Need insurance help - any agents on here?

Hey guys, I need some advice on how to deal with an issue that came up with my insurance. The short of it is that I put the Willys on my regular auto policy 2.5 years ago. It wasn’t drivable and I asked my agent in person if there was a way to cover the car only for damage that might occur while in storage. I don’t know exactly what they called it, but it was basically comprehensive without the liability. They quoted me about $12 a month, which I agreed to.

The plan was always to switch to a collector policy once the car was delivered and I changed the title and registered the car. Well life took over most of my free time, we had a baby a little over a year ago and I’ve been busy with the second job and so on, so I didn’t get to change the insurance or title the car until last month. I’m getting ready to get to work on it, that’s why I’m just getting around to it

Then I get this month’s statement and it seems way low. I do some digging and they’ve had the Willys on as a regular driver with full coverage since day one. Supposedly I was paying $44 extra a month, but the bill dropped $73, so I don’t know what the full damage is. I talk with a rep and first they say they’ll try to reimburse the whole thing, but now they’re saying only a year and they don’t know for how much

The coverage was shown only in the 6 month renewal packs, which I’ll admit I never looked at. Isn’t that why I have an agent? The monthly statements don’t spell out where the money goes. I had made several policy changes at that time which is why I didn't notice a spike in the premiums. Do I have a leg to stand on with this? I mean, how can they admit fault on a year but not the other year and a half?

I could see if it was a misunderstanding as to coverage limits, but I made it clear that the car wasn’t drivable, and like I said it wasn’t even registered in PA until last month. The fact that they're giving me anything at all says it was partially their fault and they must have some obligation to reimburse me.

Thoughts?

 

Don't see anything here an adjuster could help out with, a sit down with your agent would maybe get this resolved. A call directly to the Company your agent represents may get you something. Good luck!

 

First off never believe what an insurance agent or anybody tells you what something will cost like that UNTIL it's in black and white and signed by you and the agent .
Now all you need to do is call Hagery or any other collector car insurance company to get your Willys covered . Mine from Hagerty is $125 a year and has road service included . They are great and very good to deal with . You both agree on a price for your car/truck and that's it . You keep your regular insurance coverage with your home , daily driver and so on with the company you have now .
We all do it this way .

Retro Jim

 

yup, he's right.I'm an adjuster and there is nothing an adjuster can do or should advise when it comes to policy premiums. You need to have a serious sit down with your agent, but it is your responsibility to read your policy/bill and see what you are paying for.

 

Hagerty is what I switched to. I had a long talk with my agent to find out if they (Allstate) would offer any type of comparable coverage, and they couldn't, so that's why HE suggested the comprehensive only policy. I found all this out on a Sunday so I've been dealing direct with corporate.

I still don't understand why a 2000 Cherokee would cost the same amount to cover (within two dollars) as a 31 Willys. I mean what's the blue book on the Willys, $300? It just seems like either way there's still a problem.

{EDIT} - I changed the title to read Agents instead of Adjusters.

 

Im a broker/agent for the last 35 years. Its called a mutual mistake of fact in legal terms, you told your agent comp only, and somehow they put full coverage on it. I presume you can prove the car didnt run, like photos, no plates, etc. Your agent should fight for a refund. I can see them resisting anything over the last one year, not saying thats right, but it is usual. Rule 1, read your ins premium notices. Rule 2, review your total ins coverages at least once a year with your agent. Might want to shop all of it since you probably havent in a while.

 

I've been with this company for almost 15 years, so no, I haven't shopped around. And like I said the car wasn't even registered until last month since it couldn't be driven. I'm going to ask for their decision in writing and go from there, also if they offer any type of appeal process.

 

Grundy is the one that I can recommend as when I was involved in an accident they did
what they were supposed to. I had a stated value and had my money in less than two weeks. No questions asked. All insurance companys are great as long as you are paying the premiums but the test is when you have a problem. Also they are less expensive.
Check them out.

 

Switch to collectors insurance. I have Hagerty for my car, it's still a project and they were very helpful getting me the coverage I need. Fairly inexpensive as well $120 a year, this of course will vary with your coverage.

Of course if it's a project they want to see progress......

 

Insurance is fun! Even the outlaw Jesse James had a gun when he was robbing people. Good luck, I would take the advice of others and have a sitdown with your agent and fight for your money!
Chuck

 

I even called about 3 or 4 months ago to see if they could offer me any discounts to drop the premium a bit as I thought it was excessive. You would think that seeing full tort on a 1931 anything listed on the policy would have prompted them to at least ask what it's use was.

Again, I should have looked after the situation better, but it just didn't happen. I had an in-person conversation with the agent and figured all was good.

 

They also may be correct about only going back one year in refunds, if they do anything. Insurance Law will dictate certain things and I know that there are time limits on refunds for mistaken charges like that. Works the same with public utilities and Phone Co's as well. And of course every state is different too.

 

Well you see they get a commission based upon what you spend, so they really don't have a good reason to save you money and reduce their commission do they? Just cause they look you in the eye and say they are on your side doesn't mean they are, only you are truly "on your side"

 

I just switched to Grundy I was with Haggerty for the last 2 years I approached a grundy display at a car show last summer an asked for a "Quick Quote" Took that info along with my Haggerty policy to my local agent and asked her(because she knows insurance and I don't) to check and see if the policies were comparable.Grundy's limits were slightly lower she raised them to be the same as Haggerty. Went from paying $537.00 to $267.00 a year Oh and by the way I also showed the Grundy quote to a Haggerty rep at the same car show and asked him if he could explain the difference he couldn't.It pays to shop

 

Can't speak to Grundy because, and I quote, "You are too youthfull for us to insure with a classic car policy." But, I went over to Haggerty and got my 56 wagon insured 100% for $240 a year. Great customer service, very fast, and their people were very helpfull.

 

I guess for once being older has its advantages

 

I was with Hagerty when one of my cars got totaled. Quick payment and I was happy. Tried getting my avatar covered by Hagerty and the cost was too much...went with Grundy and saved a couple of hundred.

 

Every state has a Dept of Insurance/ Insurance Commisioners Office. All have the ability for you to file a complaint free. It is serious, and your company must respond. Feel free to pm me if I can help.With a non running, unlicensed car, they had no exposure to a liability loss, so it only makes sense they should work out a refund or credit for you.

 

Here's a link to PA Insurance Dept. You can file a complaint from this page. I filed a complaint against life Insurance Co once and they were helpful

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/file_a_complaint/9258

 

I'm still waiting to see what they're response is from here, they haven't given me an actual refund number yet. If I don't think it's reasonable I guess I'll file something with the state. Thanks for the info guys, and I'll keep you posted with the outcome.

 

Good luck. Let us know.

 

The way I read this paragraph it sounds as though you were insuring a car that wasn't even in your name. Might be a legal problem there.

 

I filed a complaint with the state. I got a call back today and they won't go back any further than one year. To top it off, the are sending me a reimbursement for $140.

I was paying $55.61 a month and they are saying it should have been $10.84 for the coverage that I asked for. So I should get back $44.77/mo for the year. But even if they will only reimburse me for a year, basic math will tell you the payout should be $537. Not the $140 they are sending me.

 

Just a small update. Nothing back from the state yet, but I did receive a nice piece of mail from Allstate - an amended policy going back on this past cycle, minus the Willys but with an added $80 in premiums since it was now only a single vehicle policy. Never mind the fact that the Willys was on for the majority of the 6 month cycle. So I know what they're doing and why they say I'm only entitled to $140 for the year, they have massaged the numbers so that I'm really not getting anything.

Also, they said the $140 amount was a refund for the past 12 months (I had them verify this on the phone). My premium was $333.72 for the past six, and $314 previously. They said they based the amount on a rate of around $270, which is what I would have been paying in 2008. SO THEY BASED A PAYOUT FOR THE LAST YEAR ON 2008'S PREMIUMS. Oh, and they offered to 'go ahead' and take care of my next two payments. I'm sure they took that money out of the payout figure, even though they portrayed it as a courtesey, and ensured that I would be a customer for at least two more months.

I had a nice chat with one of their reps who just couldn't seem to connect me to a supervisor - big surprise. I tried to get the point across that they sent me an amended policy for an additonal $80 in premuims at the same time that they sent me a renewal agreement, and that I really wasn't leaning that way with the underhanded treatment I've had to endure. I made sure they knew a complaint was filed and I was told I would get a call back from one of the supers - still waiting.

If they had said right from the start that we're only going to give you back a year and here's the amount in full, no tricks, no games, it would have been over. Now they've got me aggrevated. I'm going for the whole thing (should be around $1150 or better by my figures).

Maybe they should have taken into account that messing with a $530 payout, which wasn't theirs to take in the first place, may cost them a 15 year customer with $600/yr home owners policy and a $900 yearly minimum in auto coverage. Not to mention the many family members I have that also insure with Allstate.

This, my friends, is bad business.

 

I'm sure some people on here are members on other boards, you may want to post and link to this thread. If this is how Allstate does business these days, maybe more people should be aware. God forbid I had a total loss. What would I have to go through then?

 

radio feller bruce williams uses the term 'rule of ten'..... you tell ten people, and they 'each' tell ten people...............how long does it take 100 people to hear the story?

you my friend have used the 'rule of ten' to the tenth power! H.A.M.B.- style!

a bad reputation is earned, not 'awarded'!

red

 

I work for a competitor, but I do have a classic program specifically for classic cars. I would stick to one of the top 3 companies for this kind of coverage. State Farm, Allstate, American Family dont have a dedicated program for these cars, therefore, they dont know how to properly insure them.

 

Right, which is why I switched to Hagerty. The Allstate coverage was just to keep something on it while it was being stored, until I was ready to start putting money into it. And really, I don't see why they can't provide comparable coverage. I would have kept it on under a collector's policy with them just out of convenience.

Allstate wanted $10.84 for basic storage coverage, and the payout in the event of a total loss probably would not have been much. For the same amount of money I now have a full tort, agreed-value policy through Hagerty. For THAT coverage, Allstate wanted $333.72, and with NO agreed value.

All of that is a moot point in my case, but it does illustrate the need for collector rates and how much you can save.

 

so you didnt read what you paid for and its their fault?

 

I have a feeling it changed when I switched cars on the policy, but in the end I didn't catch it until recently. They did however promise possibly reimbursing me for the full amount over the 2.5 years, but in the end determined all they would go back was a year. After which they manipulated the numbers to reduce the pay out for that time frame.

At this point my complaint is that they have promised me a reimbursement for a certain time period but are fudging the numbers in their favor.