Been paying way too much for car insurance

[Capt Steve]

Five years ago I caught AAA overcharging me on my car/truck insurance. My premiums were based upon my driving 50,000 miles a year when it should have been 5,000. I called them on it and they said "oops", corrected the premium but would not give back any of the overcharges. I said...well lets leave it at "Good Bye!

Switched to GEICO and they were cheaper. Now my bride and I have never had an accident, claim of any kind or any tickets. We have a FICO score of 817 and drive less than 12,000 miles a year. I went shopping on the internet and got quotes from 8 companies....ALL of which were hundreds cheaper than GEICO! Called Geico and asked why the premiums were so high and what would/could they do to make me happy. Short answer was nothing. They didn't seem to care or even thank me for calling them first. So a shoppin I went.

I passed on Progressive knowing their anti gun politics and ended up switching to 21st Century. They came in $512 a year cheaper than GEICO. Heck even Allstate and State Farm were cheaper than GEICO. Now I feel like a fool for giving all that extra money to GEICO over the last 5 years because I just assumed they were price point competitive. Folks, learn from my ignorance. Shop your company and make sure you are getting a decent deal...wish I had. Like they say: "Too soon old, too late smart!" )o;

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

Since you have been in the service, did you check with USAA??

 

[canoeguy]

I've been with Allstate for over 30 years, overall I'm pretty pleased with them and thier rates, however I did discover a few years ago my agent was raking me over the coals...

We lived in North Carolina for 12 years, and used the same agent in Elizabeth City, N.C. All our cars were old and used, and we had "Liability Only" on them. Each time I got another old car I'd tell my agent "Liability Only, Please", and he'd add the new car to the policy. When we moved to Virginia, we got another agent, who revealed that our old agent in North Carolina had added to our policy a "Stereo Theft" rider we had never noticed, we had been paying $30 every six months or so to cover stereo theft, this was in old cars, some of which didn't even have a radio. This coverage was never noted in our semi-annual statements, and was only visble to our new agent on her computer. Anyway, we kept Allstate, but I couldn't believe our old agent had been screwing us for years....

 

[DeathGrip]

I just got a quote from 21 century today.I'm currently with geico.With two cars and good records 21 came in 700 bucks more than I pay now and thats only for six months.Same coverage.I've had other quotes from allstate and my local mom and pop agent and most were 6 or 700 bucks more.
But I keep looking at others when it's time to renew just in case.

 

[lagavulin62]

used to be the best way to save on insurance was to move. I did that in 90 when I moved back to texas after 8 years living in mass and nj. I saved myself nearly half for the same coverage. believe me, being born and raised in texas I didn't need insurance premiums to bring me back home and to sanity. but it goes to show that the price of being young and needing the rush of the NYC lifestyle is high. now with the onset of so many uninsured drivers in the state, and the fact that houston is now the 4th largest city in the U.S., I wonder how much of a difference in premiums there is now? I use horace mann insurance, supposedly a discount provider for teachers. sure doesn't feel like it. never had an accident but you would never know from the cost of insurance.

 

[Capt Steve]

Since you have been in the service, did you check with USAA??

Did not. I think you have to be retired, (I'm not, just did 3 years), to qualify for USAA. I've heard they are an excellent company.

I just checked my homeowners policy and got a quote through Century 21, from Farmers (go figure???), that came in $169 less that The Hartford. I'm going to switch but if I said I understood all the insurance company inbreeding going on I would be lying. All in all not a bad day, looks like I saved/made $681. Hmmm, might be time for that 1911 I always wanted. (o;

 

[sheriffoconee]

We have State Farm with a local agent. EVERY year we sit down and review the policy line by line. It is a complete and total PITA, but it's worth it. Every year we find ways to save money. We also have our homeowners with the same agent. Same thing, line by line. Since we have our kids (2 of them anyway) on our vehicle policy still, we have an umbrella liability policy.
Insurance is a PITA. Reviewing your policy every year is a PITA. However, when our house flooded due to the washing machine overflowing for two hours, I called our agent from my truck heading home. He arrived 20 minutes after I did. Had a clelanup team there within an hour of his arrival. No drama getting things paid or replaced.

It might not be the cheapest, but the service is great...and I ain't changin'

 

[cabreco]

Did not. I think you have to be retired, (I'm not, just did 3 years), to qualify for USAA. I've heard they are an excellent company.

As long as you were a former officer or enlisted personnel who separated and were honorably discharged you are eligible for USAA.

I passed on Allstate, they had a decent rate but years ago they gave my wife the runaround on a claim...ah, Allstate "the good hands people, but why give a whole hand when just a finger will do"

Went with Hartford with an AARP discount, combined the homeowners as well & saved a lot!

 

[tdan]

Try getting with an independent agent that sells policies with Auto-Owners. The reason we are all paying too much is all the idiot drivers. I was recently involved in a minor fender bender. The at fault driver(Honduran immigrant, no speakie English, no drivers license) actually had insurance that was paid for by her boyfriend............Gainsco........a company I had never heard of. My agent calls them a "bucket shop". This is the sub-prime equivalent of auto insurance. The rates are so high, they don't care if you even know how to drive as long as you pay the premium.

Needless to say, I had to hit some body shops for estimates. One shop told me that Progressive and Geico were really tough to deal with. They wanted to fight over every nickel and dime. They really try to beat the policy holder down when it comes to honoring a claim. Too much money spent on advertising!

Most of us are perfect policy holders............We send in the check...............the check clears............we don't have a claim.

 

[brucev]

Bought my father's house from the estate in March 2010. On Mother's Day, 2010, a tornado hit... didn't kill the house but it took the roof off the house and the storage building. Hartford could not have been better about paying. It was a real surprise given how some of the neighbors were complaining about their problems with their insurance companies. I had been insured less than 6 weeks. I paid my deductible and they paid everything else. Checked their premium... it is w/ in $31 of Allstate. I have my cars with Progressive. I had been with a different company for 21 years... till they jacked my premium up from $1890/yr. (three cars) to $2991/yr. Progressive came in at $1982/yr.

 

[writerinmo]

CALL USAA!!!! I served one year active, 14 years National Guard, figured since I didn't "retire" I couldn't use them. Nope, was dead wrong... I had Progressive, who was lowest at the time, found out about their anti-gun stance and was looking. USAA was less than half of what I was paying. I asked them like three times "Are you sure?" The gal sure got a chuckle out of me asking, said they hear that a lot.

When I canceled the Progressive, a couple days later they called me, asked me if I would give them a chance to price match. I asked "So you are saying that you weren't giving me the best deal that you could, and you admit it?" Guy kinda hemmed and hawed, finally asked who I went to. When I told him USAA, he said "Well, we can't even come close to their rates, have a nice day."

Found out my boys can even get insurance with them just because I served. Great people!

 

[Capt Steve]

I appreciate the USAA recommendations but have already signed up with 21st Century and they have been good to work with and on price point. I'll certainly keep USAA in the standby mode as needed. I got an e mail from Progressive a little while ago asking me to participate in a survey. This was generated by the quote I had received. I did their survey and pointed out in the comments section that while they were competitive on price I would not do business with with such a strong anti gun corporation. I recommended that they "stick to selling insurance and stay out of politics". I know it won't do any good but might ring someone's bell and it sure made me feel better. (o;

 

[Capt Steve]

For the record not everyone can use USAA

I just requested a quote from USAA out of curiosity as to how they match up vs 21st Century. I enlisted in 1969, served 3 years, honorably discharged going out as a Specialist 4/E-4 and according to USAA am NOT eligible for their services. This is what I thought all along and why I never contacted them for a quote before.

One more tidbit, they apologized for being unwilling to do my business and suggested I contact Progressive!

 

[7P's]

Car insurance rates are mainly based on your credit score and your driving record is secondary.

Very few individuals qualify for the best rates, as most citizens are rated a notch down from the best.

The reasons for not having the best rating is: too many credit cards, not enough credit cards, having credit cards you don't use, closing out credit card accounts that you don't use, carrying a large credit card balance etc.

Never missing a payment of any kind, never bouncing a check, being a home owner, having a decent job etc. does not qualify you to have the "top" credit score to get the best insurance rates even if you've never had any type of insurance claim in your entire life.

All you can do is shop around and pay the least possible for the type of coverage you desire. Some are a lot more expensive than others.

 

[writerinmo]

I just requested a quote from USAA out of curiosity as to how they match up vs 21st Century. I enlisted in 1969, served 3 years, honorably discharged going out as a Specialist 4/E-4 and according to USAA am NOT eligible for their services. This is what I thought all along and why I never contacted them for a quote before.

One more tidbit, they apologized for being unwilling to do my business and suggested I contact Progressive!

That's really strange... from their website:

Military veterans includes:

* Retired officers and enlisted personnel.
* Former officers and enlisted personnel who separated and were honorably discharged.

The following products are available to military veterans:
Product Availability
Insurance All products
Banking All products
Investments All products
Shopping and Discounts All products

The only active Army time I had, I left in less than a year, with a general under honorable conditions, everything else was National Guard with no wartime duty.

 

[Capt Steve]

21st Century...crooks!

As noted here a couple of months ago I switched my vehicle insurance to 21st Century from Geico and saved a bunch of money. Two months after they took my money and wrote the policy I get a bill for an additional $122 (on top of the $100 I had already paid), on my travel trailer. Insurance on this trailer should be around $100 a year according to numerous quotes.

After a dozen phone calls I finally get to the bottom of this mystery bill. They now want to insure my trailer based up on what it sold for new, which when asked, I honestly answered $18,000 when I signed up. The trailer is an 08 and I got a smoking good deal on it at $9,900 but no way it is worth $18,000. Now 21st didn't call me they just went after the credit card I used for their Auto pay.

When I finally got to talk to a supervisor I pointed out that this tactic is called "Bait and Switch", is fraudulent and I would be filing a complaint with the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Arizona. I just fired 21st Century about an hour ago, switched over to Farmers who has my Homeowners and Umbrella Policy and I even saved a few bucks to boot. Beware of 21st Century!

 

[Steve in Vermont]

A couple of things to consider. A local agent, who you have met and know personally, can be a real asset if needed. When you need someone to talk to, should it be a faceless voice on an 800#? Next, bundle all your insurance with the same agent. Cars, homeowners, boat, etc. You can save 10% or more. Finally, consider an "Umbrella" policy. It can cost $ 40 a month (for 2 million dollars) but covers all your policies and takes over after you've exhausted your maximum. Speaking of which, my wife was critically injured years ago in an accident when an oncoming driver lost control and hit her head-on. We had $250,000 coverage, the other operator $ 100,000. Between hospital bills, rehab, etc, we went through that like a hot knife through butter. You should have at least $ 500,000 plus the umbrella policy. And it goes w/o saying, have coverage for under/uninsured drivers. There are a lot of drivers on our highways operating without insurance. Cover yourselves and don't skimp. Believe me, you can't have enough insurance when things go wrong.

 

[Capt Steve]

A couple of things to consider. A local agent, who you have met and know personally, can be a real asset if needed. When you need someone to talk to, should it be a faceless voice on an 800#? Next, bundle all your insurance with the same agent. Cars, homeowners, boat, etc. You can save 10% or more. Finally, consider an "Umbrella" policy. It can cost $ 40 a month (for 2 million dollars) but covers all your policies and takes over after you've exhausted your maximum. Speaking of which, my wife was critically injured years ago in an accident when an oncoming driver lost control and hit her head-on. We had $250,000 coverage, the other operator $ 100,000. Between hospital bills, rehab, etc, we went through that like a hot knife through butter. You should have at least $ 500,000 plus the umbrella policy. And it goes w/o saying, have coverage for under/uninsured drivers. There are a lot of drivers on our highways operating without insurance. Cover yourselves and don't skimp. Believe me, you can't have enough insurance when things go wrong.

Excellent advice and I am following all of it to the letter...now.