Car insurance rates and metaphorical sodomy

[Ryan T]

If I could recommend a company to NEVER use, it’s Safeco, a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual. Their rates are cheap, but their service is absolute shit. We’ve had them for the past 9 years or so, never made a claim, until three weeks ago. Someone backed into my wife’s car while we were parked as a restaurant at the beach. Called my agent Monday and told him about it, he called and said I had to call and file the claim, he couldn’t. I said, ‘isn’t that what I pay you for?’, and he agreed, but still, I had to do it. So I call, they send me to a body shop to get an estimate. Get the estimate and send it to the insurance company. $1425. Well then they ask for pictures of the car. I send them and they email me with an estimate for ~$550 and say they won’t pay any more than that. We go back and forth and they tell me I’d have to pay the difference, I call their BS on it, etc. Three days later, still a pissing match. Mind you, they have never sent anyone to look at my car.

Finally, after 3 days, they email and tell me to schedule my repairs with the shop (that they sent me to), then send me a check for the lower amount. I call and talk to the estimator in CA, and he says they are only paying the $550, despite the shop saying it is more. 3 more days of round and round with me emailing the body shop, adjuster, claims person, and my agent. I politely express my displeasure, to no avail.

So finally, after two weeks of having nothing else work and our vehicle still damaged, I have a local attorney send a message to all of them, on letterhead, requesting their names, official titles, and service addresses for subpoenas. Within 5 hours I have a call from another local shop and multiple emails, saying that my repair is approved for what the new shop says it will cost ($1195), and I have a date to drop it off. I called my agent and told him that, once this is over, I expect to be switched to a new carrier or I will find a new agent. He assured me they were trying to get away from Safeco, however, we will see in time what gets done.

End rant.

[JustinG]

We switched from Safeco to Esurance. But never had to file a claim. I still need to call around and switch.

It's me being lazy that gets them a couple months of increased rates damnit.

[Apoc]

Agents? Calling around? What is this? The 70s?

[JustinG]

Enlighten me

[.RJ]

The small insurance company thing worried me, and that was the quote I got from the broker. I got some better quotes from companies I'm more certain wont dick me around on a claim.

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Agents? Calling around? What is this? The 70s?

I went to college so I dont have to talk to insurance agents

[ViPER1313]

FWIW Geico has been good so far through 1 renewal for me.

   

[Scott]

 Within 5 hours I have a call from another local shop and multiple emails, saying that my repair is approved for what the new shop says it will cost ($1195), and I have a date to drop it off. 

And you are ok with that? Do you know the other shops work?  0% chance I would drop a car off that I didn't know anything about their work

[Ryan T]

 Within 5 hours I have a call from another local shop and multiple emails, saying that my repair is approved for what the new shop says it will cost ($1195), and I have a date to drop it off. 

And you are ok with that? Do you know the other shops work?  0% chance I would drop a car off that I didn't know anything about their work

Yeah it's the shop we wanted to use originally. They are a reputable shop and my wife is friends with the owners. The agency just originally sent us to their "preferred" shop that was closest to our home.

[davej]

Me: "Hi, this is dave, I would like to add another vehicle to my policy, please"

Agent: "Sure, that will be an extra $17.68 for 12 months, is that ok?"

Me: ".....yes, thank you."




Who knows the hell it will be if I ever need to make a claim, but lol at antique insurance!

[D_Eclipse9916]

^^^ That's awesome.

I just dropped the E92 M3 off our insurance so now its just the truck and Jess' SUV. $424/per 6 months, an extra $720 a year in my pocket sounds good until I break down and buy another car/or just upgrade the truck.

[WRXtranceformed]

^^^ That's awesome.  

I just dropped the E92 M3 off our insurance so now its just the truck and Jess' SUV. $424/per 6 months, an extra $720 a year in my pocket sounds good until I break down and buy another car/or just upgrade the truck.

That's a little less than what I'm paying for 1 car, with multi line discount right now

But rates are higher here across the SC border than they were in NC for most people

[Apoc]

Either WA is expensive or I like expensive things. Or both.

2014 F31 - $458 / 6 months
2017 GTI - $430
1976 911 - $262*

*Agreed value $50,000

[D_Eclipse9916]

To be fair, both the wife and I drive older cars.
2011 Land Rover LR4
2007 GMC Sierra 2500HD

Your agreed value isn't bad. I used to have $30k on agreed value STP insurance on my race car and it was $230 a year (yours is almost double but also double the value and you get to actually drive it on the street).

[davej]

the 15 sienna and 03 audi are right at $430 each for 6 months with allstate.
DJ, what was the LR & truck when you were in VA? Granted rates up there were probably higher than if garaged in Harrisonburg.

[D_Eclipse9916]

the 15 sienna and 03 audi are right at $430 each for 6 months with allstate.
DJ, what was the LR & truck when you were in VA? Granted rates up there were probably higher than if garaged in Harrisonburg.

Our rates went up going into NC.  We were like $570 for all 3 vehicles, went to $670 in NC.

$1k deductible, no claims, no tickets, 300/300.

Edit: Yes magically I have no tickets on record for insurance :0

[davej]

Edit: Yes magically I have no tickets on record for insurance :0

that's all that matters. =) 
I'm too lazy to scroll back, who were/are you guys with? House there also or separate?

[HAULN-SS]

Damn. I am apparently getting extra screwed. I need to take a look at some new policies at some other insurers.

My 1986 Monte Carlo worth like maybe 10-12k is 286/6 mos, 1999 F250 that is nothing special is 375, and the 2013 cadillac is 607/6 months.

I think the coverage on them all is 100/300k and 250 deductibles.

I had a ticket like, 6 years ago..hit a deer like 4 years ago...is that really what's driving my claims? For the record, this is state farm, and i also have two houses insured with them. I did shop around the house insurance last year and they were good on that..not sure what's going on with my auto.

[Sijray21]

250 deductible may be the culprit. I had 500 and now 1000

Damn. I am apparently getting extra screwed. I need to take a look at some new policies at some other insurers.

My 1986 Monte Carlo worth like maybe 10-12k is 286/6 mos, 1999 F250 that is nothing special is 375, and the 2013 cadillac is 607/6 months.

I think the coverage on them all is 100/300k and 250 deductibles.

I had a ticket like, 6 years ago..hit a deer like 4 years ago...is that really what's driving my claims? For the record, this is state farm, and i also have two houses insured with them. I did shop around the house insurance last year and they were good on that..not sure what's going on with my auto.

[davej]

Damn. I am apparently getting extra screwed. I need to take a look at some new policies at some other insurers.

My 1986 Monte Carlo worth like maybe 10-12k is 286/6 mos, 1999 F250 that is nothing special is 375, and the 2013 cadillac is 607/6 months.

I think the coverage on them all is 100/300k and 250 deductibles.

I had a ticket like, 6 years ago..hit a deer like 4 years ago...is that really what's driving my claims? For the record, this is state farm, and i also have two houses insured with them. I did shop around the house insurance last year and they were good on that..not sure what's going on with my auto.

Do you have antique plates/insurance on the Monte Carlo? or is it a regular tag with state farm still?

[Jake]

I scaled back my mileage on the F150 when I moved in to Arlington. It's still got full coverage with Erie at 300/300 with a $500 deductible, I think. Estimated 8k miles a year and it's about $500 per six months.