Honda Car Forum

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-544DC7.19212627012004@news.usenetserver.com...
> That's not odd at all. Nowadays, insurance companies run a credit check
> on you. There's a correlation between your creditworthiness and their
> exposure.
The logic certainly makes sense; if you're careless with credit, what else
might you be careless with? Your driving? It's an indicator.

I don't know a lot about All State, but they dropped 3 people I know
already after having an accident. When I first got my car, I signed
up with State Farm. Their quote was cheap and I didn't even give it a
second, but signed the dotted lines. 2 months later, I got a letter
from State Farm claiming that they misquoted me and raise my insurance
50%. In addition, since the amount I paid for the first 2 months was
the rate of the original quote, they charged me the difference. I was
furious! The stupid agent where I bought the auto insurance did not
even apologize. Maybe I should have sued. Fortunately, someone at
work suggested GEICO. I called GEICO and they quoted me the rate
State Farm originally quoted for me, maybe about 20 bucks higher. At
that point, I was satisfied with a 20 dollar increase than a 50%
increase, which would have mean I would be paying over 400 dollars per
month, about 70% more than my car payment.

I dance what they wanted me to dance. I went to the inspection and
some guy took pictures, inspect the windshield, write down the color
of the interior, etc. In the end, I'm satisfied.

Of course, I always wonder how they would threat me if I ever get into
an accident.

dssdata@hotmail.com (Nospam) wrote in message news:<45264a45.0401261400.511f8e87@posting.google. com>...
> I was looking for a cheaper rate on my insurance of 3 cars when I
> decided to give geico a call , I couldn't believe it, I would save
> over $ 225.00 every 6 months with them if I left my agent I had for 10
> years with Allstate Insurance.
>
> Well I decided maybe change was good, boy was that ever a mistake, it
> all started with a letter saying I need to get my windshields
> inspected, never did this with any other agent or insurance company,
> so I called them and basically told them if they want to see the
> windows, they can send someone out cause no way was I going to drive
> all three vehicles to the inspection station that was 37 miles away.
> After a conversation with their supervisor they said to ignore it.
>
> Ok
>
> Then I get a letter several weeks later saying they need information
> on a person who at the time I was to marry. boy this was even a bigger
> mistake. I told them that the person NEVER LIVED IN my house and only
> drove one of the vehicles once in a month to the local store if that,
> and in fact we were no longer together so I couldn't supply this info
> and I DON'T WANT them on the policy.. Well they came back and said, we
> have to have this information or your rate will go up or we may even
> cancel you, I told them they were crazy, this person should not be on
> my policy and I don't want them on it. they said you have to have all
> people in your household on the policy, after telling tem again THEY
> DON'T LIVE HERE AND NEVER HAVE, I decided I was getting NO where with
> GEICO and it was a big mistake leaving my old agent. DON'T GET ROPED
> IN BY LOW RATES THAT ARE TO GOOD TO BE TRUE. GEICO customer service
> was terrible and I wonder what actually making a claim would be like
> if I had these problems..
>
> GEICO INSURANCE IS TERRIBLE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS NOT HERE .. I
> AM TOTALLY DISSATISFIED. I WOULD NEVER EVER TELL MY FREINDS TO GET
> GEICO NEVER......maybe my enemies yes.

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 09:35:24 -0500, "NetSock" <NetSock@nospam.com> wrote:

>"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
>
>> Sure they do. Mine does. They want to know if it's for commuting to
>> work and if so how many miles is the commute, or if it's for "pleasure"
>> only (stay at home mom, etc.). They also want to know if you use your
>> car in the course of business for things like sales calls, because
>> that's a few bucks more.
>
>I have (fully) insured dozens of used vehicles over the years, and have
>never had to supply mileage numbers.

If you don't tell them they'll figure it out from where you live and where
you work and make assumptions. It's in your own interest to get it
accurate before they assign some actuarial "average". Business use miles
cost more than travel to work miles, which cost more than pleasure miles

>I've also moved a number of times...and my rates never changed.

Hmmm - suburbia == suburbia.... city == city.... more or less.

>> > (yawn) Again...not true. The privacy act restricts insurance companies
>from
>> > retrieving information about ANYBODY, not listed as a driver.
>>
>> Well, if they find out you have a 16 year old in the house they'll jack
>> your rates up--whether he's named as insured or not. Their assumption
>> is that one way or another, that 16 year old will likely be in a
>> position to be driving your car.
>
>Only if he is listed as a driver. They can NOT make that assumption...its
>against the law.

I can assure you that in NJ, unless you assign a specific car solely to
that "youthful driver", with appropriate insurance, they are obliged to
provide coverage for a shared vehicle at the residence. Naturally they
provide it for the highest rated car - yup, they *do* assume.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

> What do you expect from a company whose corporate mascot is a lizard?


ROFLOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JM

> they wouldn't even give me a quote until I gave them my SSN.

They did a credit check on you as part of the instant underwriting.
Can be done in a few seconds.

JM

> They can not just raise 'your' rate. The must apply to the
> insurance commission for any rate increases and verify losses to
> gain a rate increase. The increase effects every rate payer, not
> individuals.

So wrong, Mike. Actually they have several companies set up and ready
to go. If you have a claim, the carrier can and often will bounce you
to another of their insurance companies (sometimes with a similar
sounding name) which, golly, just happens to have a much higher rate
structure. And if you try to move to another insurance outfit, well,
too bad, now you've got a claim that they will pick up in the
underwriting process, and THEY'll charge you more too.

JM

State insurance laws vary tremendously. It is very dangerous to
proclaim "in most states" because you'll invariably be wrong.
Companies have different approaches too, within the confines of a
particular state's laws. Everybody here needs to give up describing
their own experiences as to what is/isn't covered, or how a company
underwrites, because it is pretty pointless -- the rest of the readers
here are going to have their own set of experiences, and may be quite
right about it.

It is, however, informative to correlate claim experiences with
specific companies. That's going to have some universal application
to all of us. The following are total crap in my opinion:

State Farm. Geico. Farmers. Progressive. (And too bad, because
State Farm and Farmers used to be really great companies.)

Anyone with a great driving record, who prefers an "agentless"
approach, should contact Amica Insurance. Their car and house
premiums are not cheap, but they handle claims extraordinarily well.
They've been around almost as long as cars have, and do no
advertising. Word of mouth only.

No I'm only a customer.

JM

George since you live in NJ it may be to your advantage to look
at not only listing your child as principal driver on a
particular vehicle if you have as many vehicles as drivers, you
may even want to obtain a title in his name as well. You can
still insure the vehicle on your policy at the same rates because
you have the legal right to insure your minor children. You will
separate his liability from yours. Why do that you ask?
Liability losses for an at fault accident. Lets assume you have
300K limit policy and have assets worth 800K. If you become
liable for a 500K, the winner of the litigation can come after
your 800K for the 300K balance. Litigation is always directed
ultimately against the owner of the vehicle, not the driver. If
you son is the owner of the vehicle, rather than you, they can
not go after your assets.



mike hunt



George McDonald's wrote:
>
> On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 09:35:24 -0500, "NetSock" <NetSock@nospam.com> wrote:
>
> >"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
> >
> >> Sure they do. Mine does. They want to know if it's for commuting to
> >> work and if so how many miles is the commute, or if it's for "pleasure"
> >> only (stay at home mom, etc.). They also want to know if you use your
> >> car in the course of business for things like sales calls, because
> >> that's a few bucks more.
> >
> >I have (fully) insured dozens of used vehicles over the years, and have
> >never had to supply mileage numbers.
>
> If you don't tell them they'll figure it out from where you live and where
> you work and make assumptions. It's in your own interest to get it
> accurate before they assign some actuarial "average". Business use miles
> cost more than travel to work miles, which cost more than pleasure miles
>
> >I've also moved a number of times...and my rates never changed.
>
> Hmmm - suburbia == suburbia.... city == city.... more or less.
>
> >> > (yawn) Again...not true. The privacy act restricts insurance companies
> >from
> >> > retrieving information about ANYBODY, not listed as a driver.
> >>
> >> Well, if they find out you have a 16 year old in the house they'll jack
> >> your rates up--whether he's named as insured or not. Their assumption
> >> is that one way or another, that 16 year old will likely be in a
> >> position to be driving your car.
> >
> >Only if he is listed as a driver. They can NOT make that assumption...its
> >against the law.
>
> I can assure you that in NJ, unless you assign a specific car solely to
> that "youthful driver", with appropriate insurance, they are obliged to
> provide coverage for a shared vehicle at the residence. Naturally they
> provide it for the highest rated car - yup, they *do* assume.
>
> Rgds, George Macdonald
>
> "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

I believe you misunderstood what that statement says. As long as
your rating situation has not changed, you pay the premiums in
full on time, you have no at fault accident or license suspension
or revocations no insurance company can deny you renewal or
change your INDIVIDUAL rates, as the previous poster suggested.
Any other opinions are simply that, opinions.

Some states do allow new policy issuers to offer a sign up
discount, equal to good driver discounts that take a year or to
to earn, that will expire in one of two years. The reason being
so they can offer better rates to attract good drivers who have
already earned discounts on their current insurers policy.


mike hunt



DIM wrote:
>
> > They can not just raise 'your' rate. The must apply to the
> > insurance commission for any rate increases and verify losses to
> > gain a rate increase. The increase effects every rate payer, not
> > individuals.
>
> So wrong, Mike. Actually they have several companies set up and ready
> to go. If you have a claim, the carrier can and often will bounce you
> to another of their insurance companies (sometimes with a similar
> sounding name) which, golly, just happens to have a much higher rate
> structure. And if you try to move to another insurance outfit, well,
> too bad, now you've got a claim that they will pick up in the
> underwriting process, and THEY'll charge you more too.
>
> JM

When someone says 'most states' in response to a general question
that was not state specific, it should be obvious
that the poster does not mean the answer supplied to all states.
Of course one should consult their particular state instance
commission or Company agent for definitive information.
Insurance regulation can ever have variances in differed regions
is some states. In Pennsylvania for instance the regulation in
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are specific to those two cities
compared to the balance of the Commonwealth


mike hunt



JM wrote:
>
> State insurance laws vary tremendously. It is very dangerous to
> proclaim "in most states" because you'll invariably be wrong.
> Companies have different approaches too, within the confines of a
> particular state's laws. Everybody here needs to give up describing
> their own experiences as to what is/isn't covered, or how a company
> underwrites, because it is pretty pointless -- the rest of the readers
> here are going to have their own set of experiences, and may be quite
> right about it.
>
> It is, however, informative to correlate claim experiences with
> specific companies. That's going to have some universal application
> to all of us. The following are total crap in my opinion:
>
> State Farm. Geico. Farmers. Progressive. (And too bad, because
> State Farm and Farmers used to be really great companies.)
>
> Anyone with a great driving record, who prefers an "agentless"
> approach, should contact Amica Insurance. Their car and house
> premiums are not cheap, but they handle claims extraordinarily well.
> They've been around almost as long as cars have, and do no
> advertising. Word of mouth only.
>
> No I'm only a customer.
>
> JM