Motorcycle Insurance Bait & Switch

[LoneRanger]

It's getting ridiculous folks. First Markel bait and switched me, now Dairyland has done the same. You be the judge if the following is ethical or if it is worthy of reporting to one's state dept of insurance oversight.

Markel: Online quote, full coverage, last year's accident included in quote, $445. Buy policy online with credit card. Receive policy docs by email following day to sign by e-signature. Says no uninsured motorist coverages even though I selected them in the online quote application, going to cost more money that I just paid-in-full up the annual premium. Called, asked "what the hay?" Was told didn't select the coverages online. Guess should have made a screen shot. Told I want to cancel and not put policy in force, going to look elsewhere, was polite about it. They cancel it. I didn't ask for a confirmation number, my bad. They send a refund check. $395 instead of $445. Ripoff. I'm sure some fine print somewhere said they get to tap you for a fee for early cancellation, still a rip off.

Dairyland: Online quote, full coverage, last year's accident included in quote, $405 for full year if paid in full. After getting burned by Markel, I go ahead and call the 800 number to confirm all coverages and pricing. Agent is courteous and helpful, confirms everything and pricing. Pay it in full by card on phone. Agent says need to email him proof of home ownership to qualify home ownership discount. Annual homeowner insurance bill is requested as proof. Scanned it and emailed, receipt confirmed by agent. All set !! Nope. Get a letter week later: Part I, Homeowner proof insufficient wrong name on it (under my middle name and Dairyland has my first name) and Part II: "Your Lexis Nexis insurance score report prevents us from giving you our lowest rate." Going to be an add'l $169 to keep the policy in force. I call 800# about it all. Told to send county property tax invoice to get homeowner discount re-instated. Do that and get confirmation from the 800# rep that she rec'd it and it qualifies. Tell her my FICO credit score is over 800, what's up with the Lexis Nexis thing. "No this is your Insurance Score, not your FICO credit score." Tells me I have to contact Lexis Nexis and get copy of it and check for errors, etc. Ask what comprises an "insurance score" if it's not the same as your FICO credit score? Told I have to take that up with Lexis Nexis. Week later I get a bill in mail. Pay an add'l $90 or get cancelled, no explanation just a "payment coupon."

Ok folks, I've contacted Lexis Nexis and requested a free copy of this so called "Insurance score report" to see what kind of nonsense is in it. I'm 54, been buying insurance my whole life and fewer than 5 claims my whole life, only ONE claim within last seven years and THAT one was last yr's accident which I included on the quote when filling out the thing online BEFORE buying and the binder they emailed showed accident last year so it was factored into the $405 quote.

If this is not Bait & Switch I don't know what is. Shoot the customer a fake rate online and get payment. Then up-charge them after the fact for . This encumbers the insurance shopper from effectively shopping rates, because the initial rate offered is fake and they intend all along to bend you over with an up-charge after the fact for .

Oh, and the selling agent at Parker Stevens Agency in Wisconsin who was so courteous and eager for my business who took my Fake Rate Bait payment of $405 full yr up front? No answer to emails asking about all this. Crickets. However the customer service rep on their 800 line was courteous and polite.

I'm sorry but this just smells too much like bait you in with a low ball rate and then immediately up-charge and switch the rate higher.

I will be filing a complaint with my state's department of insurance consumer division which is who handles these sort of shenanigans.

This sort of bovine scat sucks the freedom and fun right out of riding.

 

[mrsilv04]

After seeing repeated yearly price increases on my motorcycle with *no* claims, I switched over to Progressive. I had my local independent agent (who I've been with for 10+ years) handle the change over, and there weren't any issues. Thankfully. I could have done it direct with Progressive, but when my agent can handle it for the same yearly premium, I'll have my agent do it.

Yes, it is a scam... but I don't know what you can do about it. It is their game. IIRC, you have a claim that is causing this. Why they're not seeing it, or just ignoring it, until well into the underwriting process is the problem.

I would assume what they're doing is going to skirt any state consumer protection inquiries. They're simply going to claim that (for whatever lame reason) they didn't see your claim until a human in the underwriting department examined your application, the computer didn't catch it.

I do believe that Progressive also has an early policy cancellation fee as well.

 

[Smoky14]

I wish I knew why it costs so much. My Bandit costs $40.00 a year to insure granted only liability, but still not a bad cost to operate.

Smoky

 

[FowVay]

Can you insure through the same company that is underwriting your other vehicles and home owners? I have all of my insurance with State Farm and I ride a 2012 Kawasaki ZX14R. My yearly premium for full coverage on the ZX14R is $146 which I pay $73 every six months.

You're getting poor service with both of these companies and you're right - it takes the pleasure out of the sport.

 

[gman2304]

It seems to me you should go sit down with a reputable insurance agent in your town and hash the details out one on one, old school. My State Farm agent is 20 minutes away and if I have any questions I just pick up the phone or go see him in person. I renew my policy every 6 months and if I ever smell a rat I know I'll have a warm body to speak to and not a faceless online bot. My rate is competitive and after 4 years I'm still happy with my agent and my State Farm rate. I would rather pay a little more for the local agents personalized service than to deal with what you're going through.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
... IIRC, you have a claim that is causing this. Why they're not seeing it, or just ignoring it, until well into the underwriting process is the problem.

I would assume what they're doing is going to skirt any state consumer protection inquiries. They're simply going to claim that (for whatever lame reason) they didn't see your claim until a human in the underwriting department examined your application, the computer didn't catch it.

I do believe that Progressive also has an early policy cancellation fee as well.


But that's the thing. Both of the online quote forms had a check box for any accidents within past three years, and if you checked the box then you had to notate the month and year of the wreck. Dairyland's online quote form even had an extra verification of the accident where I had to check a box for a range of $$ that the payout amounted to and if it was at fault.

I included the accident, the payout range, and that I was at fault (lost ctrl ran off roadway) during the initial quote process on their website. The [bait] quote was generated off that information being fully divulged up front.

So each company knew during the initial quote process that there was a prior accident and claim payout within three years. And both of the quote processes generated the initially attractive rate. It was after I pre-paid the attractive rate (the bait) in full for the entire upcoming year, that they next billed me for extra premium (the switch).

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
It seems to me you should go sit down with a reputable insurance agent...


My thought exactly; I have never heard of either of those insurance companies before.

 

[gman2304]

"So each company knew during the initial quote process that there was a prior accident and claim payout within three years. And both of the quote processes generated the initially attractive rate. It was after I pre-paid the attractive rate (the bait) in full for the entire upcoming year, that they next billed me for extra premium (the switch)."

^ Good point. The original agent probably knew what would happen when your policy made it's way through the maze. Sad.

 

[LoneRanger]

That same original agent will not answer emails now either.

If you go on ripoffreport.com there are quite a few rants against Dairyland on there...

 

[CT8]

Are you sure the rate adjusted when they found out you had a accident?

 

[SZR48207]

I think you're just an outlier that isn't accounted for in their online workflow. Most ins cos have a quick and easy way for customers to sign up, but they still have to assess your risk level to make money off you.

It sucks that you wrecked your bike and had to go through all that mess but you did wreck your bike so that means the insurance companies are going to consider you riskier than someone who hasn't wrecked theirs.

 

[dwendt44]

Report the bait and switch to your state insurance
office.
They get away with that because most folks either pay or
move to another company and don't report the abuse.


My 2¢

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
I think you're just an outlier that isn't accounted for in their online workflow. Most ins cos have a quick and easy way for customers to sign up, but they still have to assess your risk level to make money off you.

It sucks that you wrecked your bike and had to go through all that mess but you did wreck your bike so that means the insurance companies are going to consider you riskier than someone who hasn't wrecked theirs.


I get that Reddy but the thing is that IF they're going to offer a Quick and Easy online quote system and IF that query process includes a part of the application to indicate any accidents, AND you indicate the accident, THEN the quote it generates SHOULD factor in the accident from the Get-Go and spit out a quote that reflects the accident/claim history. If it takes in that info on the app but doesn't factor it in and spits out a low ball rate just to get your business and to appear to be the best rate among shopped companies, ONLY to hit up the customer who just paid in and bought the policy at the quoted rate, for more money THEN that is pretty dog-gone unethical. That's all I'm really pointing out. I'm good with it when I put my accident claim into an online quote and it spits out a relatively high rate. That is understandable. But don't have me put it in the online quote form and spit out a low ball rate only to re-bill for an add'l amount a week after the customer is "in" after paying the initially offered annual premium in full, that looked like the best deal. Just saying...

 

[LoneRanger]

I use too many words, gotta learn to condense and summarize.

 

[Robster]

Here in PA, the insurance company would get whacked pretty good for pulling that [censored].

When I got my initial Allstate quote, it was done online and I was given a very competitive rate--I just had to prove home ownership and motorcycle safety course completion. I sent in my property tax bill for proof of home ownership and my completion certificate for the safety course. I uploaded both to their website and they both showed as received but my credits never showed and my initial bill came in higher. In this case, I believe it was a glitch in their system.

To Allstate's credit, I went to a local Allstate office and explained the problem--the (franchise) owner got on the phone and fixed it, but it took her about 20 minutes to do it. She gave me her card and told me to contact her if I had any other issues--No problems since.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: dwendt44
Report the bait and switch to your state insurance office.


Might want to consider letting your state's Attorney General office also know if you feel deceptive practices are being used.

 

[alarmguy]

I do sympathize, but its the hazard of an accident a year ago.
I'm around your age, never had any issue like you with either of those companies, bottom line your accident is sending red flags after a review.

I never had an at fault accident, I did get a speed (9MPH in my truck) just over a year ago, only 1 in years and I drive 40,000 miles or so a year, gieco picked up on it so I just kept getting quotes from other companies until I settled on a company that didn't care.
I cant blame the companies though, just me trying to beat the system, know it can be frustrating as you are disclosing up front. I don't! *L* But an accident to me is more severe.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: JLTD
Originally Posted By: gman2304
It seems to me you should go sit down with a reputable insurance agent...


My thought exactly; I have never heard of either of those insurance companies before.


Then you are paying too much! )

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy
I do sympathize, but its the hazard of an accident a year ago.
I'm around your age, never had any issue like you with either of those companies, bottom line your accident is sending red flags after a review.

I never had an at fault accident, I did get a speed (9MPH in my truck) just over a year ago, only 1 in years and I drive 40,000 miles or so a year, gieco picked up on it so I just kept getting quotes from other companies until I settled on a company that didn't care.
I cant blame the companies though, just me trying to beat the system, know it can be frustrating as you are disclosing up front. I don't! *L* But an accident to me is more severe.


I got it cleared up w/ Dairyland. It was a billing error. Bill shouldn't have went out. Proof of homeownership crossed within the company vs billing dept or something.

About the speeding tickets and accidents, all of that is contained in what is called a C.L.U.E. report that insurance companies can order from Lexis Nexis. Among the info in that C.L.U.E. report there's a little tidbit called your "Insurance Score." It's not your FICO credit score, that's different.

Lexis Nexis has all the goods on you. Your History of Everything -- late bill payment habits, accident reports, traffic tickets, what color underwear you wear any given day. You name it Lexis Nexis has it on you. I checked and as far as I can determine there is NO option to lock or freeze your Lexis Nexis report the same way you can your other consumer [credit] reports. Disturbing.

 

[alarmguy]

Well, glad to hear you got it cleared up, well worth the effort and frustration that you went through to get a better price.

Thats the way I look at it, every renewal time for any insurance, at any given time, sometimes not even renewal time, I sit at a computer and look at it as a job, for the couple hours at most that I spend a year, I get paid very well in the form of lifetime out of pocket, after tax, reduction in insurance costs, not a bad deal.