Shopping for car insurance

[rmarshal]

Car insurance policies. Just as with navels, most everyone has at least one. I've been comparing policy costs lately and found large differences in coverages; collision, bodily injury, property damage, in particular. Comparing two I recently received for a 2002 T-Bird, one annual premium was $644, another company was $372
for the same $ coverages and deductibles per year with excellent driving records. With such drastic differences, I wonder if I'm missing something in understanding these differences.
What are TBN members' experiences with insurance prices?

[Leroy]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

Everyone has a different situation depending on your age, driving record, type of car, were you live, even credit history gets into the picture. I found my best deal through the AARP with Hartford. They saved me about $500.00 a year as compared to AIG. My bill for the next year came about a week ago and was $1316.00. That's for full coverage on 3 vehicles for one year, an 08 Chevy Malibu LTZ, an 04 GMC K1500 Z-71 and my 04 TBird. The TBird was $304.00 of it, the truck was $494.00 and the Malibu $518.00. That's $500.00 deductable on all three for my Wife and I, we have no kids at home anymore. Plus it includes a Lifetime Contiuation Agreement, Dissappearing Collision Deductable, Emergency Expence and Accident Forgiveness Coverage and alot of other endorsements. And the best one was by paying the total premium in full I got a 10% discount. I don't have to carry full coverage on my truck or the TBird because they're not financed, but I do just in case. I lease the Malibu for my Wife so I have to have full coverage on it. I also have a 1948 Willys Jeep that I carry just PL & PD on with Progressive. AIG wouldn't insure it when I was with them so I had to find someone that would, they said it was too old? I might get a qoate from Hartford and put it with the others, it's due for renewal soon. Leroy

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[rmarshal]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

I'm finding the same with AARP Hartford. My '90 Cherokee coverage costs about the same as my current company, but differences begin to diverge with our '04 Volvo XC90 and most difference with the T-Bird.
Thanks for the valuable input!

[SixPac]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

I left AARP/Hartford when they tried to replace my front bumper with a reconditioned one instead of an OEM piece. They increased my rates the next year.

[FUN X 3]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

I had been covered by Nationwide since 1977 until we switched to AARP Hartford in late-2007. Huge savings. We haven't had any claims to file since being with AARP Hartford, so no experience there to report.

[Lonestar]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

It is a long and difficult process but virtually every insurance company has the ability for you to get a quote online. About 9 months I went through that process (painful) but I was with Nationwide (for many, many years) and they had simply gotten ridicules. I switched to AARP-Hartford for reasons mentioned in this thread. I opted for their version of accident forgiveness and only OEM parts (if available) and the price was still about half of what I was paying. A few months later I moved my classic car with a stated value to AARP-Hartford for their price beat all the antique specialty companies.

I hope I never have to find out that they suck but for now I am enjoying the lower price for in reality more coverage. Now, if you got kids at home and not over fifty something there is no need to call AARP-Hartford for their rates will be no better than anyone else.

[NotU]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

Both those amounts seem high to me.
The premium for my 2005 is $243.42 for 6 months, full coverage. I drop it to comprehensive coverage only for the winter...that's less than $50 for 6 months. Coverage includes $750 deductible for collision (I've never filed a collision claim in over 40 years of driving) & $750 deductible for comprehensive (except glass). This is with Illinois Farmers Insurance Co.
There are discounts built in for multiple cars and homeowners coverage.
The couple of claims I've had over the years have been quickly and satisfactorily completed.
This is about 1/3 what I was paying for a 1995 Trans Am convertible.
I know it varies by state and how close you are to tall buildings.
I don't know how Geico can save me $359 per year on car insurance.
It does pay to shop and compare, but make sure you're comparing apples to apples.
Good Luck!
Randy Mattson

[islandtime]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

I think I'm pretty lucky with what I pay for my two '05 Birds...each is slightly less than $400 per year, full coverage, $1,000 deductible (State Farm). I do have discounts for multiple policies (4 cars, 2 homes, jewelry/fur riders, etc), as well as accident-free discount, and retired driver discount (less than 50 miles per week in any car). The Expedition is down to about $250/yr. The Shelby, of course, is a different story - even with all the discounts.

[Lonestar]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

One may think their deal is good, not good, etc. but the bottom line is that you have to spend a few evenings requesting quotes from the companies you might consider doing business with and see what they come back with. As noted, rates are different from state to state. When you start filling out the questionnaire on the insurance provider's sites you just might be amazed at all the info they auto populate when you enter your name (not even any private info). Some of the companies who you might think would be the highest might surprise you and the converse of that is true as well.

Of course if you decide to make a change then your current company will trash who you are moving to if you divulge that info.

[Sandman]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

Try Esurance.com I had Hartford and I saved a few hundred dollars on two cars by changing. They are an online co.

[tbird6t4]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

Gawd your insurance is cheap!

What you pay for a year we pay for a month and the insurance companies are always crying that they don't make any money on car insurance. In addition, the government approves all the rate increases.

I am with an over age 50 company (Grey Power) which so far is relatively cheap by our standards and pay $225 per month for 3 cars including my 02 Bird. I understand that they are putting thru a minimum 15% increase this year and a maximum of 40% just because they can get away with it!

My renewal is Dec. 29th so I am holding my breath!

Gord

[rmarshal]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

tbird6t4 -- Have you gotten a quote from CARP's web site http://www.themclennangroup.com/carp.../quoteNEW.html ?

My quote from AARP/Hartford is the better price/coverage for me, so far.

[justjon]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

If you live someplace where you can only drive your car 40 percent of the year it must be cheaper because here in Sunny Cal I pay $800 + with my perfect driving record and old guy (66) discount.

[mtnski]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

I pay $214.66 for 6 months of full coverage with GuideOne Elite Insurance Co on my 02. I have $1000 deductible for Collision and have several discounts. It has only gone up about $10 in the last 18 months. I guess I can't complain.

[bobc4383]

Re: Shopping for car insurance

Retired military - USAA auto insurance - 03 T-Bird $146.38 twice a year.

Bob