who are buying insurance are often 100 steps ahead—they want a good policy for coverage, but they also want to make sure that they’ll be taken care of for things like claims or incidents that may arise. As a broker, you can do a lot of the middleman work for them but advise them that ultimately the insurance company will be responsible for managing the claims process and keeping the insured informed along the way. Whether or not you have involvement, explain it all here, clearly, so that people know what to expect. 

10. Is insurance required by law?

This is important for educational purposes as much as to promote your products. People need to be informed of which types of insurance are required in their state, such as home insurance and a certain level of auto insurance coverage. You can tailor this specific question to your region or the types of insurance products that you work with to provide a more specific answer, too. The bottom line is that you’re giving people information and helping them maintain at least what is legally required in terms of insurance coverage. 

While you’re handling the policies, let Smith.ai handle the phones, chats, and more

You’re an insurance broker, not a receptionist. And yet, every single call and chat that comes in deserves dedicated attention. Since we haven’t perfected cloning yet, there’s no way that you can be expected to manage it all. You don’t have to, either, thanks to the dedicated virtual receptionists at Smith.ai. Our team of agents is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to field phone calls, live website chats, Facebook and SMS messages, and so much more. 

We know you’re busy, but you can’t compromise your customer support, and that’s where our partnership comes into play. When you hire us as the face of your brand, you’ll be able to trust that everything is handled while you’re handling business. We’ll even help you come up with a strategy to manage it all. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation to discuss how the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can field all your live chats, phone calls, and other communications so that you can focus on the insurance at hand. You’ll also find us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.