OT - Auto Insurance

Bill VA

Well-known Member
We've been with the same company for our car insurance for over 20 years. As my kids have come on our insurance, the price has skyrocketed - understand it is/would be higher.

Spoke to our agent about our coverage - updating it, i.e. dropping full coverage on a older car, but not much wiggle room - again understand.

As I said, been with this insurance company for 20+ years and probably the most desired benefit is an accident free/premium increase - earned for the time I've been a policy holder. Might come in handy with the new drivers in our house - knock on wood we wouldn't need it.

We've been ticket and accident free all this time.

What's got my goat is the agent was fairly snarky about our premium and didn't seem to interested in helping us fit the policy around our needs and potentially bring down the rates.

Soooooo - I'm window shopping.

Question is - which insurance company would you recommend from a cost and quality standpoint. Not necessarily looking for the lowest bidder, but do want a better deal than I've got now.

Thanks!
Bill
 
I have Travelers. Have never had a claim so I can't comment on that aspect. Three years ago I asked my agent if I could have a re-write of my policy and the agent told me she had never heard of a re-write. When she contacted Travelers they said they would do a re-write of my policy with the same exact coverage. When it was all said and done I saved $600. a year.

It might be worth your while to see if you can get a re write of your policy but keep in mind that the agent may balk at the idea because he will recieve a smaller commission on your policy.
 
My view is that a good agent is what's necessary. If anything, my agent is too laid back to suggest much of anything. But I'll take that any day over someone trying to sell me what they want to sell. I put him through his paces this past spring as I bought an umbrella policy,(long overdue) and that required adjusting all the regular policies to the same limit. This, right after replacing a vehicle, and just after changing policies! He did admit that he would be making less now!
 
I have Farm Bureau and they have been fine with reasonable rates have my farm policy and umbrella with them too so if something like an accident while pulling a farm wagon or trailer on the road then I won't have 2 different insurance companies involved.
 
That's a tough one. They're all crooks. I'm currently with progressive and only have liability as the newest vehicle I have is 1999. Recently I was hit by a hit and run driver which I got their license number and I called my local agent to ask them for advice in handling the situation and they wouldn't help me. For a fee they would handle it for me but refused to tell me what to do. I'm shopping too.
 
I've been with Farm Bureau for about 20 years.

Not sure how the regulations are for your state, but in Texas there is a minimum and maximum the insurers can charge. Farm Bureau can under cut the regular insurance by calling themselves a "private membership insurance". I have to buy a yearly membership, (about $40), be approved, then save a considerable amount, well below the other companies I have priced. The "approval" process is what keep the rates low. They won't insure someone with a bad driving record or criminal history.

Only claim I ever tried to make was a home owners claim when the neighbors tree fell on my privacy fence. The agent said it wouldn't meet deductible, so I fixed it and forgot about it. About a month later I got a check for $300-400! Still don't know how that happened, but I took it!
 
I shifted everything I've had, personal auto, business auto, homeowners, and general liability to Erie about 4 years ago.

I began looking when The Hartford, who held my homeowners policy, decided to get stupid by having an agent snooping around on my property without me present, nor even notifying me. I called around on that policy along, and found a local broker I liked. It's a husband and wife team, and they got me what I needed across the board, with better coverage than I had on everything, and saved me over $1000 a year.

So far we've had two accidents, one that was not our fault, and another where I hydroplaned into the car in front of me. They have handled everything without any problem. The only time I even had to talk to anyone, beyond calling my agent, was when the adjuster called to ask my side of the story on the hydroplaning accident.

I guess the moral of the story is shop around, and bundle everything with one company when possible. Both things can save you a fair amount of money in the end.
 
you really never know how they are until you file a claim or are in an accident, other than rates, and it is often very hard to shop rates unless you make sure the competing quotes are the same. Several years ago I did save a little by dropping medical coverage. I found that I was covered by my employer health insurance, and my liability would cover other vehicle occupants, and I rarely have a passenger that would not have health insurance coverage, so I take my chances and rarely have passengers aside from my immediate family. I also found that insurance companies seem to offer lower rates to start off, then raise each year, so it may be best to switch companies every couple years, although it is a major pain, unless you only have one or two policies. I had one agent that refused to help me reduce my rates, so she lost my business. They insured me under a farm and ranch type policy, and included coverage for farm employees (I do not employee anyone), so I insured with another company with a simple homeowner policy. There is such a thing as "insurance poor" and over insured in my mind, i.e. paying for coverage you can never use. I like to have sufficient coverage, but the chances of someone getting hurt on my posted property that I rarely have even so much as a visitor is nearly non-existent, so i will not insure against it if I can avoid it.
 
we shop for ins. every year and change about every two . ins is a big ripoff YOU have to shop around. why would you stay with a co. for 20 years???
 
I had All State for 30 years. Any claim I filed was a fight to get anything done.I now have Mendota for four years. The one claim I filed. They paid off fast. No fighting over it.I filed,they sent an adjuster out.Claim was settled in less than a month.
 
One thing also in wisc you not only need proof of insurance but also proof that you paid the bill . Got caught in iowa had all the paperwork for proof of insurance but didn't have proof that I paid it . My question what to you do when it's paid monthly out of checking account? What I do is pay once a year and have the clerk sign and date also keep the mutts vaccination papers too that's all in the glove box.
 
I have American Family for the vehicles and farm. They have been great to deal with but I have a great agent. He better be - he makes a nice chunk of change off of someone who never has a claim.
 
Bill I've been with Nationwide and Farm Bureau for about thirty years. And the auto potion was starting to eat me up. No tickets and a fender bender about fifteen years ago in a parking lot. And the premium was monstrous last year. And the new one just came in for the next period amd got evem worse. So, I pulled up USAA on the web and took a look. We just bought a new car, and USAA came in with a premium that had better coverage on both my vehicles fir about 60% of what Nationwide wanted.

The only drawback is that former service is required. But that can be you, your son, brother, dad, or meebe yer momma wore combat boots. Seriously, it's worth looking into......
 
I had Farm Bureau for a lot of years. This was for everything. I never had any big claims with them. Some small auto type stuff. The rates just kept creeping UP and UP. So I went shopping around. I switched everything over to State Farm 4 years ago. I saved over 30% for the exact same levels of coverage.

I now shop around every two years. I go to the current agent and have him give me his best rate for his recommended coverage. I then shop around. So far the Local State Farm agent has had the best deal. That was not the CHEAPEST but the best deal. His policy had a much lower deductible with a better total coverage. He was only $150 higher on a Complete farm/truck/home owner policy. So I went with him again.

I have found that the Loyalty/Renewal discounts really are just a smoke and mirrors trick to cover up higher rates to start with. So insurance is a generic commodity to me now. So whichever KNOWN company is the best buy is where I will be. The local Mutual companies have cheap rates but have crappy low coverage in my area so I run from them.
 
My folks have been on StateFarm for quite a long time!

When I started driving, about a fat year ago, I went on with their plan. Didn't affect them at all, other than a raise in price, which, of course makes sense.

They had a "SafeDriver" program thing, and if I did it (SUPER easy) and IF I maintain a B+ average in school, I am paying $50 a month to be insured. Personally, I think it is too much for what I am getting, and that is JUST protection for if I hit someone else. No coverage for the truck, or anything on my end.

Our opinion, it is just a $3000 truck. Much cheaper to just replace the truck, than paying $20 a month for insurance for who knows how long until I wreck, and they give me $1200 for it! :/

I am very happy with them... Think that they treat us well.

Bryce
 
IMHO Insurance is a scam. You pay and hope you never need it and when you do they either raise your rates or drop you. I have added it up and I would have been better not to ever had insurance of any kind. And I have had some pretty healthy claims. Another thing that bugs me is that it is required by law. But part of your auto premium is for uninsured motorist.......... go figure ...........

That said, my agent is a multi company agent. He shops for the best price for me. I see no reason to be loyal to anyone company because they will not be loyal to you if you have a claim they think is too high or too often.
 
Not know where you are ? but in Michigan there is a lower cost insurance available for educational employees. Meemic. Saved me several hundred $$ over Farm Bureau. Not an employee in the family ? ? deposit some savings $$ in their credit union EECU, and you qualify..
 
Stephen we were hit by a, um, driver from south of the border who disappeared after the accident investigation was complete. We had liability only and our insurance company told us it was up to us to find him. If we had full coverage the insurance company would help us out. Later I found out the law drug the guy back to Iowa from California but we were not notified.
 
I'll second what donjr and others said about USAA. If you've had any military service give them a call. (800) 531-8111.

I've been with USAA since 1963. They don't have agents, you deal directly with the home office. I've had nothing but helpful, friendly service in all these years. Don't think anyone can beat their premiums or service. Give them a call.
 
Anyone do anything with aarp? I dislike them as a whole but my wife maintains our cards since we are seniors. Wondering how their rates rank
 
I had liberty til I switch toe USAA and in doing so saved my self 50%. Had it not been for the saving I would still be with liberty
 
I have Auto-Owners for the vehicles, home, farm and umbrella insurance. Have had no issues.
 
We have Erie for home and farm , geico for auto. Rates were comparable to or a little lower than most but the couple times we did use it their service was perfect. But I think shopping is a must every few years.
 
We had Farm Bureau for about 30 years. Changed to Hartford thru AARP and saved about $800 per year.
No claims, so really don't know how they are to deal with in case of an accident.
 

I 2nd the agent is what makes or breaks a good insurance. I had Farm bureau for 20 years and had very good luck, reasonable rates and they were good on claims but their rates kept going up so I shopped around. I ended up with Shelter. The rates are cheaper and I've only had 1 claim but they paid off promptly. I have been with them for over 20 years. I tried going back to FB on house and farm but the new agent turned me off.
 
Bryce, Your experience is the same as mine. I have had State Farm for 30 years. When my kids got to driving age and we added some older $2500 vehicles for them to drive. It cost about $45 a month for liability. Did not bother with full coverage. Figured over the long haul it would be cheaper just to replace the beater car. Your calculations are spot on for how much you would get if you totaled your truck. The other thing to remember is that the totaled truck still has scrape value. If you have full coverage the insurance company gets the money to sell the car to the scrape yard. If you don't have full coverage you get the $300 for the car. So in the end you are only about $1000 ahead by having full coverage.
 
Check out Esurance. But I second the fellow who said you should be willing to shop around every couple of years regardless of who you have.
 
I was with same insurance people for over 20 years as well price up kept going up went shopping around
got a good price and went back to them, and they said they could drop a couple hundred still was more then new guy
but the fact i had to call them on this burned me up so i left and since then have found a company even
cheaper, they don't care, shop around on your home owners too.
 
In my case I got his license number and filed a police report. After a week I went and got a copy of the accident report and it listed the guys name and address as well as the insurance company he had. Of course the insurance company is trying to weezle out of paying the damages but it looks like they will pay most of it. The last wreck I was in where I was injured the insurance company got off with paying 40% which my lawyer got a big chunk of it.
 
I was with State farm for close to 50 years and tired of some of their hoops to jump thru.
I went with Progressive and am happy happy so far. I do not have an agent and do every thing online.
If you have a question they have a toll free # that is most helpful.
4 vehicles cost less than $600.00 a year. They have 2 business models. One uses agents and the other does not.
 
I'd go without insurance before dealing with AARP. And I'm not about to ruffle Kim's feathers by stating the obvious reasons. (Smile)
 
I had AAA when I lived in Michigan and they were good. Then switched to Metropolitan after moving to Georgia. They kept jacking up their prices, so I shopped around and got State Farm. They were by far cheaper than the others. A few years ago, I shopped around again and State Farm still won. The problem I came across with most of the others is that I have 2 Suburbans, 92 and 89, and a 1971 International half ton, and an 1965 International D1300 4x4 1-ton. The insurance companies are fine with the first 3 vehicles, but when they get to the 1965, they haven't a clue what to do. It's not in their "books." So I'm still with State Farm because they insure the 1965 no problem.
 
Kentucky Farm Bureau. But I second the agent. I've been with my guy since I was 16 and my parents had it then. But the owner was the only one to do business with back then. Currently I've got three vehicles(2 full coverage, one liability), $300k in farm liability, $200k on one house, $100k on another, $40k on another, and $20k on a barn. I pay about $364 a month and am well satisfied with where I live. Insurance is really high in east Kentucky and most of my friends don't know how I have such good rates. I don't know either but I'm not complaining.
 
I have had Allstate for over 30 years for auto and homeowners policies. They have been fine with me. Rates are competitive for the homeowners. Auto insurance is as low as I can expect it to be - I pay around $300 every 6 months for 2 cars. Basic liability, full tort, no frills. So far, no problem with claims on homeowners. I did have a couple of weather related claims over the last 20 years or so.
The ones that get me are those that send me ads saying that they will save me hundreds of dollars on my car insurance. They offer to save me more than I am paying. I asked one if that meant that they were going to send me a check every renewal?? They asked me what I meant. I told them that they offered to save me $800 a year on my $600 policy. Did that mean that they would send me a check for $200 every year if I took their insurance?
I did ask for quotes from one or two of them. Quotes were more than I was already paying. Then they started bugging me to buy their insurance. Finally had to get downright nasty with them to get them to leave me alone. ARGHHHHH!!!
 
I now have USAA, due to the fact I got a discount if I used them when I bought a new truck. Liked them so much that I changed my other cars to them. Was using Progessive.
My house and shops are with American Family, only because I have had two claims and they took care of them with no problem. So I am happy with both.
I know two people who were cancelled by State Farm and they had them for years. So years with a company don't mean squat.
 

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