MAIA Launches Web Site to Help Agents

The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents has launched a consumer web site at massauto.com that will help their independent auto insurance agents drum up business. They are also launching billboards and a radio campaign to turn the focus on the state’s 1,600 member independent agencies.

The state is going through a transition under the new insurance commissioner that will now welcome competitive rates. Before the state set the uniform rates for all of their auto insurance agencies, and therefore policyholders didn’t really have a need to shop around. However, with the new system they have a reason.

The ad campaign is an attempt to thwart the companies that will now be coming in with lower rates, such as Progressive Auto Insurance and GEICO, and thus luring customers away from the state’s independent agencies. The independent agencies are now in a position where they have to try and defend their market share as they enter this new era. They are currently holding about 80% of the auto insurance market in the state.

As of April 1st the new rates will go into effect, so the MAIA is really trying a pre-emptive strike on the state’s auto insurance customers. The campaign has two stages, one of which will run from January to April and remind people of the choices they can get with independent auto insurance agencies. The second will run from June to September and will show residents the other choices they have besides auto insurance, such as home or life.




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