Progressive auto insurance

[pomtzu]

Does anyone here have it, or know anyone that does? Do you/they like it? - any known problems with it?

I currently have Hartford thru AARP, and they raised my rates for next term. I drive very little (less than 7000 miles in the past 2 years), have never had an accident, filed no claims, never had a ticket so no points on my license, I have lived at the same address for 40 years, so have no Idea why my rate when up. I will call them tomorrow to find out why, tho.

I can get the exact same coverage with Progressive - in fact, even a little more - for $215 a year less than my new rate. I'm thinking that they will get my business, as long as I don't hear anything too negative about them.

Any input will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Asiel]

Funny you should bring that up, I was just reading an article about that in last night's paper. I'm sure our insurance will contact us about it , seems it went into effect on Sept.1st. Our insurance will get in touch with us and we'll have to decide how to tailor the new rates to our own needs since everyone has different needs from what the article states. Guess we'll have to wait and see. Everything is going up so this doesn't surprise me. Our record is also clean, no tickets, claims or accidents. Looks like the personal coverage will remain the same, re med care and rehab if needed.

[Grace]

Sometimes rates go up because the individual states raise specific fees - like for uninsured motorists. Though why we who pay should be responsible for some sloth, is beyond my comprehension.

Michigan raised two of their required fees over the summer

[Cataholic]

Not exactly on point, but related. Most insurance polices are written by a company called ISO. The policies, generally, are identical. There are some quirks out there, State Farm has some household exclusion language that isn't as common as other policies are. (All companies can amend, add, write their own policy language as long as it comports with the state law).

In my mind- what you pay for insurance is about 25% of the equation. It is how a claim will be handled that is important, IMO. Paying your premiums for 50 years is kind of a one way street. Never making a claim has nothing to do with how good a company is. How your claim will be handled, paid, etc., THAT is meaningful.

For instance, Pom...let's say you find a discount company, and you pay next to nothing each year. That is great. But, if this same company treats its policy holders poorly, and makes you fight for each claim or dollar paid on a claim..well, you aren't really getting anything at all for that small premium.

Having said all that, I think Prog is a decent company. I would put a few way up on top- Amica Mutual being the top choice...but prolly more expensive than others, too.

[pomtzu]

Yes Cat - that's why I was looking for input, such as on claims, customer service, etc.
Hopefully I'll never have to make a claim. Would you believe that I never have in all my years of driving?? I must be a BIG exception to the rule there. And since I drive so little anymore, and mostly just local, then I'm hoping to keep it that way. I also got quotes from Allstate - who was higher than my new rate, and Geico, who was the same as my current rate. Other well known companies such as Nationwide and State Farm, are way overpriced, and that's why I dropped SF about 10 years ago. So I'll probably take my chances with Progressive unless I hear something really bad.

[Freedom]

I'm with Johanna on this. It is how they handle claims.

I had ONE claim. A black man insisted that I drove over his feet coming out of a parking garage, which is where I had my monthly parking back when I worked. He wanted all kinds of compensation.

Yes, I parked in that garage; never saw this man in my LIFE!

He filed a claim against my insurance company. He had a buddy who did maintenance (sweeping and such) in the garage, who accessed the files to learn who my insurance company is.

My ins. co assigned one of their investigators - he tailed the guy for a week taking pics of him walking, NOT using his wheel chair. Then my ins. company searched and found this man has made 18 claims in 4 years, and recovered on many of them! With the so called "discount" companies.

We actually went before the arbitration board, me with an attorney from my ins company, armed with all the info from this man. The Board listened to his tale of woe, asked for his medical documentation. He didn't have any, SAID he would send it in later and of course it never showed up. Then listened to me, which was very little as I'd never seen this man before in my life. Then my lawyer presented all the info their investigator had collected.

It was continued for 2 weeks, to give him time to get his medical records in. When nothing arrived, the whole thing just went away.

My insurance company spent a LOT of money on that case. Result: NOTHING on MY record.

It is difficult if not impossible to prove a negative. How can I prove I did not run over his feet, did not even know the guy? I CAN'T. That is what he relies on.

I truly believe that if I had one of the discount companies, this claim would have been paid, I would have one accident, personal injury resulting, on my record.

[pomtzu]

Wow Sandie - talk about insurance fraud. That's why us good guys pay the high rates that we do. Our good driving records don't really count for squat!

A funny story (funny now-not then) about my son and his record breaking adventure. One early Sunday morning (about 2 a.m.) about 15 years ago, he was driving home on one of these back country roads and was about a couple of miles from home. He and a deer tangled, and the car was totaled. Fortunately he was not injured - and walked home. He was to pick up his daughter later that morning, so he borrowed my car to go pick her up. A woman ran a stop sign and t-boned and totaled my car! Two cars totaled in the course of about 8 hours. He should have just stayed in bed and pulled the covers over his head for the day. I don't know if I'd drive again if something like that happened to me.....

[pomtzu]

I guess I'm back to square one. I went on line and checked customer reviews - Progressive's are horrible with an overall rating of 1.5 out of a possible 5. Of course, every other insurance company gets tons of major complaints too, so who to believe? Are just the p.o.'ed people bad mouthing them, and the others who are satisfied, not bothering to post???

[Cataholic]

Go check out Amica Mutual Insurance Company. I am curious what they say about them...

[pomtzu]

Go check out Amica Mutual Insurance Company. I am curious what they say about them...

On epinions.com, they got 3.5 out of 5. Reading reviews, it seems that most people love them or hate them. Rather expensive seems to be a big issue with quite a few. I never heard of them, and don't know if they're available in DE - I'll check further tomorrow and get a quote if they are. Have a feeling they'd be more expensive than what I have now, tho.

[Daisy and Delilah]

I have had Progressive for about 2 years. I had Allstate before that and theur rates got too high.
I have a few complaints about Progressive but nothing big. For one, it irritated me when they gave me an E signing discount at first and charged me for it at renewal time. I think that was $54.00.

Overall, they are lower in rates than anybody I can find. I have full coverage for my lease car. I guess I'm pretty satisfied with them.

[pomtzu]

I have a few complaints about Progressive but nothing big. For one, it irritated me when they gave me an E signing discount at first and charged me for it at renewal time. I think that was $54.00.

Another deceptive practice, among so many others that I have read. I thought about signing on line and getting the $50 discount, but hardly worth it if they charge you anyway at the next renewal. I've read so much BAD, that I think I'll pass on them. - just too many horror stories. Bad customer service, billing errors, raising rates for no reason, denying valid claims, accusing people of lying, not paying claims promptly, not paying full amounts due, canceling people with no valid reason, repairing vehicles with parts from the junkyard, and on and on. Of course, I can't help but wonder, if people are paid by rival insurance companies to post a phony, bad reviews, the same as they might pay to have good reviews about themselves posted. Another review site I checked this a.m. gave them a good rating of 4 out of 5, unlike the one yesterday which was 1.5 out of 5. Who's to know what's real and what's not???

I also found out my rate increase was a state increase imposed on all drivers insured in DE, by all insurance companies, due to increased claims. So there you go, everybody suffers, regardless of your driving record.

So I have a month to find someone else, or stay where I am. At least with Hartford, I have a guaranteed lifetime policy and they can't cancel me for any reason such as age or any claims I make, other than me not paying my bill. Of course - they can still raise my rates based on age or claims tho... My increase wasn't all that much - but it was an increase, and when you're retired, every dollar counts.

Ugh - caught between a rock and a hard place...........

[smokey the elder]

There's a very good body shop who fixed my Mitsubishi 3000GT whan a kid whose ink wasn't dry on her license backed into the passenger door, and my Matrix when a deer attempted suicide by running in front of it. They won't take Geico or Progressive since they don't pay well (i.e. the shop actually takes a loss fixing cars insured by them.) The point of this, not all accidents are one's fault, and you need to protect yourself against those! Good and lucky for you not having any; you must not have any deer nearby!

[pomtzu]

The point of this, not all accidents are one's fault, and you need to protect yourself against those! Good and lucky for you not having any; you must not have any deer nearby!

Quite the contrary! I live in a rural area, and can sit on my front porch and watch them come out of the woods across the street and feed on the feed corn that is planted in the farmer's fields. I HATE driving at night - especially with Fall coming up - since they are EVERYWHERE! They like my back yard too! A deer tangled with my son's car - the car lost!

[Cataholic]

So I have a month to find someone else, or stay where I am.

You are aware that you can switch companies at any time during the policy period? You simply get a return of unearned premium in the event you paid ahead.

You could switch on day 1, day 50, day blah blah blah...