Can anyone here (or would anyone here) tell me any experiences they've had with an online insurance company? Good? Bad? Ugly? I just chose to go with GEICO. I was considering the "esurance" but I found several complaint threads about it just from googling the name... I did (it appears) save nearly $350 for the year with the switch. And now my wife and I are wondering if it is all going to be worth it. Specifically, if we (God forbid) had to make an accident claim, etc. What kind of service could we expect? I know they boast a 97% satisfaction rating, but I think that may be based on the money saving aspect. Anyone have any stories to share?
Esurance is one of my client's. They seem to be pretty good. Check out some smaller companies like Ameriprise (formerly American Express), Amerisure (I think they are mostly commercial), Republic, and Travelers. I can vouch for all of them. Would stay away from Allstate (nickle and dime), Farmer's (they are all just idiots) and Progressive (where do I start). State Farm is still top of the line overall. Unless you have USAA, you aren't going to find anyone with a better price/service ratio.
I'd say thats rare for them, but of course, all major carriers have their moments. In 12 years of doing business with them (they are a client of mine), I have found them, by far, to be the easiest to deal with and out of all the insurance cos out there, they nickle and dime their policy holders the least. If I didn't have USAA, Id be a State Farm customer, even if I had to pay a little more.
I switched to Geico about a year ago, and they have been awesome. I'd stay with them even if they were more expensive . . . as it was, I saved like $600/year.
I was with State Farm from the age of 15 or 16 until I was 33. I bought a new car 2 years ago and needed insurance on it. State Farm said I'd need to pay around $900/6 months for the car. I started laughing and said "check again". They repeated it. I said I've been with you guys for almost 20 years and that's what you can do for me?!?! lol. They said "you live in a high insurance area". I said, I know, but that's nuts. I switched to Costco/Amex. I got the insurance for around $625/6 months. I moved about 28 miles north and they dropped it to $500-something/6 months. This is with the exact same coverage I had with State Farm. It pays to shop around...
The parts I changed are the only parts that are different with me. Sounds exactly the same. The part where they were "butts" to me was that it didn't matter to them that I'd been a no-late payment customer since '88... and my family (Dad) had been with them (the same agent even) since like '79. I wanted to finally move it to an agent up here since we bought a home. They acted like they could care less. Then when I went to move it up here (to Plano) from down there (Lake Jackson), the agent up here said they couldn't do at the same rates that the one down there had... and that I should stay with the south Texas agent. Wha? The sotex guys said it was time I move my agent up here... they too were like, "Sorry, we can't take you." I was like, "So you're saying I should get another company after more than 20 years of family history, and more than 15 years personal history with you guys? Where's the customer service? Where's the customer loyalty in that?" The reply: (long pause) "...I'm sorry sir. All we can do is give you that policy for $900 or so." So I said..."Looks like I just saved a lot of money by switching to GEICO." "Sorry you feel that way sir." Me: "Sorry? You just lost a customer, perhaps one of the best you've ever had... the only claim I ever made was when we had a hail storm up here in like spring of '03 (and then it hit me)." "Sorry sir. But we cannot add you as a customer up here for that low." Me: "But I already was here! For 2 1/2 years! I'm just requesting that you're local agency get the credit for the account." "Can't change what the regional office says. Here's their 800 number." I write down the number thinking why should the customer handle things I used to pay the agent to do? Me: "Can you just close that policy and write me another one then?" "No. We can't change what the regional offi..." Me: "I can." (click) And as the commercial says, in 15 minutes or less...
I know an independent agent who prefers Erie for P&C insurance. She raves about them. They have a first accident (auto) forgiveness policy which offers a cushion for anyone. She says they are VERY cost effective. All that endorsement aside, I still haven't looked into switching over from Liberty Mutual yet.
Allstate ftw. Every vehicle I ever purchased new or used, $350-$550/6 months. This is full coverage 50/100/100 with comprehensive, tow and rental.
