Don't quote apples to apples

[Sepmre]

Hi,

What does " quote apple to apple" mean here? Could anyone please semplify the phrase below for me?

Thanks


Most insurance agents do a poor job of recommending coverage points. if you quote apples to apples you are relying on someone else's work and opening yourself up to a lawsuit for failing to make an appropriate product recommendation.

From the book "So You Want to Be an Insurance Agent"

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Here, the word "quote" means "price prediction" or "cost prediction."

A common cliche is "comparing apples to oranges," which means trying to compare two things that really can't be compared. So "apples to apples" probably means using someone else's quote for the same thing you're quoting.

That means that you should not rely on other people's (or companies') prediction of the cost of something. Instead, you should figure it out yourself.

That's how I read it. Let's see if anyone else reads it differently.

 

[SoothingDave]

The standard phrase is to be comparing "apples to oranges," that is, to be attempting to compare two things that are not the same.

This is a play on that, by talking about comparing "apples to apples," which would be similar.

 

[SoothingDave]

I think the point that is being made is to not simply just quote exactly what some other agent at another company quoted for a prospective customer. That agent may have quoted a certain liability figure for homeowner's insurance, for example, where you should use your own judgment and quote what you feel is the best coverage for the customer.

(Of course, that way the customer can't easily compare the two companies.)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thanks. Well put. That's what I meant.