Any suggestions for insurance companies? I've been looking at few but I don't know... Living in California semi new rider (legally at least hah) any pointers where to look? Thanks
that's a tough one....Wisconsin made mandatory insurance law in 2010 (yeah, I know), and the company I was with for 24 years without a claim raised my rate by $300 a bike. I did a bunch of checking, and ALMOST went with Progressive...as a last chance before I pulled the trigger on that, I called Allstate......I now have better coverage, their "gold preferred" whatever plan, and I'm paying an astounding $210 a YEAR to cover BOTH BIKES!!!! Maybe there are some benefits to getting old....
That gives me an idea! ;D Maybe I should hobble in to my insurance agent's office with a walker, to renegotiate rates. ;) ;D
;) Troll there is something to be sadi for getting up the ladder. I have been with my company for a long time now, Truck, house, boat, bike, and when I turned 50 I got a cheque from them for $200.00 for being a good member in good standing.....
I'm not to sure if you guys have this were you live,but I use State Farm and I pay $120 for both my bikes......I use them for all my insurance needs as well though....home owners,cars trucks etc....
Yeah, the more things you have with 1 company, the better your rate will likely be.
I moved all my policies to Allstate, and I saved almost $1000 on the bundle. Dairyland, the company I was with wanted $600 to cover the Drifter, and $300 for the W, with minimum coverage. $210 TOTAL seems like a hell of a deal to me...
My Suggestion is :
1) Use an independent agent. A good independent represents many companies and can do all the shopping for you.
2) Determine if you will live with "book values" or if you want to ensure for a set amount. Also check rates for policies with higher liability limits. Give that info to your agent so they can shop for you.
3) Try to package your insurance with cars, boats, house etc if possible.
4) Forgot what that guy in forum says about how much he pays... rates vary.
5) Do pay attention to complaints about "after a loss" customer service and treatment. Allstate historically has a bad reputation in this regard, but things may change. Progressive has been all over the board - though I would pay twice as much NOT to use Progressive - its CEO and George Soros are big buddies.
Make it easy, use a good independent agent. (My wife and I worked in commercial insurance with independent agents for a very, very long time.)
chief this is very true
5) Do pay attention to complaints about "after a loss" customer service and treatment. Allstate historically has a bad reputation in this regard, but things may change.
I learned this first hand when a drunkin driver side swipped my truck while we were sleeping at 0230.Woke me up out of a deep sleep (thought the enemy was attacking)I hoped out of bed and chased him down with my wifes truck.Any way the guy had Allstate insurance and they agreed to take care of everything.Well my truck is in the autobody shop and the shop gives me a call.They wanted to put used parts on my vehicle because that's how Allstate does bussiness.Geuss that's one way to keep rates down.Autobody shop told me to be thankful mine doesn't because alot of companies operate like this.Long story short I had to go through my insurance to get all new parts and in return they went after All State ins.Can you imagine getting used parts on your vehicle.INSANE!!!
Putting on used parts has been a common practice in the insurance industry since the beginning of time, but a lot of it also has to do with the shop doing the repair work. If they can get the part for $20 at the salvage yard, and the insurance is allowing $100 for it, the shop pockets the difference. You'd be surprised what you'd see, if you popped into the body shop unannounced.
I've had both Allstate and State Farm. . . both HORRIBLE!!!!!
I'm with Nationwide now, which I have mixed experiences with, in filing claims. On the auto side, they were pretty decent. On the home side, not too good. I had major storm damage last year, and although they sent an adjuster very quickly, the check they cut didn't meet what I thought was needed. I had meeting after meeting with them. Then they stopped communicating. Then they sent a letter saying the claim was closed. In the end, I had to be the general contractor and got everything fixed myself. Then, the major subcontractor I hired, walked off the job near the end. My friend and I had to finish the work ourselves (which turned out to be the best thing, since I know it's done right). To be clear, this had nothing to do with the insurance company. This was a sub I hired myself that came "recommended" by one of those contractor sites that supposedly screen the contractors. I could write a book about how much this guy screwed up, but that's a different story.
The bottom line is that Nationwide raised my homeowner's premium by 25%. So now I'm looking for another company, and I'll take all of my policies with me. The agent's office told me that Nationwide had re-evaluated replacement cost of the house and said that's why it was going up. Makes no sense. Homebuilding costs have not gone up 25%. As it was, I was way overinsured to begin with. Anyway, I told my agent, if you let Nationwide raise the premium by THAT much, I'm taking all my insurance business somewhere else. So hasta la vista, Baby!
I believe it's all about what you expect, and why you buy insurance, to begin with. All insurance is built on scare tactics. If something happens to my bike, for example, I'm probably going to be happy if they don't total it, and pay to repair. All vehicles run on used parts, so a good, clean fender, for example, whether it's new, out of the box, or used isn't going to make a particle bit of difference, since the fender on the bike is used to begin with. Medical payment/injury insurance is a different matter, since the "other guy" is most likely going to be on the hook for that. As long as I don't have to come up with money to pay for med, I don't care. Homeowners insurance is based on (In my case, anyway) full replacement cost at today's prices...Since I have a mortgage, I'm forced to buy insurance by the lender, so going with what's giving me the most on paper with the lowest out of pocket makes the most sense to me. I never expect to collect a dime, and I do what ever I can to make that a reality. The same with my wife's car, for the same reasons. My van, because that state says I have to, has what they mandate. If anything happens to it, no loss. 170,000 miles on a 22 year old van that I paid $100 for isn't going to break me. I've only had one claim in my whole life, for a storm door damaged in a wind storm, and that was paid for by my homeowner's insurance. I can't say how well the claim was handled, but it was paid. Insurance isn't an investment, it's a write off to begin with ( life insurance is a prime example of that) so why not get at least a good promise, at least, if not a good payback? When it comes to the insurance on the bikes, I don't want to pay any more than I have to for the coverage I "need", since I rely on skill and awareness to keep the bike (or the van) safe.
Nationwide, Allstate and State Farm agents work for those companies. They will not do the shopping for you. A good independent agent represents many companies and can find you the best deal. Always deal with an independent agent (check with your state Trusted Choice or Professional Insurance Agent's (PIA) groups or the local directory. They aren't hard to find, and its worth developing a relationship with them.
Quote from: chief on January 21, 2013, 23:50:59 PM
Nationwide, Allstate and State Farm agents work for those companies. They will not do the shopping for you. A good independent agent represents many companies and can find you the best deal. Always deal with an independent agent (check with your state Trusted Choice or Professional Insurance Agent's (PIA) groups or the local directory. They aren't hard to find, and its worth developing a relationship with them.
Sounds good. I will have to try going that route.
I have all my eggs with all state. Bike insurance is about $215.00. Thats not including the uninsured motorists I also carry.