Thinking of switching auto insurance companies

[alarmguy]

I just switched from State Farm to The Hartford. State Farm raised prices, no tickets, no accidents, no changes to anything. I moved the umbrella policy to them as well, and broke up the bundle I had with State Farm. No BS I saved a bit over $1,400/ year for identical coverage. That money was probably going to two star football quarterbacks, and a coach. I left the homeowner's policy with State Farm because even after breaking the bundle and losing the discount the price was competitive, and I don't want all my eggs in one basket again. Familiarity breeds contempt with insurance companies, and rates should be shopped every couple of years, or at each rate increase.

Perfectly said. I have been doing this for the last 14 years or so. Low price wins, I dont bundle because I ALWAYS find a lower price from different companies without bundling.
Funny you mention State Farm, we had them in NY. I have to say AT THE TIME (and this was a long time ago) the local broker that we had in Massapequa treated us well, with another family member we had our cars, boats, life, homes and a substantial business policy with him.
When we moved down south, I expected rates to drop and then didnt so that is when I learned.
State Farm no longer insures me on anything except life.

My experience was the same as you, in fact, in reality with now shopping insurance companies and cutting the cable a decade ago the savings kind of paid for my new at the time 2014 Harley Road King.

I shop best price like a do any product including fuel for my vehicles. I drop any insurance company with a click of my computer mouse without thought the second I find a better price. I check online at least twice a year and I do NOT wait for the renewal time to do this. I do it at anytime and the company I cancel sends me a prorated check for the unused term of the policy.
My bike and boat insured with Progressive, my vehicles with esurance , my home with travelers and my life with state farm.
As you know we are about to move to a new home we are building, hopefully within the next 6 weeks. I always got a killer price for insurance with Travelers but this time from Progressives "Homesite" so Travelers will be another bygone.

 

[demarpaint]

Perfectly said. I have been doing this for the last 14 years or so. Low price wins, I dont bundle because I ALWAYS find a lower price from different companies without bundling.
Funny you mention State Farm, we had them in NY. I have to say AT THE TIME (and this was a long time ago) the local broker that we had in Massapequa treated us well, with another family member we had our cars, boats, life, homes and a substantial business policy with him.
When we moved down south, I expected rates to drop and then didnt so that is when I learned.
State Farm no longer insures me on anything except life.

My experience was the same as you, in fact, in reality with now shopping insurance companies and cutting the cable a decade ago the savings kind of paid for my new at the time 2014 Harley Road King.

I shop best price like a do any product including fuel for my vehicles. I drop any insurance company with a click of my computer mouse without thought the second I find a better price. I check online at least twice a year and I do NOT wait for the renewal time to do this. I do it at anytime and the company I cancel sends me a prorated check for the unused term of the policy.
My bike and boat insured with Progressive, my vehicles with esurance , my home with travelers and my life with state farm.
As you know we are about to move to a new home we are building, hopefully within the next 6 weeks. I always got a killer price for insurance this time from Progressives "Homesite" so Travelers will be another bygone.

Like I said familiarity breeds contempt. I dumped Geico for State Farm a few years back, at the time the bundle was worth it. I'm keeping State Farm for the homeowners because the price is right, for now. If they raise it I shop and dump them if needed. My State Farm broker is OK, at the end of the day he's in it for the money, he's not my friend or "good neighbor." At the end of the day I'm loyal to my wallet. What I like about Hartford is the auto policy is an annual policy, State Farm is paid every 6 months. Now I have a year to worry about the next rate increase.

 

[alarmguy]

Like I said familiarity breeds contempt. I dumped Geico for State Farm a few years back, at the time the bundle was worth it. I'm keeping State Farm for the homeowners because the price is right, for now. If they raise it I shop and dump them if needed. My State Farm broker is OK, at the end of the day he's in it for the money, he's not my friend or "good neighbor." At the end of the day I'm loyal to my wallet. What I like about Hartford is the auto policy is an annual policy, State Farm is paid every 6 months. Now I have a year to worry about the next rate increase.

My dad had Hartford a long time ago and I think I might have when I first started driving. I know back then at least they were very good in the NY market. I guess they still are!

 

[demarpaint]

My dad had Hartford a long time ago and I think I might have when I first started driving. I know back then at least they were very good in the NY market. I guess they still are!

I hope they are, but I'd rather not find out.

 

[alarmguy]

I hope they are, but I'd rather not find out.

*LOL* oh I just meant price wise *LOL*

 

[JHZR2]

There are negative reports on any insurance company in the nation (just do a search on your company) and stories void of complete information. All these companies are HUGE and hundreds of thousands or millions of customers.
They way I read your story is your sons shop was incompetent.

I carry insurance as a safety net, I never need to use it.
BTW - esurance is an Allstate insurance company.

Incompetent due to using non OEM parts? Far from it. The shop recommended the right thing. CAPA supposedly helps some, but some better shops won’t even install those.

This is also the issue with direct referral shops. They’ll cut the corners that the insurance company tell them to.

 

[alarmguy]

Incompetent due to using non OEM parts? Far from it. The shop recommended the right thing. CAPA supposedly helps some, but some better shops won’t even install those.

This is also the issue with direct referral shops. They’ll cut the corners that the insurance company tell them to.

This stuff can happen anywhere, my point is if the shop doesn’t agree with the insurance company I would expect the shop to contact me before going further.
Meaning to me, if I am reading the post correctly the shop repaired the vehicle with parts that they claim now were substandard after the issue. I would ask they shop why wasn’t I contacted then, before you repaired the car with those parts?

Now I would call into question the truthfulness of the shop. Easy to blame the insurance company if the parts they ordered and installed fail.
Maybe it was the shop being cheap? I don’t know but if they felt the way they did about the parts they should have informed me and I would have made sure the insurance company paid for proper quality parts.

All I’m saying is there is only one side of the story here and that us from the shop thst installed the parts that failed

 

[ArcherDriver]

I just switched from State Farm to The Hartford. State Farm raised prices, no tickets, no accidents, no changes to anything. I moved the umbrella policy to them as well, and broke up the bundle I had with State Farm. No BS I saved a bit over $1,400/ year for identical coverage. That money was probably going to two star football quarterbacks, and a coach. I left the homeowner's policy with State Farm because even after breaking the bundle and losing the discount the price was competitive, and I don't want all my eggs in one basket again. Familiarity breeds contempt with insurance companies, and rates should be shopped every couple of years, or at each rate increase.

I raise my glass to you.

 

[Merek]

I just switched the motorcycle insurance over to State Farm, Progressive wanted $400 with an increase of $45 from last year. I have both comprehensive and collision w/ $500 deductible and had 50/100/40 coverage limits. State Farm gave me two quotes and basically the exact same coverage but with 50/100/50 limits and $197 yr, the other had 100/300/100 and was $273 yr which is the one I chose as it's a lot more coverage and still a lot cheaper than what Progressive wanted.

Also the kicker is Progressive only offered me two payment options, $400 pay in full or $127 this month and then again over the next 3 months paying a total of $508. State Farm doesn't charge extra or installment fees, they take the $273 and divide it over the year and is what you pay.

 

[atikovi]

I just switched the motorcycle insurance over to State Farm,

Just a heads up about State Farm, they won't insure rebuilt salvage cars, not even for liability only.

 

[Merek]

Just a heads up about State Farm, they won't insure rebuilt salvage cars, not even for liability only.

Thanks but I don't have anything like that, I got lucky on one of my cars though and VA just changed the laws a few months prior but if the vehicle is certain number of years old and valued less than $7500 then there's no salvage title. I had a small fender bender in my 97 Civic years ago where someone pulled out in front of me, the cop cited weather conditions but the roads were all clear but the entrance he was pulling out from did have piles of snow on each side but he couldn't have looked as I was right there.

 

[ArcherDriver]

I raise my glass to you.

Ins companies take you for granted. Period. It's your job to keep them honest and take a walk to another company every 4 or 5 years. Check with JD Power for who the good companies are. You'll get good unbiased info. Pay not attention to Consumer Reports, total boloney.

 

[Merek]

I thought I'd update this thread since I will be switching back to Progressive. I liked State Farm but I don't want to pay 2x the cost for the same coverage, ever since I switched they have increased their rates everytime and this last one was the last straw for me. I checked back with Progressive and for the same coverage they want less than 1/2 of State Farm who wants $719.50 for 6 months or I can go with Progressive for only $353. It seems like right now the game everyone is playing is offering such a low rate up front to get you in the door but then increase your rates overtime.

Here is an example of just State Farm in order... $523.32, $604.83 and now $719.50, there is an earlier post on the 1st page where I stated what Progressive has also done to me, when I left them before they wanted to charge me $451 which is when I switched.

 

[Pew]

I thought I'd update this thread since I will be switching back to Progressive. I liked State Farm but I don't want to pay 2x the cost for the same coverage, ever since I switched they have increased their rates everytime and this last one was the last straw for me. I checked back with Progressive and for the same coverage they want less than 1/2 of State Farm who wants $719.50 for 6 months or I can go with Progressive for only $353. It seems like right now the game everyone is playing is offering such a low rate up front to get you in the door but then increase your rates overtime.

Here is an example of just State Farm in order... $523.32, $604.83 and now $719.50, there is an earlier post on the 1st page where I stated what Progressive has also done to me, when I left them before they wanted to charge me $451 which is when I switched.

Yep, every year I go back and redo my rates across different insurance companies because they always prey on the loyal.

 

[Merek]

Yep, every year I go back and redo my rates across different insurance companies because they always prey on the loyal.

Honestly I don't really understand it at all, basically it does not compute to want to raise me to $451 but now offering me a rate that's basically $100 less.... also my quote was originally for $343 which was only 2 weeks ago and I would've thought that they would've honored that quote but when I logged back in to retrieve my quote they increased $10.

I agree that loyalty doesn't get you very far. I know Progressive offers tiers for how long you've been with the company but you can save so much more by switching.

 

[Pew]

Honestly I don't really understand it at all, basically it does not compute to want to raise me to $451 but now offering me a rate that's basically $100 less.... also my quote was originally for $343 which was only 2 weeks ago and I would've thought that they would've honored that quote but when I logged back in to retrieve my quote they increased $10.

I agree that loyalty doesn't get you very far. I know Progressive offers tiers for how long you've been with the company but you can save so much more by switching.

It doesn't compute to me either; you'd think companies would provide discounts or not raise rates for long term customers. I've switch back and forth between GEICO and Progressive every time they raise my rates above $100/month, and my rates with the 'new' company goes back down to $80-90/months with a lower deductible and higher coverage.

 

[Merek]

It doesn't compute to me either; you'd think companies would provide discounts or not raise rates for long term customers. I've switch back and forth between GEICO and Progressive every time they raise my rates above $100/month, and my rates with the 'new' company goes back down to $80-90/months with a lower deductible and higher coverage.

I talked with my State Farm agent the other day and said that the uninsured motorist part had increased... here in VA next year they are ending the $500 uninsured motorist fee that you can pay at the DMV to not have coverage. I don't really understand it but VA takes those fees and places it into a fund that is distributed to all the insurance companies who then use it to help keep rates low. I guess now without all that money they are placing the burden back onto the consumers. The part that I don't really understand is now since everyone is being forced to have an insurance policy wouldn't you think that everyone's rates would in turn go down? If more people are buying insurance then it's more money into the pool so to speak.

 

[alarmguy]

I was thinking about switching from Progressive to State Farm but right now it doesn't seem all that it's cracked up to be. The quote I received on the vehicles is still higher than Progressive this time but the motorcycle they significantly reduced it around 44.5% less so it's almost 1/2 the cost and now looking at the end result for the year by switching to State Farm is an extra $10 if nothing else changes but right now all the insurers are constantly adjusting prices and raising rates across the board. ...

Why not individually get insurance quotes from multiple companies and save money if that is what you are looking to do.
Or go to Progressive for the motorcycle and stay with State Farm for the cars.

This bundling stuff is all marketing from the big companies. I cant remember in decades where I used the same company. You only pay higher rates when you bundle.

I use Costco Ins for my cars, Progressive for home, motorcycle and boat.
I have NEVER used progressive for cars, they are too expensive here.

The only insurance company that I had for more than two consecutive years is Progressive for the Motorcycle and Boat.
Car insurance I switch on the fly whenever I find a better price, same goes with home insurance. First time I am using progressive for the home ONLY because the builders agency used them and they beat 4 other quotes> and also first year with Costco for the cars because my old insurer (esurance) did want me in the new state we just moved too.

Low price always wins and I am insured with a large amount of liability and also under insured and uninsured drivers. I pay stupid low rates compared to anyone I talk too for two decades now. I switch on the fly any time of year I find a better rate, NOT just at renewal time. No different than choosing one gas station over another in the same week, price rules, the product is the same.

The internet is your friend

 

[Merek]

Why not individually get insurance quotes from multiple companies and save money if that is what you are looking to do.
Or go to Progressive for the motorcycle and stay with State Farm for the cars.

This bundling stuff is all marketing from the big companies. I cant remember in decades where I used the same company. You only pay higher rates when you bundle.

I use Costco Ins for my cars, Progressive for home, motorcycle and boat.
I have NEVER used progressive for cars, they are too expensive here.

The only insurance company that I had for more than two consecutive years is Progressive for the Motorcycle and Boat.
Car insurance I switch on the fly whenever I find a better price, same goes with home insurance. First time I am using progressive for the home ONLY because the builders agency used them and they beat 4 other quotes.

Low price always wins and I am insured with a large amount of liability and also under insured and uninsured drivers.

Right now I'm switching the cars back to Progressive but the motorcycle is with State Farm and evidently State Farm doesn't offer multi-policy discounts which is what my agent said to me so by dropping the vehicles with them shouldn't have any impact whatsoever on the bike.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

I've been with State Farm since 1988. I was never "on my parents policy".

I have guaranteed renewal, 25% discount right off the top, accident-free, multi-line, good driver, etc. I get so many discounts that no other company can even come close to the rates I pay. I've shopped around. The BEST competitive rate I have ever received was TWICE what I'm paying State Farm.

So to all the people that claim shopping around and switching companies gets you great rates, I have never seen it. I guess if you're used to paying stupid high rates, it works.