"Over the past few years, millions of consumers across the country have watched insurance premiums for all kinds of coverage go up considerably, and certainly included in that group is their auto policies. Now, it seems that the federal government might move in to help consumers avoid paying quite so much for coverage as they do now, which could have a major impact on the industry as a whole. Insurance agents, therefore, might need to explain some coming changes to their clients - while also continuing to work closely with them to help them find discounts when they're eligible to receive them. Earlier this year, the Federal Insurance Office said that it would start looking into how affordable auto insurance is for the average American. This was prompted, in part, by the fact that as much as 15 percent of U.S. drivers do not have any such coverage despite the vast majority of states mandating it, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune. As such, the FIO is evaluating what it can do to ensure costs stay as low as possible for consumers while also guaranteeing insurers don't lose money. ""The Federal Insurance Office is evaluating [public input on home and auto insurance in particular] and looking to identify areas of consensus as we move to define affordability … in a reasonable manner,"" said Michael McRaith, the office's director, according to the newspaper. What does this mean for companies? Essentially, this could be a game-changer for the auto insurance industry, because in the past, the ability to regulate almost any insurer has been handled at the state level, the report said. Many insurance industry experts consequently say that they believe that an overarching federal control, with a little wiggle room for states, might be somewhat troubling for the sector down the road. The thing that many insurance agents have to keep in mind is that when it comes to keeping clients happy, customer service is often as much a part of the equation as simply finding ways to reduce their costs, if not more so. As such, striking the right balance between providing high-quality attention to a consumer's concerns and being able to find them the occasional discount will likely lead to increased customer retention and perhaps even new clients, as a result of positive word of mouth."