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One Reason AARP has Low Annual Dues
06-10-2011, 04:42 PM
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#1
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: South Texas~29N/98W Just West of Woman Hollering Creek
Posts: 6,671
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One Reason AARP has Low Annual Dues
I fell off my chair when reading this article in a recent issue (July 2011) of Consumers Reports.
Imagine how low AARP insurance/other products would be if they were not scooping up over half a billion dollars in "hidden fees." Sure they can say "It's not AARP who is getting the kickback, it's AARP Services, a different organization". Are you still an AARP fan?
Quote:
AARP Services, the for-profit arm of the nonprofit membership organization and a big player in affinity marketing, collected almost $657 million in royalty revenues from the sale of insurance and other products and services in 2009.
That means your premiums don't just pay the cost of your insurance. They also provide a subsidy to your association that averages 3 to 6 percent of premiums but can run as high as 29 percent. What do members get for that? In the 2003 study, about two-thirds were satisfied; the most common complaints were about premium increases, slow or inadequate claims settlement, and inadequate coverage.
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Insurance Deals, Consumer Reports
__________________
Part-Owner of Texas
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx
In dire need of: faster horses, younger woman, older whiskey, more money.
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06-10-2011, 04:44 PM
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#2
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: LaLa Land
Posts: 4,698
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Just another business trying to get your money. In the last 15 years they must have spent 1000 bucks sending me membership info.. No thanks!
__________________
Work is something you do to get enough $ so you don't have to....Me.
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06-10-2011, 04:52 PM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,003
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I wonder how much AARP and Hartford Insurance, who have some sort of sponsored relationship, spend spamming boards like this. Seems the mods are pulling the flush lever two or three times a month on a "new member" who signs up just to plug their producs. Odds are their Googlebots will see the references to AARP/Hartford on this thread and show up to sing their praises.
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Numbers is hard
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06-10-2011, 05:01 PM
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#4
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: South Texas~29N/98W Just West of Woman Hollering Creek
Posts: 6,671
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo
I wonder how much AARP and Hartford Insurance, who have some sort of sponsored relationship, spend spamming boards like this. Seems the mods are pulling the flush lever two or three times a month on a "new member" who signs up just to plug their producs. Odds are their Googlebots will see the references to AARP/Hartford on this thread and show up to sing their praises.
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So how much will ya be gettin' Googlebot?
Googlebot...I love it.
__________________
Part-Owner of Texas
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx
In dire need of: faster horses, younger woman, older whiskey, more money.
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06-10-2011, 05:12 PM
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#5
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Waimanalo, HI
Posts: 1,881
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeyd
Imagine how low AARP insurance/other products would be if they were not scooping up over half a billion dollars in "hidden fees."
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I don't understand this. The products would be lower without hidden fees?
In the many TV ads I see for AARP associated products, I also see disclaimers that AARP does not endorse the products. So I don't see any misrepresentation. As for the claims that AARP members get special discounts or some other preferential treatment, they're no different from other similar fluff, and anyone stupid enough to believe them deserves to be fleeced.
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Greg (retired in 2010 at age 68, state pension)
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06-10-2011, 06:10 PM
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#6
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gone traveling
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,375
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AARP uses all of their memberships as a lobbying basis with government. No thanks.
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06-10-2011, 06:21 PM
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#7
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: 5-sided building
Posts: 1,183
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Well, I signed up, and I'm still in my 30's! But all I wanted was their credit card. 5% cash back on all spending. Unfortunately, now I also get all of their left-leaning newsletters as well. The good part is that I have made hundreds of dollars from the card.
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06-10-2011, 07:45 PM
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#8
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: VA
Posts: 923
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AARP'S Medicare supplements are much more expensive than other companies in my state and I'm sure in most other states too. They also push their term-to-age-80 life insurance policies to people who are already in their 70's and most of these people think AARP is doing right by them, but don't even realize the policy terminates at 80 and think it's guaranteed forever just because it has the AARP name on it. If AARP really wanted to do what's best for their members, they would offer multiple products to get the lowest price for their consumers instead of slapping their name on a product and telling everyone it's the best. Bunch of garbage IMO....
__________________
Disclaimer - I am an independent insurance agent. If the above message contains insurance-related content, it is NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient depending on specific circumstances. Don't rely on it for any purpose. I do encourage you to consult an independent agent for insurance-related advice if you have a question that is specific in nature.
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06-10-2011, 07:59 PM
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#9
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 805
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(Shallow) we joined AARP to get free entrance to Arkansas Traveler (minor league baseball team) games on Sunday. For that perk, we put up with all the mailings which went straight to the recycling bin.
And, then - they discontinued that sponsorship this year. I contacted AARP, but got no satisfaction. They emailed back to say they had discontinued that offer. (We already knew that).
So, boooo, hissss.
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06-10-2011, 08:31 PM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 13,151
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 73ss454
Just another business trying to get your money!
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As is Consumer Reports. I wonder if anyone can name any "advocate organization" who isn't out for themselves as their number one goal and looking out for those they advocate for a distant second?
__________________
"I wasn't born blue blood. I was born blue-collar." John Wort Hannam
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06-10-2011, 08:47 PM
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#11
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: LaLa Land
Posts: 4,698
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Nope, they all suck! It's all about the buck.
__________________
Work is something you do to get enough $ so you don't have to....Me.
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06-10-2011, 08:53 PM
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeyd
Imagine how low AARP insurance/other products would be if they were not scooping up over half a billion dollars in "hidden fees."
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My fault.
I paid $19.95 for the alleged & oxymoronic "online driver safety course" and was so disgusted that I didn't even want to haggle for a refund.
So all those electrons went unused and were pure profit to be recycled for the next sucker student...
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Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."
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06-11-2011, 03:45 AM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,072
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It won't be long before you see a links on supermarket web sites trolling for prospects.... with a caption... what happens if you die from e. coli?? Are you prepared? Click this link to protect yourself of the ravages of e.coli! Of course a nice kick-back fee goes to the supermarket if the sale happens.
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06-11-2011, 06:33 AM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DFW
Posts: 2,016
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Does anyone belong to this org and if so, is it better than AARP? I heard a couple of radio ads for them but have never checked them out.
Member Discounts | AMAC, Inc.
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Resist much. Obey Little. . . . Ed Abbey
Disclaimer: My Posts are for my amusement only.
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06-11-2011, 01:05 PM
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#15
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,629
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregLee
As for the claims that AARP members get special discounts or some other preferential treatment, they're no different from other similar fluff, and anyone stupid enough to believe them deserves to be fleeced.
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I think people (even smart people) need to learn about stuff like this in order to avoid being fleeced, we're not born with this knowledge. I see the Consumer Reports article and the OP as useful tools that people can use to understand the game.
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06-11-2011, 01:57 PM
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#16
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 699
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HawkeyeNFO
Well, I signed up, and I'm still in my 30's! But all I wanted was their credit card. 5% cash back on all spending. Unfortunately, now I also get all of their left-leaning newsletters as well. The good part is that I have made hundreds of dollars from the card.
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That's 5% for the first 6 months, then 1% thereafter, right?
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06-11-2011, 11:38 PM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: irradiated - too close to the nuclear furnace
Posts: 1,294
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeyd
Are you still an AARP fan?
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I never was fan but I joined for the auto and home owners thru the Hartford's AARP program, rates were good. Then after rates rose year after year to an unacceptable level I found Amica (thanks to a co worker who also had no use for their left wing agenda) and I switched. Amica is a mutual company so you can opt for a dividend program. It costs a bit more but the dividend far exceeds the extra cost.
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06-12-2011, 01:27 PM
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#18
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: On a hill in the Pine Barrens
Posts: 9,682
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AARP has my vote. It's fashionable to tar and feather orgs as left-wing, but I just don't buy that.
To each his own. That is what freedom is about.
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06-12-2011, 01:44 PM
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#19
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: 5-sided building
Posts: 1,183
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Delawaredave5
That's 5% for the first 6 months, then 1% thereafter, right?
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Not exactly. After the first 6 month is up, I am cancelling the card, and Mrs NFO will sign up for one. After that 6 months, I'll sign up again. Once they stop giving us 5%, I'll use other credit cards. 1% cash back is not a very good amount these days.
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06-15-2011, 08:26 AM
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#20
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,633
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dgoldenz
AARP'S Medicare supplements are much more expensive than other companies in my state and I'm sure in most other states too. They also push their term-to-age-80 life insurance policies to people who are already in their 70's and most of these people think AARP is doing right by them, but don't even realize the policy terminates at 80 and think it's guaranteed forever just because it has the AARP name on it. If AARP really wanted to do what's best for their members, they would offer multiple products to get the lowest price for their consumers instead of slapping their name on a product and telling everyone it's the best. Bunch of garbage IMO....
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About 9 months before I became Medicare eligible I started getting flooded with solicitations for Medigap insurance. About half of these were from AARP. Now that my wife is within that window, it's her turn to fill the recycling bin with similar solicitations.
(For the record, I think Medigap insurance makes sense; we just don't need it because we are covered through a plan from a previous employer.)
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