Help Center

No. We're an independent insurance agency. We hold appointments with insurance carriers and place your coverage with the one that fits you best. The carrier issues the policy and pays the claims; we handle everything else.

Yes. SmartRate LLC is a licensed insurance producer in Illinois, Maryland and Virginia. Our license number appears in the footer of every page, and you can verify it directly with the Illinois Department of Insurance or with any state's regulator.

We access 40+ national and regional carriers through the First Connect agency network, covering standard, preferred, non-standard, and specialty markets. Which carriers apply to you depends on your state, your history, and what you're insuring. We list every carrier that quoted you when we send your comparison.

Illinois, Maryland and Virginia, with more states in progress. If you're somewhere else, call and ask — we may already be licensed where you are, and if we aren't we'll tell you straight rather than waste your afternoon.

No. Most of the people we quote don't switch, and we'd rather tell you that you already have a good deal than move you for no reason. Nothing changes on your current policy unless you tell us in writing to go ahead.

No. Insurance carriers use a soft inquiry, which does not affect your credit score and is not visible to lenders. You can shop as often as you like without any credit consequence.

Call or email and say so — that's it, and there's no cancellation fee or contract with us. We'll transfer servicing wherever you want it and send you everything you need. One important thing: never simply stop paying. That lapses your coverage, and a lapse follows you for years and raises what every carrier charges you afterward. Tell us instead and we'll do it properly.

Auto and renters, same day. Home takes a day or two because carriers pull property and inspection data. Business coverage depends on the operation — some come back in hours, others take a few days.

For auto: drivers' license numbers, dates of birth, and the year, make, and model of each vehicle. For home: the address and a few details about the roof, systems, and any recent claims. If you have a current policy, sending the declarations page is the fastest path — it has almost everything we need.

Often, yes. If you need proof of insurance before you leave a dealership or close on a house, tell us that up front and we'll prioritize carriers that can bind and issue immediately.

Your information goes to the carriers we quote and to the vendors that run this website — nowhere else. We do not sell, share, or resell your details to lead buyers, marketers, or other agents. That is the whole point of working with an independent agent instead of a comparison site.

That's the conversation, not the form. We look at what you own, what you'd have to replace, and what you could be sued for, then recommend limits that match. We'll tell you when a cheaper option leaves you exposed.

Your carrier will send confirmation and policy documents, usually by email within a few days. We'll send your ID cards right away so you have proof of coverage immediately. If you switched, we handle canceling the old policy.

ID cards and binders come to you the day coverage starts. The full policy packet typically arrives from the carrier within seven to ten days by email or mail, depending on your preference.

Call or email and we'll send it within the hour during business hours. Same for a certificate of insurance if a job site, lender, or landlord is asking for one.

Tell us what changed — a new vehicle, a new address, adding or removing a driver, raising a limit — and we'll handle the paperwork with the carrier and confirm when it's effective.

Most carriers provide an online account where you can view documents and make payments. We'll set that up with you, and you can always call us instead.

You pay the carrier directly — monthly, in installments, or in full. Paying in full earns a discount — ask us what it is on your policy, it is usually worth more than people expect. If your home insurance is escrowed, your mortgage company pays it out of your escrow account.

Call us first. We'll sort it out, or get the carrier on the line with you rather than leaving you to navigate their phone system alone.

Your mortgage servicer collects the premium as part of your monthly payment and pays the carrier when it's due. When you switch carriers, we send the new policy information to your servicer so the payment goes to the right place.

The carrier issues a notice of cancellation with a deadline to pay. Call us the moment you get one — a lapse in coverage raises your rates for years and it's almost always fixable if you act quickly.

Call us first. We'll tell you what the carrier will ask for, file it with you, and follow it until it's settled. You can also file directly with the carrier — but call us either way so we can stay on top of it.

Us. We know your policy, we know what's covered, and we can tell you whether filing is even in your interest before you start the process.

It can, depending on the type of claim, who was at fault, and your history. For small losses close to your deductible it's sometimes not worth filing. We'll walk through that math with you before you decide.

Carriers can decline to renew after repeated claims, though a single claim rarely triggers it. If it happens, we re-shop you across the rest of our carriers before your coverage ends.

Yes. We prepare the cancellation request and coordinate the effective date so your new coverage starts the moment the old one ends. You don't manage two policies and you never have a gap.

The previous carrier sends written confirmation. We follow up until we have it, then send you a copy for your records.

If you paid ahead, yes — the carrier refunds the unused premium, usually within two to four weeks. If you were on monthly billing, payments simply stop.

No. The new policy is written to start the same day the old one ends. Never cancel an existing policy before the replacement is confirmed in writing.

Nothing. Coverage renews automatically. We review it beforehand and reach out if there's something worth changing.

Yes. We check your renewal against the rest of our carriers before it takes effect. If something better is available, you'll hear from us with the numbers.

Carriers file rate increases across an entire state based on their overall loss experience, repair costs, and weather. It often has nothing to do with you specifically. That's exactly the moment to shop it, and it's why we do it for you automatically.

Within the hour during business hours. Send us the requirements from the job site or the contract and we'll issue it correctly the first time.

It extends your liability coverage to protect them for claims arising out of your work. It's a standard request on most job sites. Send us the contract language and we'll add the right endorsement.

If you have employees, almost certainly yes — Illinois requires it from the first employee, with narrow exceptions. Penalties for going without are severe. Call us and we'll confirm where you stand.

Some commercial policies are priced on estimated payroll or sales, then audited at the end of the term against actual figures. If the estimate was low, you owe the difference. We set the estimates realistically up front so the audit doesn't produce a surprise bill.