I used to have 21st Century, which was bought out by AIG. Never had a problem, excellent coverage, excellent customer service, excellent rates. They stopped the online bill pay thing, so I tried to set it up so that the funds would be paid out of my bank account during my renewal earlier this year. Something went wrong, either an error on my part or something with the banking system bill pay thing, and the payment never went through.

Usually you get one of those "hey, we haven't received your payment, pay us by this date or we're cutting you off" notices, I never got one. I just got a "haha you're canceled" notice a few days later. Either way it was a mistake, and even though I had the money to pay it they wouldn't reinstate my insurance and let it slide just once. So they sent me over to new accounts with AIG.

As you all probably know, AIG has gotten an $85 and a $35 billion dollar loan from the government, and has been the subject of investigation because of the lavish business trips and day spa treatments after the loans. They said of course, that us customers wouldn't be affected and our rates wouldn't change. Well I got the renewal notice yesterday for when my policy is scheduled to renew in December, and guess what... my rates went up. Other than that few day lapse, I haven't even gotten a parking ticket in about 7 years.

My rate with the lapse was around $650 for 6 months, with 50/100,000 coverage for medical and accidents, $5000 accidental death, $2500 funeral benefits, $1000/mo lost income, free roadside (towing, flat tire, lockout), and I forget what else... on a 2006 Scion tC.

So my question to you all is:

Who do you have for insurance?

What are your rates like?

What kind of coverages do you have?

Any important factors that go into your rates that would be considered?

How is their service/customer service?

And what is their contact information?


Also... have you had any BAD experiences with an auto insurance company? If so, what were they?


I'm going to be shopping around for new car insurance and would like to do my research on experiences that others have had. Obviously I know how to contact the big insurance companies, but I know there's smaller companies that are quite decent I'd like to consider as well. And of course I also know that just because someone has awesome coverage with a company, doesn't mean I'll get the same rates, I'd just like to make sure I've done my research before considering another company.


Thanks for your time and responses!!!!!!!!

 

uh i live in south jersey, never got a ticket, no accidents, squeeky clean record, great credit and im at 750 for 6 months.. so i think you're pretty good with that rate imo. for an 09 tC btw

 

when did they stop online bill pay?

here's my coverage with 21st Century. I pay $806/6 months


Type of Coverage Limits and Deductibles Premium
Bodily Injury: $250,000 Each person / $500,000 Each accident $66
Property Damage: $100,000 Each accident $80
Medical Payments: $5,000 (Excess) Each person $22
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury: $100,000 Each person / $300,000 Each accident $46

 

shadyjoker: My coverage WAS around $650 for 6 months, it's gone up for no reason. I'm also 27 and female, and my premium for AIG went up to over $700 for 6 months. My beef is that I went from around $650/6 months to over $700... it went up about $80 - $90 over 6 months. If the increase is due to their corporate greed and mismanagement, and they're jacking up MY rates because of it, I want no parts of it.

DonNguyen: I do believe (if I remember correctly) that California and I think Florida were the only 2 states in which 21st Century is still accepting new policies, and that could be why you still have the online bill pay system. I do remember one was California, I forget the other, but those were the only 2 states still accepting new policies and still fully operating under 21st Century. I live in PA, so when they went to transfer me over to the new policy department, I had to go through AIG and not 21st.

 

i think you're right. i wouldnt want any part of it either knowing the fact that the government provided them bailout money to HELP the economy and the company itself, but they're still passing on their misfortune on to you... it seems they need to do that to be able to pay their employees extravagant outings while people under 30 are paying ridiculous amounts of insurance to drive to our jobs just so we can afford it. it all makes completely no sense whatsoever. lame.

 

I am Pittsburgh side of PA, I have Progressive. I can't remember everything I have in coverage, but I pay about 880 for 6 months. I have one accident not my fault and I have mostly the same as you but think I have more income loss insurance and I selected full tort. I have had no complaints with Progressive and would recommend them. Check to see if they switched you to Full Tort that would be my guess or your deductibles were changed. Other than that I would change companies over that crap. Oh and if you have Limited tort buy full tort it is worth it.

 

I had Erie Insurance when I lived in PA. They were great. I would suggest looking into them.

 

Nah they didn't change it to full tort, I still have limited tort. With limited tort you can still sue people if your injuries are bad enough, and honestly, i wouldn't even want to sue someone unless my injuries were terrible.

I had to sue my old boss because they owed me $7,000... I won, they appealed, i won the appeal, they still wouldn't pay. So I filed for a sheriff sale, they declared bankruptcy. I fought the bankruptcy, and even though I had MORE than enough evidence to prove they were scamming the system, they let the bankruptcy go through.

I would rather gouge my eyes out than ever take anyone to a civil court thing ever again.




toeveryhour: I've been getting replies on some other forums about Erie, haven't heard a single bad thing about them yet. I'll definately have to check them out.

I got screwed before by Nationwide, not going back to them.

I'll definitely be checking places out, keep the replies coming and thanks everyone!

 

First all!!!!

Insurance companies are REQUIRED to give you additional 30 days to make that payment then they have the right cancel your policy!

My sister, my stepmother, my aunt...have all worked/work at Allstate. My sister currently works at a insurance finance company.

I have American Family...I've been late with them many times. I remember couple times; my payments have crossed in the mail and I was worried about getting dropped. Got notices in the mail. Told my sister about those letters, she told me that fact.

I know car finance companies have the right to force insurance on you. They will jack up your car payment to give you coverage. Happened to my friend.

 

I had Eire, I hated them because thier rates when under 25 sucked for me. I tried to use them for 2 days so i could get my car off the lot, they wanted me to prepay for 9 months close to $1,000 or I could go in and fill out paper work so it would come out of my checking account every month they wouldn't do it over the phone. So i went with someone else. When my mom's car got hit by a deer (yes, the deer ran into the car) they were good about paying to repair it and all that so I know they are good. I hear all the time that body shops love Eire atleast in my area. Oh yeah add me to the list of getting screwed by Nationwide; my aunt has them and loves them. But they robbed me after being in an accendent with one of their policy holders. And it was her fault not mine.

 

I currently have State Farm and I pay $80/month and my coverages are :

Property Damage liability : $25,000
Bodily Injury Protection: $25,000/ $50,000
Collision coverage: $500 deductible
Comprehensive coverage: $500 deductible

I just heard about a week ago that State Farm is raising their insurance premiums though . If mine goes up I'll just increase my deductibles to $1000 and keep that amount in a savings account just in case I ever get into an accident.

 

I have INFINITI Insurance, full Coverage, can't remember my deductable, but I think it is $500. I pay $1200 a year, I'm turning 25 next week, and I also need to renew my insurance, I hope my rates go down a little. No accidents or tickets on my record (crosses fingers)

 

That can vary from state-to-state. Most insurance companies give a grace period, but (and I have my insurance license in my state) I'm not aware of any that are *required* to give an additional grace period.

Payment grace period may also differ from insured grace period. Life Insurance is required to pay if the policy has lapsed within a certain date from death (typically because the payment wasn't sent in, 'cause the guy's DEAD) - but you're still required to make any additional pay-ups... So, basically, you may still be insured if your policy has lapsed, assuming you catch up your payments, but your co might also have the right to completely drop you.

Btw - my premiums went from $485 to 536 (hate State Farm, stupid Katrina claims) last May. That's for 50/100/50 coverage. No tickets, no accidents, and I'm 26 and married (yay adult driver discount!).

 

i pay 219 a month. i have topa insurance<--- i never heard of this insurance in my life.i just have it cus my dad put me in his insurance as part of a trio with my other brother. i have no idea whats covered. i know its full coverage