Home and Auto Insurance

[TractorGuy]

Who do you use? What do you pay? How satisfied are you?

I'm thinking it's time for me to shop around my insurance. Would like to know what some of you are using and how it compares.

We are using Farm Bureau and just got another renewal increase on our auto. They went up to $1187 for 6 months on four vehicles that are hardly ever driven and not worth much due to age. I have one with just liability and should probably put them all that way. Both of us are safe drivers with no accidents or tickets. Wife had one little fender scrape in 2017 and besides that we only had one deer claim which isn't supposed to count against us. Nothing else in 30 years past.

Home owners is up to about a grand per year on a home valued at $140,000. That doesn't cover ANY of my equipment.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Find an independent agent you can trust. I have Safeco (Liberty mutual) and it has saved me money over Farmers and Allstate.

 

[kcflhrc]

What I pay and what other's pay is going to vary widely. Way too many variables to compare what other's pay. With that said I'm refinancing our house and did do a compare and the difference between carriers is minimal when all is factored in. Been with State Farm for years, never an issue. Compared them to Traveler's on my Lenders recommendation. They were within 50 bucks a year. So I'm staying with State Farm. We have a good relationship and I intend to continue it.

 

[TnAndy]

I've been with Erie for decades. Nobody else comes close, including Farm Bureau of Tennessee. Also like the fact I can pay the auto one lump sum for the year if I want.

$665/yr full coverage on 2011 Subaru, liability + comprehensive on 2003 Silverado. 250/500k liability

$1000/yr on home...full replacement cost policy, $340,000 face amount, $71k on other structures, $150k personal contents, 500k liability

$210/yr on million dollar umbrella after the liability limits hit on auto or home

 

[rekees4300]

Who do you use? What do you pay? How satisfied are you?

USAA is excellent. However there are military eligibility requirements before you may join.

USAA Membership Eligibility for Family Members - USAA Community - 176724

 

[Sigarms]

What I pay and what other's pay is going to vary widely. Way too many variables to compare what other's pay. With that said I'm refinancing our house and did do a compare and the difference between carriers is minimal when all is factored in. Been with State Farm for years, never an issue. Compared them to Traveler's on my Lenders recommendation. They were within 50 bucks a year. So I'm staying with State Farm. We have a good relationship and I intend to continue it.

Completely agree with your first two sentences.

When I met my wife, she was with State Farm for over 15 years on her own for auto insurance. She never had so much as a speeding ticket in those 15 years. She had one accident, and after dealing with State Farm on that accident, we wouldn't use them if you paid us to (she dropped them and went on my plan after after we got married).

Insurance is great until you have claim to file. Then you see what the insurance company is really like when they have to pay instead of you paying them every year.

 

[kcflhrc]

I have had claims with State Farm and never an issue. What works for some doesn't for other's

 

[JethroB]

I was with State Farm with two autos and homeowners for over 20 years without any claims, accidents, tickets, etc. My only contact was their invoices and my cleared checks. In 2013 I called my State Farm agent and asked what could be done to lower the premiums, she said nothing as its the best it can be. I met with a local independent agent and he quoted the same coverage with Auto Owners for 30% less so I switched. The State Farm agent called and asked for a second chance, nope. Saved $500/year. It really pays to shop occasionally.

I added a policy rider for off-premises use of my tractors for loss and liability. The premiums amount to about 3% of their value per year for non-commercial use.

 

[fried1765]

USAA is excellent. However there are military eligibility requirements before you may join.

USAA Membership Eligibility for Family Members - USAA Community - 176724

I have had USAA for 58 years!
Highly recommended, if you are eligible.
My three adult children have USAA also.
Great annual dividend too!

 

[Sigarms]

I have had claims with State Farm and never an issue. What works for some doesn't for other's

For the most part, getting the claim paid wasn't the issue (the only time consuming part was if the car would be totaled or not, as you would never think the car would be totaled with the minor right fender damage on it, but apparently as luck would have it, it affected the axle with a hairline crack which is what everyone was scratching their heads on if the car should be totaled due to it's age).

After the claim was paid on pretty much on a new 1.5 year old Corrolla with only about 15,000 miles on it, they then wanted to pretty much double my wifes premium from 1k to over 2k annually. As noted, that after 15 years without ever having an accident or ever getting a ticket for anything while driving. Don't think it would have anything to do with it, but my wife at the time was only in her second year in NC and had switched agents when she moved down from Vermont.

She went onto my Allstate coverage after we got married shortly thereafter. Pretty much no impact on our premium other than adding another car to it (total of 3 vehicles at the time as I had my truck and car).

18 years after my wifes accident, we have now 5 vehicles as well as our house under an insurance group that came recomended to us by our farm bureau agent after we bought this place about 17 years ago. Not another car accident between us since my wifes only incident. Gives me a little pleasure in knowing we're not paying anything to State Farm:laughing:

Did have to replace a window in our house due to a small rock that must of been from mowing years ago. Due to the $250 deductible, replaced the window and didn't bother with a claim.

 

[denchen]

I`m not sure if you guys are paying for something extra more than us this side of the pond, or your insurance guys have a good standard of living. I`ve a 2015 Mercedes ML, Full insurance for me and wife, but anyone else `Third Party only`, new for old, £240.00 a year. My house, value about £220,000, contents £100,000, +£2M public liability, comes to around £160.00 the lot a year. I live in a semi rural area on the edge of a medium size market town. My payments are a long way from what you seem to be paying.

 

[Jchonline]

USAA is incredible. I have had to file 2 claims in the past 30 years and they were awesome. I get money back every year. I agree just shop around until you find something favorable.

 

[Sigarms]

I`m not sure if you guys are paying for something extra more than us this side of the pond, or your insurance guys have a good standard of living. I`ve a 2015 Mercedes ML, Full insurance for me and wife, but anyone else `Third Party only`, new for old, £240.00 a year. My house, value about £220,000, contents £100,000, +£2M public liability, comes to around £160.00 the lot a year. I live in a semi rural area on the edge of a medium size market town. My payments are a long way from what you seem to be paying.

We average about 327 pounds annually per each vehicle for 4 vehicles (one company car which I don't cover personally which I forgot about) all have decent coverage except for my one Toyota that dosen't have collision on it because it has over 640,000 kilometers on it.

 

[fried1765]

I`m not sure if you guys are paying for something extra more than us this side of the pond, or your insurance guys have a good standard of living. I`ve a 2015 Mercedes ML, Full insurance for me and wife, but anyone else `Third Party only`, new for old, £240.00 a year. My house, value about £220,000, contents £100,000, +£2M public liability, comes to around £160.00 the lot a year. I live in a semi rural area on the edge of a medium size market town. My payments are a long way from what you seem to be paying.

It is usually nearly impossible to make an apples to apples comparison for insurance within the USA, and absolutely impossible to do so internationally.

 

[TractorGuy]

It is usually nearly impossible to make an apples to apples comparison for insurance within the USA, and absolutely impossible to do so internationally.

But it is good to hear what others are using and their experiences with companies.

We had Allstate for many years and when I finally got around to shopping them I cut my rates in half. My Allstate agent didn't ask for a second chance but tried to use a scare tactic on me saying it wasn't a good time to be shopping around for some reason.

The last time I tried to shop home owners I was quoted prices way over what I pay with Farm Bureau so I haven't gone down that path in a while. I do get a $72 per year discount on my HO for having our vehicles added so I have to consider that.

One company I will never ask for a quote from again is Geico. The last time I did that was an eye opener. They sent all my information through a database company in Atlanta which notified me. They had me held responsible for a wreck that happened on a car BEFORE I bought it. That company told me they used information attached to the VIN and listed it against the current owner for 3 years. I went round and round with those folks.

I did have a few small claims with Farm Bureau back in the 80s and 90s.

I had a break in on my shed and items stolen. On that one I learned my "replacement cost" coverage was dependent on me actually replacing everything that was lost. When I questioned the depreciated values they paid my agent sent me a paragraph from the policy with the line highlighted saying I had to replace the item and show them a receipt to get full value.

I also had my boats insured through them and had two different claims where I crashed the lower units on under water obstacles. Both of those claims they weaseled out of paying the full amount quoted for the damages. I still made out on the first one by buying a lower unit and replacing it myself. On the second one they wouldn't buy a whole lower unit when the shop recommended it and I had to have it rebuilt. The only reusable part was the driveshaft. They had to replace the housing and all other internal parts from the damage.

Even though it was a hassle I was made whole in all three instances. It was just an unpleasant experience getting there.

 

[TnAndy]

. On that one I learned my "replacement cost" coverage was dependent on me actually replacing everything that was lost. When I questioned the depreciated values they paid my agent sent me a paragraph from the policy with the line highlighted saying I had to replace the item and show them a receipt to get full value.

Yes...that is what replacement value means...you actually replace it. That is why a replacement home owners policy has a face amount.....that is what they will pay for a total loss in the event you decide NOT to rebuild. But if you do decide to rebuild, or replace your other losses, replacement value is a real deal considering you're getting a new 'whatever' that the cost may have gone up significantly on.

One other caution with this type of policy....a good inventory of contents with photos updated regularly and a good set of photos on your structures to verify what was lost can be very handy in the event OF a loss. My house is quite custom since I built it myself...walls are double 2x4 outside (high R value), kitchen cabinets, doors, moldings are solid oak (I made or built all)...replacement for me does NOT mean they come in with finger jointed painted pine molding for example....nope....replacement is replacement. And to replace my home would cost 30-50% more than what they have as the face value IMHO. And the first thing I'd replace is a lawn chair to watch the rebuild.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Snake Farm and Framers. I don't have anything personal against these. I just hear my friends call them this.

I do know as a matter of fact, that State Farm is RIPE with nepotism at the regional level and head quarters. Mostly due to their policy of moving people around the country (so they allow husbands/wives to work at the big offices).

No matter what brand, you will hear bad mouthing.

 

[two_bit_score]

Insurance claims have changed a lot in the way the major companies handle their claims over the last 10 years. It's all about the Average Cost Per Claim from the company side and Loss Ratio vs Expense Ratio.

From the consumer side how quick do you get your car back with the least amount of hassle and are the repairs done to the professional standards you expect? Does the Insurance Company guarantee the repairs for the life time of your ownership of the vehicle or do they leave it to a shop who may not be in business in 5 years?

On any claim with any company will they quibble with you over every nickel and dime? Some companies are notorious about it.

On liability claims against you are they going to refuse to settle until they et to the door of the courthouse, forcing you into a lawsuit and depositions and maybe even going to trial because they insist on shaving a few $$'s off the settlement? There are some companies that are notorious about that also.

How many complaints have policyholders filed against an insurance company with the state department of insurance? That is on record in most states and you can check.

These are the numbers of 'confirmed' complaints (ruled as justified by the insurance department against the carrier) for auto claims in Texas in 2018.
http://www.helpinsure.com//auto/documents/cpautoci18.pdf


.

 

[GeneV]

Who do you use? What do you pay? How satisfied are you?

I'm thinking it's time for me to shop around my insurance. Would like to know what some of you are using and how it compares.

We are using Farm Bureau and just got another renewal increase on our auto. They went up to $1187 for 6 months on four vehicles that are hardly ever driven and not worth much due to age. I have one with just liability and should probably put them all that way. Both of us are safe drivers with no accidents or tickets. Wife had one little fender scrape in 2017 and besides that we only had one deer claim which isn't supposed to count against us. Nothing else in 30 years past.

Home owners is up to about a grand per year on a home valued at $140,000. That doesn't cover ANY of my equipment.

I heard long ago that you should comparison shop for auto/home insurance every few years because they all entice you with lower rates and then slowing creep them up over the years. I generally found that to be true. I've been with Allstate, Travelers, Farmers, and back to Allstate for the last 7 years (4 in our new house).

Just last month I comparison shopped, tried State Farm and Farmers. They came back with more or less what I'm paying now to Allstate, which tells me Allstate hasn't been ripping me off blind, so I'm staying put.

 

[Jim Nelson]

We had Allstate for 30 years on our different homes and vehicles and were pretty well satisfied with them until we moved from our prior home to the one we are in now. I called our agent to have the new home added to our policy and in the conversation she asked if we were going to sell the old home. I said no we are going to rent it out, to which she said that will require a different policy. I asked what I needed to do to get this done and was told that she would handle it and not to worry. The second renter we had did an incredible amount of damage and when I went to file a claim was told that we were not covered because it wasn't our primary living quarters. I argued that the agent had said she would handle it and she couldn't remember.

When we dropped them they didn't even respond, as though losing a 30 year customer was no big deal.

We went with Farmers and so far it's been ok but the agent is much more involved and keeps us up to date on anything changing. A lot depends on your agent.