Insurance Companies

[JabbaJawz]

We're in the market for homeowner's insurance and I wanted to get any opinions that ya'll might be able to give me. We'd like to combine our homeowner's and car policies to save $$ if that's possible. We have Nationwide car insurance now, and it's been okay - but I'm sure we can save money elsewhere.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jazz lady]

Welcome back, Lauren! How was Jamaica, mon?

I've heard people say they really like Erie - I think there was a thread about a week ago about it. I've got Encompass, which used to be CNA. We've been with them forever and I can't find anyone who is lower, although there aren't too many agents down here who handle them.

 

[Pete]

Lauren,

I mailed the check off for my insurance yesterday. I went with Hollywood Insurance in California. They were the least expensive for the coverage I wanted. I am keeping my auto with USAA because of a little ding I had on my truck Christmas day and that would make switching auto coverage there would cost more. I checked with USAA and it was almost DOUBLE what HI got me. Erie was less than USAA but more than HI.

The agent at HI took a little bit to get back to me, and we played phone tag for a day or two but it got taken care of.

USAA = $887
Erie = $575
HI = $504

 

[sleuth]

My mom is an insurance agent so I've heard all the horror stories of people with insurance problems.

Go with a big name, Lauren. If you go with the no-name brands, you'll find yourself lacking in service, options, and overall quality.

In my opinion, State Farm is the place to go. You may get charged a hair more than some of the discount services, but State Farm's service and quality make them second to none.

 

[migtig]

All my insurance, home, car, life is from USAA and I am too lazy to change.

 

[Sharon]

Nationwide used to give a discount if you insured your home and cars with them. I still have the homeowners policy but I switched to Geico for the cars when I got married.

 

[JabbaJawz]

Originally posted by jazz lady
Welcome back, Lauren! How was Jamaica, mon?

It was absolutely FABULOUS!!! We rode with maniac bus drivers, went horsebackriding in the ocean, went tubing down a river, climbed a tall waterfall, and drank and ate our azzes off all week!! We had a ball!! We got home late last night and were definitely ready for it - the vacation was just long enough. Not too short, and not too long, so it worked out well!

We can't get the ghetto Reggae songs out of our head, though, ! It seemed like every other channel was a Reggae music video channel...we could have taped nicer videos in the back yard, so they were mostly a riot!

At the resort we were king and queen - never had to lift a finger to do anything! We did a few tours off the resort that drove us through Jamaica - and I'm SOOOOO glad we were on a nice, cozy, gorgeous resort. The country is poor and outside of resorts what we saw was all filthy and nasty.

 

[JabbaJawz]

Originally posted by Sharon
Nationwide used to give a discount if you insured your home and cars with them.

I'll have to ask my agent. We currently have car insurance with Nationwide, but they don't offer a discount when you get married - I think that sucks ! But, if they offer a decent discount if we also hold H.O. with them, it could still pay off to stick with them. I had a fender bender a couple of years back and Nationwide was awesome, so I can't complain about them as far as that goes even though it seems like we pay a lot.

 

[Kizzy]

Lauren,

Check with Erie. I have Erie and I did put a claim in a few years ago on the house. They were fantastic, no problems what so ever. Now, if you have your vehicles and your house insured you will get a discount. I have been with Erie since I was old enough to drive, and I have put in a few claims for the vehicles, again no problems.

 

[jrogers]

Try Allstate, that is who we have and they do offer a multiple car discount and so on with the home owners insur. too.
They even give you a good drivers rate. (that is if you havent had any tickets)
Congrats on the wedding ceremony!

 

[Oz]

My Nationwide Homeowners Policy:
May 2000 - $462
May 2001 - $538 a 15% increase
May 2002 - $672 a 20% increase
May 2003 - $1046 a 36% increase!

June 2003 - Erie $477

2003 Car Insurance with Nationwide $954
But, once again, Erie $757 with $200,000 more max coverage, more rental car coverage, same $500 deductible!


Never had a car accident and no points or tickets or warnings on my driving record. I have had ZERO claims on my homeowners policy in the 8 years I've owned this house. I also haven't made major improvements to the home since the policy started getting jacked up. No swimming pool or anything like that to increase liability. Construction costs have increased in St. Mary's, but it will cost Erie the same to rebuild my house as it would cost Nationwide, should something catastrophic happen.

Your results in Calvert County may differ. Apparently, the Nationwide Agents in St. Mary's have so many policies here that if something ever blew through here, Nationwide would have a tremendous liability.

So, Nationwide isn't on my side, any more!

 

[Sharon]

Originally posted by Oz


Your results in Calvert County may differ.

After looking at your increases I had to go check mine. Since 1995 to the present date they have almost doubled and I've never made a claim. I have made major changes to the property.

 

[Oz]

From 95 when I built the house, until 2000 my increases were about 5% total, so they stayed relatively level until that time.

 

[Kizzy]

My grandmother just switched to Erie. The prices she got from various companies were just crazy. She saved several hundred dollars. She was sick and tired of Nationwide going up every time she turned around.

Now, my insurance did go up on my house recently, because when we refinanced the house, the value went up $40K. It really didn't go up much. I have a $500 deductable on my house.

 

[Pete]

Be glad you're not in Texas. A guy at work has a house down there he rents. He was mad a couple days ago because his insurance doubled. He called and they are doing it to everyone down there because of some black mold. some policies have tripled in the last 3 years.

I think insurance is a scam. They rake in the premiums for years, and increase it at the drop of a hat to maintain the 70% profit margin. Not to mention they all have reinsurance to protect them from catastrophe.