Buying insurance has never been easier. You can go online, click a few buttons, answer a few questions, pay with your credit card, and your insurance is taken care of. You’re covered in just a few minutes. Or are you?

The less your insurance company asks about you, the less they know about you.

Then when the unfortunate happens, the insurance company is going to want the details. All the details. All the questions you were never asked before you purchased a policy will be asked at the worst possible time: after an accident. And depending on your answers, you may find your fast, easy insurance policy isn’t there to protect you.

On the flip side, your insurance broker asks you those questions upfront to ensure you have the right coverage when you need it. They read over insurance policies and know about the fine print: the exclusions, the little things that could work against you.

The broker’s list of questions helps drill into your vehicle use and driving history, so you end up with a policy that is custom built for you and ensures, when it comes to a claim, there are no surprises. A broker will work in your best interest every time.

Recently a Toronto woman’s insurance claim was denied because of a small clause in her policy.

CTV News » Insurance Claim Denied after Car Used for Delivery

She was upfront and honest when she bought her insurance online. She told them she uses her van 30% of the time for business.

But according to the insurance company she failed to mention she uses her van to make deliveries. She would occasionally drop off items to customers’ homes, often times during her regular daily routine.

“No one ever asked me to clarify what my business use was,” she told CTV News. “I truly believed I had insurance at the time.”

Since she disclosed her van’s “business use,” she believed she had adequate coverage. But the insurance company has a small clause in the policy that excludes vehicles with “commercial plates, used for deliveries, carrying passengers for hire, renting to others or [used] as an emergency vehicle.”

Her reaction? “I was in shock because I didn’t think I did anything wrong.”

That’s the difficult thing with buying insurance on your own: either directly or simply online. You are not expected to know what exactly is needed for your unique driving circumstances. An insurance company has their best interest in mind. And customer service agents are paid by the company and are expected to keep claim levels low.

A broker works on your behalf. They ask those tough questions BEFORE a policy is purchased to ensure you, the client, are covered if the unfortunate happens. An insurance broker doesn’t make assumptions or take shortcuts when purchasing your insurance. You won’t have to second guess if the coverage is adequate for you, and in the end, there are no surprises.

Don’t be disappointed by a fast, easy insurance policy when you need it most. Do it once and do it right.

Talk to an insurance broker today.