Help with Insurance shopping

[millertime150]

My renewal is about to come up for homeowners insurance. Right now I am not happy with my current company who has my home and auto.

Who do you guys recommend? I want to get both home and auto. Also I want a national company like Statefarm or Allstate.

Also what is the best way to shop? I don't want everyone pulling my credit for fear that if too many pull it, it will start decreasing (even if it is only by a few pts).

I just haven't received good service from my current company (they are not on my side!!)

 

[WhosYerBob]

I got drop-kicked by Statefarm right after an accident over 20 years ago, so I've never gone back to them. I've been with Allstate ever since and have nothing but praise for them.

 

[danek]

I'd recommend finding a local independant agent and let them do the shopping for you. They'll be able to compare several companies side by side and offer great advice about limits, deductibles, coverages, etc...

 

[Bobtrumpet]

FWIW, I've been with Liberty Mutual (home and auto) longer than I care to think about. They do the usual home+auto discount, plus we've gotten several downward adjustments with out Credit Union membership and other items. Very responsive when I've called with questions and policy changes, and great claims service.

Having said that, I am also looking at other companies, mostly to see if I can get a better price (no luck yet, though!).

 

[Duke of the Deck]

+1 On Liberty Mutual.

I was with Allstate for over 30 years for both Auto and Home. I did an internet search and found a company that sent quote requests to about a half a dozen insurance companies. This saved a lot of time in not having to fill out multiple forms.

Every couple of years I would check against Allstate's rates and there was never enough of a price difference to warrant a change. I wasn't going to make a change for a couple of dollars. This time, one company was higher than Allstate and every one of the others was significantly lower. Liberty Mutual was not the lowest, but I liked the way they presented their proposal and I decided to go with them. Combined homeowners and auto was about $700 a year less than Allstate. This was with a clean driving record and no homeowner claims.

 

[Hutch1]

I'd recommend finding a local independant agent and let them do the shopping for you. They'll be able to compare several companies side by side and offer great advice about limits, deductibles, coverages, etc...

I second finding an independent agent, they work with multiple companies. Don't get hung up with national companies, there are many regional carriers that are in good or better a capital position to pay your claims. A lot of the big boys got hit paying for all the hurricane damage, and are not in great financial shape. Insurance companies are independently rated, look for AM Best rating of A or better. Also, do not shop on price alone, all policies/quotes are not equal. Read and go over your policy with your agent.

What you're really buying is protection should you ever get sued. If you lose a lawsuit for an auto accident with damages above your limits, they'll take your savings, force a second mortgage on your home, seize you personal property for auction, even garnish wages until the debt is paid. Homestead laws will prevent them from taking your home if you can still afford the payments after that. What I'm really saying is be diligent in your decision.

 

[_JP_]

If you qualify, I don't think that you can beat USAA.

 

[xpavar]

If you qualify, I don't think that you can beat USAA.

I use USAA insurance products. I once had a Farmer's Insurance agent call me to offer a quote for auto insurance. I told them I had USAA, end of call.

 

[The Nid Hog]

If you qualify, I don't think that you can beat USAA.

+1

I've had USAA for about 25 years and I've never had a problem with them. I've insured cars, my apartment when I was renting and a house once I owned it. Every now and then I shop around but nobody can touch them.

More than that, they really do go the extra mile. Last year, I was visiting my daughter in college in PA. I was staying at a hotel in a town near her school and the night before, there had been a fire in a recently developed condo complex nearby. That morning, a van and an SUV from USAA pulled up and set up a tent in the parking lot. There were a couple of people who were insured by USAA living there, so an emergency response team came down to see if they could help. Apart from taking care of their customers, they handed out blankets, water bottles and pile sweaters to the residents. They gave everybody advice on how to advance their claims, even if they weren't insured by USAA. They ran errands with their van and helped get some of the people who had lost their condos set up in the hotel where I was staying. They even slipped my daughter a couple of blankets for her dorm room. This wasn't the aftermath of a hurricane or anything like that. Just a local apartment fire.

 

[xpavar]

I look forward to the dividend check every year from USAA in December. Just in time for holiday shopping. Great company.