A home insurance agent can be a lifeline when someone suddenly finds themselves without a home due to disasters such as earthquakes, fires, severe storms, tornados, hurricanes, and more. With nowhere to go and the realization that they are largely starting over, people need someone to step in and help bridge the gap. Being able to quickly find fully furnished temporary housing for these individuals is just one of the benefits to home insurance agents who partner with corporate housing providers.
What Corporate Housing Providers Do
The corporate housing industry is designed to primarily provide executives and business travelers overnight lodging for the duration of their work trips. However, corporate lodging has also become a valuable asset to the home insurance industry as they can quickly respond to the needs of policyholders whose homes are considered unsafe or uninhabitable.
Key Benefits to Home Insurance Agents Who Partner with Corporate Housing Providers
Insurance agents are crucial in helping renters and homeowners navigate coverage policies in the event that they have lost their home to some type of catastrophe. While their job is to inform policy owners of living expense coverage until a home can be restored, only a small percentage of agents take their dedication to policyholders a step further by collaborating with a corporate housing provider. And as they say, “One good turn deserves another.”
Some of the additional benefits to home insurance agents who partner with corporate housing providers are:
- Finding fully furnished and available housing in residential neighborhoods that can be move in ready relatively quickly. These spaces are often located in residential areas likely near your policyholder’s school or workplace. This enables them to maintain a sense of routine for themselves and their family, even without their home and personal belongings.
- Giving policyholders more space than what a hotel offers. Although hotels do provide a place to stay complete with a bed and bathroom, the rooms can feel cramped, especially for a family of four or more. Corporate housing generally consists of one to three bedrooms, laundry facilities in the apartment, a separate living area, dining area, and a full-sized kitchen which allows guests to spread out and still have some privacy.
- Providing inclusive housing to policyholders in their time of need. Each apartment comes fully furnished, including linens, towels, modern appliances, cookware, tableware, and more.
- Creating more business. Many insurance agents gain new policyholders based on the recommendations of current policyholders. By being an advocate for these individuals during their time of need and helping them quickly coordinate temporary housing, you will be building your reputation as someone a policyholder can trust when their world feels like it is crashing down.
- Referral fees. Home insurance agents can benefit further by working with a corporate housing provider that pays referral fees. In order to qualify for the referral fee, the stay must be longer than 30-days.
The Top 5 Reasons Your Policyholders Will Appreciate Corporate Housing Spaces
While it is true that a good corporate housing company can be an asset to homeowner’s insurance agents, it is designed to accommodate those needing a fully furnished temporary home. The top five reasons your policyholders will appreciate corporate housing includes:
- Pet friendly locations. Many homeowners have pets as a part of the family. While some hospitality industry options will not accept pets, corporate lodging companies have many properties that welcome pets so that they do not have to be separated from their owners during an already stressful time.
- The creature comforts of home. The trauma that can come with losing a home to a disaster can make the individuals left behind crave the comforts of home even more so. Corporate lodging provides the feeling of a home away from home with comfortable, tastefully decorated spaces.
- The ability to save money by cooking meals at home. Being misplaced from home does not have to mean missing out on homecooked meals. This type of lodging offers a full-sized kitchen with everything needed to prepare and enjoy a meal.
- Conveniences we all take for granted. Whether it’s a phone, a tablet or a laptop, Wi-Fi is a must to keep people connected, and corporate housing delivers as guests can take advantage of the free Wi-Fi during their stay. Utilities are also included in a guest’s stay, so they will not be required to make arrangements for those services.
- Access to additional perks. When your policyholders have been displaced, they will appreciate the opportunity to enjoy the additional perks of corporate housing, which typically includes a swimming pool and fitness center, and some properties offer a dog park, a playground, walking trails, and more.
What to Look for In a Corporate Housing Company
If you are a home insurance agent looking to align yourself with a corporate housing company, it is recommended to keep the following in mind to ensure you are making the best choice for your business and your policyholders’ futures:
Experience.
Look for a company that has years of experience in providing lodging for guests.
Reputation.
Choose a provider that has stellar reviews from previous policyholders as well as other home insurance agents and corporations who rely on their services.
Flexibility.
Verify that the company gives guests a certain degree of flexibility when it comes to extending their stays if need be.
Although there are many benefits to home insurance agents who partner with corporate housing providers, the primary one is helping policyholders find a fully furnished temporary home at a time when they need it most. That type of forethought and kindness is hard to put a price tag on.
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