Let's Talk Home & Auto Insurance Companies

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
6,275
Location
WA
I tried to shop around this year and was told by more than one agent that I couldn't be quoted because I currently hold insurance. They were only writing new customers.
 
Joined
Apr 6, 2024
Messages
3
I tried to shop around this year and was told by more than one agent that I couldn't be quoted because I currently hold insurance. They were only writing new customers.
Possibly because carriers have begun limiting the amount of personal lines policies agents can write per month in certain states. Travelers is currently limiting agents to 3 policies per month here in Colorado. I can tell you personal lines agents are pretty stressed out right now with everyone shopping so it makes sense how they want to write new homeowners that aren’t going to leave over a couple hundred dollars. Many have ditched personal lines all together and moved towards commercial only.
 

NateO 77

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 5, 2017
Messages
118
Location
Stanwood Washington
Ask for quotes on your home and cars to see what discounts they can come up with. I also have found if I can pay the yearly fee on the auto insurance I can typically save another 10% after I find the best rates.
 

kfili

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 10, 2020
Messages
225
Location
VA
I'm adjacent to this world in my work- call a broker. Let them shop around for you and they will cover all the basis (if they're good)
On the usaa note- I have never heard of so many people so happy with an insurance company, I've gotten quotes for people less than 50% of a usaa quote and they still stuck with them because of how good they are when needed. Something to consider.
 
Joined
Apr 7, 2024
Messages
25
Great timing on this. Been meaning to shop around. AAA has raised my rates 3-500 the past 3 years now without a single claim. Time to switch.
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Messages
1,357
Location
NW Arkansas
USAA here. Like others have said, not the cheapest, but I have never worried about them when a claim was needed. They have always been great.
 

eddielasvegas

WKR & Chairman of the Rokslide Welcoming Committee
Classified Approved
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
3,698
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
How many of the USAA lovers have had a claim for a large amount, say $25k+?

If so, how long were you member when you made the claim? How much did your premiums go up after the claim? Did they drop you?

My thoughts, based on a single experience (with an an amount smaller than above), is that all insurance companies will drop you like a hot potato after they pay a large claim.

I'd like to hear if USAA is somehow different based on a number people's experiences.



Eddie
 

BluMtn

WKR
Joined
Nov 24, 2016
Messages
1,050
Location
Washington
Our insurance has been going up every 6 months. I ask the Agent what was going on and basic response was California and Mid-west claims is killing everybody else. I work in the crop insurance industry and know that my company is reducing their exposure in the mid-west because of the claims incurred because of the weather.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
16,168
Location
Colorado Springs
How many of the USAA lovers have had a claim for a large amount, say $25k+?
In 2012 we had a claim about that size from USAA. We had coverage for about 15 years before that. It was a hail claim. New roof (45 squares), gutters, and odds and ends around the place that were damaged. Ya, rates went up.....but that was because we had the Waldo Canyon fire in 2012, big hail storm in 2012, then the Black Forest fire in 2013. So three big events where billions were paid out. Everyone's rates went up around here and in CO in general. Add in the fire in Boulder recently and the rest of the fires, and then two new big hail storms in the area and there have been record payouts. The last 12 years in CO has seen more damage than probably the previous century combined.

Those two latest hail storms were back to back that hit pretty much the exact same area of the Springs. Many folks had just had their roof replaced when the next storm hit. So two big claims within a year of each other. Lots of folks lost their coverage after that with several different companies.
 

CorbLand

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
7,806
Been with State Farm for ~15 years. They have always treated me well. Only filed two claims, one for a tree branch that fell on my wife’s car and one totaled pickup. So far, no rate raises but the pickup has only been a month ago so we will see.
 

dog

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 26, 2018
Messages
251
Location
Seattle WA
A couple of years ago I was rear ended bad by a lady texting on her phone. Crumpled up my new f150 and hurt me. She was of course under insured which I had insurance for through allstate, a company I had been with without a claim for 33 years. The next six months were a nightmare dealing with them. I won’t go into all the crap allstate put us through during that time but what was shocking was how naive I had been thinking the 33 years I had been a good customer would account for something. We are now with usaa. Haven’t had a claim yet so can’t speak to that. On a side note, I ended up getting $2500. from allstate in a class action lawsuit. Seems they were treating a lot of other owners of f150s the same way. Made me feel a little better anyway.
 
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Messages
601
I just went through changing companies last year.

I was with Farmers for a long time. I got the car insurance renewal for my wife and I, and
It had gone way up.

I checked on my two home policies, and they had gone up significantly as well.

A broker was able to shop around, and get us new policies. On 2 vehicles, and 2 houses we saved $2900 per year with a slight improvement in coverage with Safeco insurance.
 

180ls1

WKR
Joined
Apr 19, 2020
Messages
1,163
Find a broker or two. NOT an agent. Let them work for you. It costs you nothing.
 

wapitibob

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
5,923
Location
Bend Oregon
We had Safeco for home/auto and the agent called me a month ago and said home ins was going up across the country and we needed to change. He put us in another company and we'll save $2,000/yr.
 

tony

WKR
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
1,008
Location
WV
I’ve been with Erie, just a guess 30 years.
One claim in those years, I hit a deer. Pretty smooth process, even lucked out the local good body shop is “Erie preferred“. They handled anything that might have come while fixing the truck.
My agent said Erie keeps rates low because they don’t advertise, no commercials, ads, etc.
 
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Messages
601
A couple of years ago I was rear ended bad by a lady texting on her phone. Crumpled up my new f150 and hurt me. She was of course under insured which I had insurance for through allstate, a company I had been with without a claim for 33 years. The next six months were a nightmare dealing with them. I won’t go into all the crap allstate put us through during that time but what was shocking was how naive I had been thinking the 33 years I had been a good customer would account for something. We are now with usaa. Haven’t had a claim yet so can’t speak to that. On a side note, I ended up getting $2500. from allstate in a class action lawsuit. Seems they were treating a lot of other owners of f150s the same way. Made me feel a little better anyway.
I had a nightmare experience with Farmers in 2020. In February 2020 a heroin junky in a 3/4 ton truck with no insurance fell asleep driving, and rear ended me at a stop light. He was probably going 40mph.

I had a 2 month old Toyota Tacoma. My policy had new car replacement. If your new car gets totaled, they pay the cost for a brand new replacement with same trim equipment. Sounds great!

The exact replacement truck was $42500

The first proposal sent over to me was for $30k, I blew a head gasket.

It took 3 months of absolute brain damage to get the amount they owed me. It was pretty obvious they were just trying to wear me out, but every time I talk to them on the phone it seem like I made $500-$1000 improvement in my position. I just kept chipping away until they paid me what they owed.

It was unbelievable

This definitely made it easy to switch companies.
 
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Drenalin

MKR
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Messages
3,016
I've had USAA auto insurance for somewhere around 20 years, and homeowner's insurance with them for 12 years or so. The few auto claims have been smoothly handled, including when my then-girlfriend totaled my six month old truck. I've only made one home claim, so I can't really speak much to how they perform there - they wouldn't cover it, and I wouldn't have either. I didn't even realize the rates were higher than some other insurers - frankly, I've been satisfied with the service enough (and the rates don't seem unreasonable) that I haven't bothered to shop around.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
6,317
Location
Lenexa, KS
I called my agent and asked her what the payout would be for all 4 vehicles we have insured, assuming they were totaled. She responded that it would be a market rate. I said yes, what is the market now? She couldn't or refused to tell me.
 
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