Good Car Insurance Company ???

[Valley Oak]

Hello folks,

Our crooked car insurance company, State Farm, jacked up our monthly payments from an already high $130 to $207, without any notice, certainly without enough time to find another insurer to avoid the unscrupulous shark bite immediately around the corner. That is a $77 increase with no previous warning and less than a week before the next payment was due.

Can anyone here please recommend a decent car insurance company that can offer us better rates? We are a household of three people, myself, my wife (with many years driving experience and good records), and our daughter, who is only 22 but got her license when she was 19. I understand that it's our daughter who is the big increase but the $77 backstab is indefensible and I'm confident that there is some agency out there that can beat State Farm.

Thank you, Edward

[rekarp]

I'm insured by Ameriprise through Costco. They have an enormous discount for additional vehicles. I used to be with AAA, which is a great company. I'm still an AAA member. However, when I got a quote many years ago from Ameriprise it was 40% less than AAA. I'm insuring two cars, full coverage, for under $500. Part of that is that the cars aren't all that valuable. Even so, it wasn't that much more when the cars had more value.

Having your daughter on the policy may be a big factor in the rates. I'm not sure how that works - whether it's age 21 or age 25 where the rates come down. You could ask the insurance company and they will tell you. There are also things you can do to lower the rates. The biggest one is 6 years of accident-free driving. I think an anti-theft device gives a discount, as well as taking a driving course. You could also raise the deductible on your daughter's car, but that comes with the risk of having to pay that amount if she has an accident.

Good luck!

[gypsey]

This is a bit of a different reply than maybe you expected.I 've been a customer of State Farm in Sebastopol for 14 years now and find their rates and services to be exemplary. I am truly shocked that you would have been treated in this manner and I urge you to make your feelings known to the company and attempt to negotiate. There may be reasons behind the rate hike but the way it was handled per your description is not acceptable.
As for me, I keep my insurance low by my enrollment in a special State Farm program where my mileage is reviewed several times a year--it's been a real blessing.
Good luck to you and I hope you are able to 1) re-negotiate with State Farm 2) Find the insurance you need at rates that are fair.
All best,
Gypsey

[Shandi]

I've been using Gieco for many years now, and the rates have stayed the same except for a few dollars, and I really mean a few, like under $10. I can't say they would be good for everyone, but when I got quotes, I found State Farm, Allstate, Farmer's, AAA and even Costco's insurance much higher. I haven't had an accident in 20 years, or a ticket in 10 years, and I'm an older female who doesn't drive over 5,000 miles a years, so I'm in a class all by myself.

Maybe if I had an accident, or a few tickets, or a lot of mileage, my rates might skyrocket, but I'm not wanting to test that. I did check to see if I was still getting a good rate about 3 years ago, and found that I couldn't get a better rate anywhere. But since I was checking quotes, I got hounded by several insurance companies, so I won't do that again, anytime soon.

[hawaiianiris]

hi - we have safeco for all our insurances. We went through redwood credit union insurance services. Safeco got me twice as much coverage for so much less then aaa or geiko. If you're a redwood credit union member you can get a great deal. Good luck

[Allorrah Be]

I use 21st Century: $28/month for my 94 Honda Accord EX.
Rev. BE

[BobHeisler]

While it's hard to find a good auto insurance company, I would caution you to stay away from GEICO. They suck. They spend billions each year touting how they'll save you money...until you have an accident or sustain some type of damage. They will fight tooth and nail to decline your claim.

[Shandi]

Just found this, after I posted my reply on using Geico:

The Big 4 car insurance companies at a glance

INSURER	GREAT FOR THOSE WHO VALUE...	CONSUMER COMPLAINTS (VS. MEDIAN)	START COMPARING

Allstate (full review)	Customer service	Fewer	Get a quote
Geico (full review)	Price	More	Get a quote
Progressive (full review)	Convenience	Fewer	Get a quote
State Farm (full review)	Breadth	More	Get a quote

Source for complaints: National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

[jbox]

... We are a household of three people, myself, my wife (with many years driving experience and good records), and our daughter, who is only 22 but got her license when she was 19...

If I may be so bold allow me a solution to your dilemma where everybody wins.

It's simple, your 22 year old daughter gets her own insurance. Your rates go down, she takes personal responsibility for at least one part of her life, and pays her own bills. Just because she is a millennial doesn't mean she is entitled to someone else paying her bills.

At some point being an adult becomes useful for all the parties. I really liked it when my relationship with my parents became adult to adult, rather than parent to child.

[rekarp]

Whoa there. Unless you know the family, you're making a lot of assumptions about a personal situation that has nothing to do with the original question that was asked. Sure, in some circumstances your suggestion might be a good one, but there are so many others where you could be totally off base. Perhaps you should MYOB. This is a great example of why many people are leery of posting on this board.

If I may be so bold allow me a solution to your dilemma where everybody wins.

It's simple, your 22 year old daughter gets her own insurance. Your rates go down, she takes personal responsibility for at least one part of her life, and pays her own bills. Just because she is a millennial doesn't mean she is entitled to someone else paying her bills.

At some point being an adult becomes useful for all the parties. I really liked it when my relationship with my parents became adult to adult, rather than parent to child.

[jbox]

Whoa there. Unless you know the family, you're making a lot of assumptions ...

Yeah, you're right, I may be off base and I don't know the circumstances. Edward is a veteran round here and he did post gratitude. But I might be right too and at 22 years of age adult children should begin to think about taking care of their own life. I bought my first car at 16, paid for it with money I earned, covered the gas and insurance too, at 16. That was the deal I had with my folks and I appreciate the lesson it taught me about personal responsibility. Times do change though. Now that umbilical cord stretches on to age 25 or 30 and beyond, so I'm told.

[Valley Oak]

I see both of your points of view. That said...

I expressed gratitude to John for participation, not because I agree with his feedback, because I do not. My attitude was to take John's message in stride and to not knock him, although I could have.

Ron's (Rekarp) feedback was constructive and I really appreciate it. John's was clearly judgmental, uncalled for, inappropriate, and just plain wrong. John's 2nd message doubled down, unfortunately, Donald Trump style. John has no idea about the particulars of our family and I'm not going to discuss them here.

When people post to the Wacco List, they do so with a certain trust in mind. When people are criticized, or the feedback is inappropriate, etc, it frustrates further participation, and sometimes they are folks who have posted here for the first time. I understand this precisely because I myself have been an offender too many times.

So with that in mind, I try to take it with tolerance and patience.

Yeah, you're right, I may be off base and I don't know the circumstances. ...

Whoa there. Unless you know the family, you're making a lot of assumptions ...

[IgorGold]

Because our parents never helped us out when we were in our early 20's right?
I'm so fed up with this faux-puritan work ethic--take responsibility BS. It's the sort of selfish materialism that one finds so jarring and hypocritical in the west county.

There's more to value in life than mere acquisition and the job market and cost of living is much harder today than it was 20 or 30 years ago. I think it's fine to lend a hand to young people when they're starting out.

I get so peeved when I hear this sort of crude righteousness; no sympathy or compassion for the less than affluent. People have such short memories.

It's simple, your 22 year old daughter gets her own insurance. Your rates go down, she takes personal responsibility for at least one part of her life, and pays her own bills. Just because she is a millennial doesn't mean she is entitled to someone else paying her bills...

[vlondi]

Your experience is not everyone's experience. I've had Geico for 9 years over a 13 year stretch (4 years I tried USAA at family recommendation, would not do that again) and not only are their rates usually lower with better coverage I've never had a single issue with claims from them. My wife was t-boned in an intersection by an under-insured driver. Not only did Geico get the damage repaired quickly they even got our deductible back from the other party (and that was only $100).

They've never given me or my wife anything but good service.

While it's hard to find a good auto insurance company, I would caution you to stay away from GEICO. They suck. ...

[beshiva]

you know what disturbs me about some posts on WACCO?! that some people go off into some other direction,
which might have absolutely nothing to do with anything. I mean this person was merely, asking for some insurance information and you have to go off on some damn tangent about what their family should or shouldn't do with their family dynamics....-holy-schmoly your just full of it!

we have had kids on insurance way into their 20's because if you are with an insurance company for a long period of time, it makes sense to insure other members. anyway, none of us EVEN need to speculate on families decision making. how do you EVEN assume SHE isn't paying the bill?! she is simply on the plan.
anyway, i've said enough- just irked me that you make some asinine assumptions

...It's simple, your 22 year old daughter gets her own insurance. ...

[jbox]

you know what disturbs me about some posts on WACCO?!...

Well, as my one of my favorite social critic, Steve Martin, once said, "Excuuuuuuuuuse me!!!" Jeez some folks really get their privates in a wringer over a simple comment. May I suggest you don't get so offended at a perfectly reasonable suggestion. Adults paying their own bills? How dare you! LOL.

[beshiva]

don't get my privates in a wringer- as Jim Carey said, 'OK, let's Do it YOUR WAY"...
your point, IT"S not the point! it's when we butt in where it's not asked. that's all i'm saying. hey, i raised six kids-believe me, i know about kicking them into the arena of life. lol

Well, as my one of my favorite social critic, Steve Martin, once said, "Excuuuuuuuuuse me!!!" ...

[Barry]

While some of the comments on this thread are a bit off base and bordering on disrespectful, how to handle your kid's car insurance is a worthy topic and it's fine to continue the discussion on a calmer basis.

Is it better/cheaper to have them covered on your policy or have their own policy, even if you pay for it?

As I remember, we went the route of having them on our policy since it was cheaper, but migrated to them having their own policy when the cost differential was less and felt it was better that they establish their own record.

There's a whole other worthy topic of how to parent young adults, especially when they are still living at home, that would make for another thread. Should someone want to start that in WaccoTalk, I would encourage people their to speak about their own experiences and not to be presumptive that it applies to anybody else, even if someone is asking for advice.

[hanford]

yes attached to adult policy and young adults should assist in paying for cost of driving ,It is a fools
paradise to think you can be a parent and a best buddy of the child. payments for car plus insurance.
job and responsibility ,are best for human development .

While some of the comments on this thread are a bit off base and bordering on disrespectful, how to handle your kid's car insurance is a worthy topic and it's fine to continue the discussion on a calmer basis.

Is it better/cheaper to have them covered on your policy or have their own policy, even if you pay for it?

As I remember, we went the route of having them on our policy since it was cheaper, but migrated to them having their own policy when the cost differential was less and felt it was better that they establish their own record.

There's a whole other worthy topic of how to parent young adults, especially when they are still living at home, that would make for another thread. Should someone want to start that in WaccoTalk, I would encourage people their to speak about their own experiences and not to be presumptive that it applies to anybody else, even if someone is asking for advice.