Hopefully there's no one as dumb as me here...

[NW-Bound]

Presumably you don't want insurers to feel that way about you when you are 80, though! "Driving while old" is a topic I haven't seen anyone on the board address - except in terms of their parents - but we are all going to get there unless we die first!

Amethyst

When I get to 80, I expect to be driving less than my mother does now. Both my wife and I only leave the home when we need to. We do not look for excuses to get out, like my mom. We already drive less than she does now, except for RV'in trips, of course.

She is a careful driver, but I am afraid her driving skill is deteriorating. Whenever I visit her, I see more and more scrape marks on the corners of her car. My brothers have the same concern.

We try to nudge her towards driving only when necessary, but she is an extrovert, and likes to go out to visit, or go shopping.

One interesting thing I learned from her was that when my father passed away, her insurance premium went up. She called her carrier, and they told her that statistics showed that widows drove more than a couple. Probably true for widowers too, I guess.

 

[clifp]

My insurance story is a bit different. My Allstate agent called and said that they had good deals on car insurance, so I said sure give me a quote. The quote came back and they were still higher than quite a bit higher than Geico (Berkshire shareholder get a discount with Geico). After going through some discussion, he suggested I lower some coverage so I did.

This prompted me to call Geico and see if they could get me a better deal on home owners, sadly they wouldn't insure my home too old.

I just checked my car insurance vs Progressive $325/year vs Geico $221.

 

[Dreamer]

We have been with State Farm over 20 years also. We have always been pleased with their service. I have thought about doing some comparisons, but wanted to wait until after March 2012, which will be over 5 years from my only at fault accident.

My SIL was involved in an accident that was not his fault, but the Police Officer did not decide who was at fault. My SIL at the time was around 19 or 20 and the other person was an older male who was driving a truck for a living. I have a feeling that the PO gave the trucker a break. Luckily, no one was hurt. My SIL had liability only and State Farm would not go to bat for him. The other ins co would not pay, since a determination of fault was not made. I have been afraid to drop collision and comp on our older cars due to this.

 

[clifp]

Now my turn to feel stupid

There was an article a couple of month ago in the WSJ about cable operators being pretty aggressive about dropping prices to retain customers. Last I tried a couple of years ago I didn't get anywhere.

My cable+internet is $122+ taxes =$134 So today I called up Direct TV replacing my package they had intro deal for $41 (HD, DVR, a few months of free Showtime, HBO) for 12 months and then jumps to $72/month and requires 2 year commitment.

I sign up but unfortunately they don't offer a bundle with internet.

I called the cable company, I merely mentioned Direct TV and magically my cable+internet prices drops to $102 after taxes. Plus they threw in a free on demand movie a month, perhaps I can drop Netflix. Since I have to buy $45 for internet alone, the cable company bundle deal is better.

I call back Direct TV, and the drop the price another $5-10/month. But I elected to stay with the devil I know.

Competition is grand!

 

[veremchuka]

Midpack,

As you might have read. I'm going through the insurance thing right now.
What my insurance agent told me to try and hold on to me (after 15 yrs.) was " they are only giving you a new customer rate, and they will be raising it significantly next year" She said to me, "ask them if they are giving you a new customer rate". She said all insurance companies do that. Kind of like cable and satellite TV. You only get a cheap price when your a new customer. Know what you mean about being pissed.

I too found this to be the case. Anytime I checked other companies I always found a reasonable savings only to see my rates jump back to where I was upon renewal. Midpack do you care to name the insurance company, I ask too see if it is mine but I suspect they all take this route.

 

[golfnut]

Last year, I got around to getting quotes for auto, homeowners and umbrella. We were with farmers for years. When I told farmers they needed to sharpen their pencils, they lowered our cost by approx. $800. We ended up staying with them even though it left a bad taste in my mouth since they were gouging us for years.

 

[clifp]

Another company or group of companies that piss me of with gouging regular customers are magazine and newspapers. I have been a loyal subscriber to the digital edition of the WSJ since it started. I realize that with a bit of Googling I can generally find the article for free for somewhere, but I don't have any philosophical problems with paying for a digital newspaper. I think WSJ.com started of at $79 a year and quickly raised it to $99. However, they automatically jack up the price for existing subscribers which pisses me off.

So every year for at least the last 6, I go through this silly dance with WSJ. "Me: Hi I see the rate has increased (last year I think it was $159) for me but I see banner ads for the WSJ for $99, I am willing to resubscribe for $99". WSJ: "I am sorry sir that rate is for new subscriber only." Me ok cancel my subscriptions. Wait a day or two and sign as new subscriber. Last year I found discount coupons for another $20 off. So instead of getting $99, they had to pay Google for the banner ad I clicked on and got a less money.

I guess the WSJ figures either their customer are too stupid to know how to type "WSJ.com subscription discount coupons" into a search engine, or have so much money that aren't willing to spend 10-15 minutes to save $60.

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

Different philosophy on car insurance. Have a 97 minivan worth $2500 on its best day. Owned since 2000, collision/comprehensive ($500 deductible) is $140/yr., so I've paid $1540. Keep waiting on neighbor's big-a$$ tree next to our driveway to fall on it or I get rear-ended, which means I'd end up $500 to the good. Can't see dropping it to save $140/yr.

 

[Midpack]

I too found this to be the case. Anytime I checked other companies I always found a reasonable savings only to see my rates jump back to where I was upon renewal. Midpack do you care to name the insurance company, I ask too see if it is mine but I suspect they all take this route.

It appears from other posts here that it's not just my insurance provider so it seems wise to check regardless. But I am (was?) with Liberty Mutual.

 

[rcbrad]

This same exact thing happened to me. I saved about 50 percent by switching. The insurance carrier I was with said that they could perform a new quote, but when it was time to renew, my repeated calls were never returned. I switched after almost 30 years with the same carrier to a different one. I never bothered to check into switching because you keep hearing in some commercials that say that you can save up to 15 percent for switching carriers, so I figured that is not much of a difference. It really can be MUCH more than 15% savings.
My rates never went up even after a year with the new carrier.

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

Love those ads that say they'll save you $400 a year to what you're now paying. If my insurance is $300/yr, does that mean they'll send me 100 bucks?

 

[Grainiac]

I switched auto insurance when I got married... my wife is from another country and did not have a local drivers license (she did have an international drivers license, but I guess that is not good enough)... the old company was going to increase premiums from about $700 every 6 months to about $3,500

I was going to go with AAA, but when I was about to get the policy, the lady said 'your wife does not have a local drivers license'... I said 'I have been telling you this all along'.... they then wanted to more than triple the rate....

Just curious, why didn't your wife just go and get a US drivers license? Should have been easy if she already had a license from another country. When I first came to the USA to go to grad school in early 90's, one of the things I did during my first week in the country was to get a local drivers license. I did need a SS# (school where I was going to required that anyway from foreign students), and a proof of home address (power company deposit receipt). All I needed to do was take written test and eye exam, and an hour later I had a US drivers license in my hand. I realize that the process is probably more complicated now after 9/11, but does it really take much longer now?

 

[Grainiac]

Several of you have mentioned about dropping the comprehensive and collision coverages to lower payments on older cars. What happens to your rental car coverage in that case? Some years back our most valuable car was valued less than 10k, but it still made sense to pay for C&C as we rented cars for some 15 - 20 days every year, and avoiding rental car insurance was worth $40 or so per day.

 

[obgyn65]

I believe the ads say $xxx on average. Some clients lose, some win.

Love those ads that say they'll save you $400 a year to what you're now paying. If my insurance is $300/yr, does that mean they'll send me 100 bucks?

 

[Mulligan]

Several of you have mentioned about dropping the comprehensive and collision coverages to lower payments on older cars. What happens to your rental car coverage in that case? Some years back our most valuable car was valued less than 10k, but it still made sense to pay for C&C as we rented cars for some 15 - 20 days every year, and avoiding rental car insurance was worth $40 or so per day.

A lot of credit cards will cover you if you waive the purchase of daily insurance through the company and rent the car with that credit card. I would make sure you read details of coverage though as some vary.

 

[Sirka]

the rule of thumb is when the cost of collision and comp is 10% or greater than the value of your vehicle (for example, your car is worth $6,000 and your collision and comp premium is $600 or more per year). But for some that may be less than 10% -

+1

I check low blue book value of our car and when it drops below $10K, I feel that I can afford to replace it, so I drop the collision.

 

[NW-Bound]

...I think WSJ.com started of at $79 a year and quickly raised it to $99. However, they automatically jack up the price for existing subscribers which pisses me off...

I think the following TV ad series by Ally Bank is clever, as they address the inequality sensed by customers. I have no business with this bank to know what their business practice is truly like, however.

 

[Nords]

Several of you have mentioned about dropping the comprehensive and collision coverages to lower payments on older cars. What happens to your rental car coverage in that case? Some years back our most valuable car was valued less than 10k, but it still made sense to pay for C&C as we rented cars for some 15 - 20 days every year, and avoiding rental car insurance was worth $40 or so per day.

A while back you had only two choices:
1. Go naked on your rental car, or
2. Buy the rental company's expensive CDW.

Today you can get rental car coverage automatically through many credit card companies. You rent the car on their card, and if damage occurs then you file the claim through the card company. But there's lots of fine print.

 

[Texas Proud]

Just curious, why didn't your wife just go and get a US drivers license? Should have been easy if she already had a license from another country. When I first came to the USA to go to grad school in early 90's, one of the things I did during my first week in the country was to get a local drivers license. I did need a SS# (school where I was going to required that anyway from foreign students), and a proof of home address (power company deposit receipt). All I needed to do was take written test and eye exam, and an hour later I had a US drivers license in my hand. I realize that the process is probably more complicated now after 9/11, but does it really take much longer now?

Because of the local laws etc. that she needed to learn... and English is her second language and she did not feel she would pass the written test...

She did get one within the first 6 months of being here.... but charging SO much more was a rip off.... either she was a risk or she was not... changing from an international license to a local license should not change her risk that much...

 

[veremchuka]

It appears from other posts here that it's not just my insurance provider so it seems wise to check regardless. But I am (was?) with Liberty Mutual.

Thanks, I wanted to see if it was Amica. A coworker told me about Amica before we both retired. She loved the company and I checked it out. Naturally I saved a good chunk of money as a new customer but each year my premiums drift up. I have home with earthquake, auto and an umbrella policy.

So I copied your post Midpack and emailed her and asked her if she did competive checks. Here's her reply below. BTW, Amica is a mutal company so it is owned by the insureds. I opted for the dividend policies, they cost more but you get a dividend each year and it brings the premiums down a fair amount, more than if I went with the non dividend polices. Very customer focused and friendly, they send me a birthday card each year!


I check about every 3 years, just to make sure my rates are OK. I know that when checking with other companies you almost always get a lower amount and then they raise prices either the 2/3 year - usually much higher.
So far AMICA has been within range for me.

As another point of interest, my brother and his family were hit hard with the Oct. storm - over $9,000 worth of damage. When they called AMICA they told them 3 oak trees were resting on the house and they had a quote from a tree company. AMICA talked to the company and had them remove the trees immediately and he was paid - not part of the $9,000 figure. The adjuster came out about 8-10 days after the storm, submitted the claim to the company and they had the check deposited into their account in a day. The adjuster is keeping the account open as he thinks some damage may have been cause to a chimney and they have until spring to confirm if there is damage.

All of their neighbors were still waiting for the insurance companies to settle into mid December and one neighbor is still arguing with his insurance company today. I also have an aunt who is covered by The Hartford through ARRP. As of Thanksgiving they still hadn't settled and that is a sore subject. As I told her, ARRP dictates the terms of the policy that The Hartford writes - boy are they getting a blackeye thanks to AARP).

So as long as AMICA is within a range of the other companies I will continue to stay with them. (They always have been and now I know their reputation is earned - when there is a problem they pay quickly.) That's real important to me.

 

[pb4uski]

I recently got quotes from a couple other companies through agents and in both cases the premiums were similar to, but a little higher than my current coverage.

However, if I get an online quote through GEICO or Progressive, they are both significantly (30%+) lower than my current coverage. While DD has GEICO and had an accident and they were great in settling the claim, I'm still hesitant to not have an agent who will help facilitate if we do have a claim.

The previous post and the story on the AARP/Hartford program is part of the reason that I am hesitating.

Any thoughts? Any experience dealing directly with the insurer, particularly GEICO or Progressive?

 

[Texas Proud]

I recently got quotes from a couple other companies through agents and in both cases the premiums were similar to, but a little higher than my current coverage.

However, if I get an online quote through GEICO or Progressive, they are both significantly (30%+) lower than my current coverage. While DD has GEICO and had an accident and they were great in settling the claim, I'm still hesitant to not have an agent who will help facilitate if we do have a claim.

The previous post and the story on the AARP/Hartford program is part of the reason that I am hesitating.

Any thoughts? Any experience dealing directly with the insurer, particularly GEICO or Progressive?

I have Progressive and was hit by someone who also had Progressive.. at first I was a bit concerned as they wanted me to come to one of their centers to get an estimate... I did so and the guy was ready to give me a check. I said 'wait a minute, I am not sure what it will cost to get it fixed right'... he said 'we can give you a check and keep it open or wait for you to get it fixed and settle'....

I went to my place to get the car fixed and they gave me a quote LOWER than the Progressive quote... I kept the extra... quick and easy...

As for AARP, my mom has them and has been in two accidents that were her fault... both were handled quickly and with little fuss...

Now, both examples are auto, so I do not know how it would be for real estate....

 

[clifp]

Any thoughts? Any experience dealing directly with the insurer, particularly GEICO or Progressive?

I had a claim filed with GEICO. I dealt with a local agent and it was relatively smooth and payments were made very quickly.

 

[Midpack]

Part 2

I should have posted this originally, just a picture of [-]what they did to us[/-] how oblivious we were. Same cars, same house and almost the same coverage throughout the period.

Drastic savings this year, and never, never again...