Independent agents say they represent the best interests of the insured (even though in a legal sense, the agent is the representative of the insurer), while technically, brokers are supposed to represent the interests of the buyer–period. If either breed of producer accepts contingent commissions from an insurer, a potential conflict of interest is created.

For this column, we asked readers how to reconcile the inherent conflicts of contingent commission deals with a producer's ethical obligations to consumers.

One self-described "consumerist" sent a long quotation from an agent association Web page, discussing the advantages of using an independent agent–including labeling the agent as "a value hunter" offering "one-stop shopping" who will review coverage and update insurance as the buyer's consultant.