Tweet
Insert picture of a frowning toddler here.
As seen in OT, I just bought a new car. I have insurance through Farmer's, with an agent who operates locally and whose services my parents have used for approximately 20 years. I had a good experience with my one claim when I was rear-ended by a driver who hit me and fled the scene. Up until now, no problems at all.
While car shopping, I called my agent and had her give me estimates for several different makes and models of new cars, to make sure my insurance would not increase. She kindly did so, and informed me that with any of the cars I was considering, due to new safety features the monthly cost of my insurance would actually decrease. She also renewed my good student discount which I had let lapse, resulting in a credit to my insurance on the current vehicle. I was thrilled and thanked her profusely.
Okay fast forward to now: I bought the car and left a voice message with VIN and intent to insure so that it would be covered immediately under Colorado state law (presumption of intent to insure-- if you have a current car insured and have told your insurer that you have a new car and will be buying coverage, you have a grace period where you're presumed insured even without POI). This morning I get a call back from insurance agent's employee (not the same woman I spoke to regarding both my past claim and the previous estimates), who informs me:
1) My insurance will go up with the new car, not down.
2) My good student discount, which her boss, my agent, just renewed, is actually being rejected for not taking enough course hours.
I was fuming, but I did stay polite and inform her that I received estimates showing my insurance going DOWN with the new car, not up, and that my agent had just personally renewed my discount and sent me a letter showing the credit to my current insurance. I stated in a calm tone that the estimates I received were factored into my choice of a new car, and that had I been quoted with the increase rather than the reduced rate I was quoted, I may have chosen to repair my older vehicle (AGAIN) rather than spend a bunch of money on a new car and find myself now having car payments AND increased insurance. She understood that I am of course not pleased with having made a major purchase partially based on a quote that may be incorrect, and said she would look for additional discounts.
I am NOT HAPPY! GRR! I got a great deal, I love my new car, but I feel that someone who has done work for my family for two DECADES has lied to me-- they use the same computer system, obviously, so there is no real possible way that they are just getting different estimates from the computer. Also the agent has been in business plenty long enough to know how many course hours are required for a good student discount, and should certainly have informed me if the credit she sent me is actually NOT being applied to my account-- which will leave me with a bill I didn't plan to owe this month, since the credit was significant enough that I should not have been charged for my insurance this or next month. Having just bought a car, another unexpected $130 is a lot of money to have to pay!
I do not want to be an SC about this, but I think the agent is clearly at fault for giving me both a false quote and a credit that apparently will not actually be given to me. Hopefully the agent's employee will find something in her paperwork that applies an additional discount and aligns the estimates, but there is still the good student credit which factored into my financial planning.
I can and will afford even the higher rate, and I'm certainly not going to try to take the new car back (legally I could within 3 days but I'm in love already), but I'll certainly be shopping around for other insurance if this is not corrected in some way. I'm also considering calling the corporate office and filing a complaint about the two errors by my agent and asking for a credit to my account to bring the new rate at least for the next six month billing period in line with the estimate that I was given.
Obviously the employee who just gave me the higher estimate is just doing her job, and I believe she is probably correct on both fronts, but I do not think that it is okay for an agency to give a quote that is blatantly incorrect as well as send a letter stating you have been credited then revoke the credit.
As seen in OT, I just bought a new car. I have insurance through Farmer's, with an agent who operates locally and whose services my parents have used for approximately 20 years. I had a good experience with my one claim when I was rear-ended by a driver who hit me and fled the scene. Up until now, no problems at all.
While car shopping, I called my agent and had her give me estimates for several different makes and models of new cars, to make sure my insurance would not increase. She kindly did so, and informed me that with any of the cars I was considering, due to new safety features the monthly cost of my insurance would actually decrease. She also renewed my good student discount which I had let lapse, resulting in a credit to my insurance on the current vehicle. I was thrilled and thanked her profusely.
Okay fast forward to now: I bought the car and left a voice message with VIN and intent to insure so that it would be covered immediately under Colorado state law (presumption of intent to insure-- if you have a current car insured and have told your insurer that you have a new car and will be buying coverage, you have a grace period where you're presumed insured even without POI). This morning I get a call back from insurance agent's employee (not the same woman I spoke to regarding both my past claim and the previous estimates), who informs me:
1) My insurance will go up with the new car, not down.
2) My good student discount, which her boss, my agent, just renewed, is actually being rejected for not taking enough course hours.
I was fuming, but I did stay polite and inform her that I received estimates showing my insurance going DOWN with the new car, not up, and that my agent had just personally renewed my discount and sent me a letter showing the credit to my current insurance. I stated in a calm tone that the estimates I received were factored into my choice of a new car, and that had I been quoted with the increase rather than the reduced rate I was quoted, I may have chosen to repair my older vehicle (AGAIN) rather than spend a bunch of money on a new car and find myself now having car payments AND increased insurance. She understood that I am of course not pleased with having made a major purchase partially based on a quote that may be incorrect, and said she would look for additional discounts.
I am NOT HAPPY! GRR! I got a great deal, I love my new car, but I feel that someone who has done work for my family for two DECADES has lied to me-- they use the same computer system, obviously, so there is no real possible way that they are just getting different estimates from the computer. Also the agent has been in business plenty long enough to know how many course hours are required for a good student discount, and should certainly have informed me if the credit she sent me is actually NOT being applied to my account-- which will leave me with a bill I didn't plan to owe this month, since the credit was significant enough that I should not have been charged for my insurance this or next month. Having just bought a car, another unexpected $130 is a lot of money to have to pay!
I do not want to be an SC about this, but I think the agent is clearly at fault for giving me both a false quote and a credit that apparently will not actually be given to me. Hopefully the agent's employee will find something in her paperwork that applies an additional discount and aligns the estimates, but there is still the good student credit which factored into my financial planning.
I can and will afford even the higher rate, and I'm certainly not going to try to take the new car back (legally I could within 3 days but I'm in love already), but I'll certainly be shopping around for other insurance if this is not corrected in some way. I'm also considering calling the corporate office and filing a complaint about the two errors by my agent and asking for a credit to my account to bring the new rate at least for the next six month billing period in line with the estimate that I was given.
Obviously the employee who just gave me the higher estimate is just doing her job, and I believe she is probably correct on both fronts, but I do not think that it is okay for an agency to give a quote that is blatantly incorrect as well as send a letter stating you have been credited then revoke the credit.
I have USAA now, and they've been freaking awesome. With them, I've actually seen my monthly insurance bill *drop* since I bought the Corolla. The MG, on the other hand, is insured by one of their affiliates.
Comment