Let's Talk Home & Auto Insurance Companies

[Wrench]

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.

 

[expertwitness]

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]

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]

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.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

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.

 

[browning2480]

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.

 

[Beagle1]

USAA for 40 years.

 

[eddielasvegas]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Michael Rankin]

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]

Find a broker or two. NOT an agent. Let them work for you. It costs you nothing.

 

[wapitibob]

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.

 

[Roosterstraw]

How do you go about finding a broker?

 

[tony]

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.

 

[Michael Rankin]

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.

 

[Drenalin]

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.

 

[Dos Perros]

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.