Insurance can be purchased through an agent or in some cases directly from an insurer. There are pros and cons for each.

In general, there are two types of insurance agents:

• Independent agents — They are self-employed, represent several insurance companies and are paid commissions when they sell policies. An independent agent can buy you a policy from virtually any insurer offering coverage in your state.

• Exclusive agents — They represent only one insurance company and receive either a salary or they work on commission. Exclusive agents can sell you only policies offered by the insurers that employ them.

An independent agent may be more ideal for your needs, since he or she can choose a policy from a wide range of insurers, including a policy you found on your own from friends or online.

Or you may want to explore buying insurance directly from an insurer, without using an agent. A small percentage of insurers will let you do this, especially for auto insurance, and policy premiums tend to be lower.

To explore this option, use the web. For example, if you’re looking for car insurance, type “car insurance quotes + buying direct.” Just know that you’re on your own if a problem pops up down the road.

Using an insurance agent makes sense for many reasons:

• Legwork. Like a travel agent, an insurance agent can search for policies that meet your needs so you don’t have to.

• Answers. An agent can answer your questions about different policies before you make a purchase.

• Bulk discounts. Buying different types of policies such as auto, homeowner’s and life coverage from the same insurer and agent can result in discounts on your annual premiums.

• Policy breaks. An agent can tell you about any policy discounts that are available to you. For example, you may be eligible for an auto premium discounts for being a safe driver or a homeowner’s break for having a security system installed.

• Expedience. If after you purchase a policy you need to file a claim or get a claim paid, an agent can help streamline the process and expedite a resolution. While an agent can’t and won’t scream at their boss (the insurer) for you, they can make calls and pull strings at high levels to get your claim or other issues addressed.

• Review. Agents can review your policies to be sure there are no coverage gaps, that new policy rule-changes haven’t compromised your coverage, and that there is no wasteful coverage overlap.