Car and house insurance: I've been with Hartford insurance for many years with a good driving record and haven't had any claims on my house for over 20 years. Gradually they have been...

farwest Loc: Utah

I've been with Hartford insurance for many years with a good driving record and haven't had any claims on my house for over 20 years. Gradually they have been raising the rates to where I'm ready to jump ship to another company.

Are there any insurance companies that you would recommend.
Interesting side note when I was talking to an insurance company they said they couldn't insure me because I was in a fire zone. I live in a rural area amongst alfalfa fields. Go figure.

Thanks

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

farwest wrote:

I've been with Hartford insurance for many years w... (show quote)

Just be glad you don't have to purchase home insurance in Florida.
I think ever since Andrew? (and a few other hurricanes), many companies have "left" Florida.......
Many companies have become more "selective".

BebuLamar

farwest wrote:

I've been with Hartford insurance for many years w... (show quote)

The only thing I can recommend is to jump ship every year. Insurance company (as well as phone companies and internet service providers) no longer treat their loyal customers well. They give discounts only to new customers. The insurance agent actually told me so.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

We shop for insurance frequently. Not necessarily every year, but maybe every 2 or 3. It helps.

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

We have AAA insurance for both and have been very happy with them. My wife and I both own Lexus cars and our combined car insurance (including collision) is less than $2,000 a year. It can vary a lot depending on how many miles you drive a year. Make sure you’re not overpaying if you’re retired and don’t drive as much as you used to when you were working for example.

Mduffy910 Loc: Michigan

Florida insurance rates have become unaffordable. Our homeowners has gone up $2,000 two years in a row we now pay $7,200 a year! Our home is 5 miles from the Gulf, and our property sits at 69 feet above sea level! Practically a mountain for Florida! Our home was built in 1959 is all block construction, we have updated all the windows and doors to high impact units.... we currently live in Michigan
but plan to retire in Florida we may have to move to another state instead!!!

farwest Loc: Utah

Fredrick wrote:

We have AAA insurance for both and have been very happy with them. My wife and I both own Lexus cars and our combined car insurance (including collision) is less than $2,000 a year. It can vary a lot depending on how many miles you drive a year. Make sure you’re not overpaying if you’re retired and don’t drive as much as you used to when you were working for example.

Thanks, yes we are retired and don't travel too much. I will check them out.

ecblackiii Loc: Maryland

farwest wrote:

I've been with Hartford insurance for many years w... (show quote)

All insurance rates are increasing because claims are increasing all over the nation. A year ago I switched from USAA, which I had been with for for more than 50 years, when I decided to shop around. I went with Hartford (via AARP) and cut my yearly home and auto insurance bill by more than half!

farwest Loc: Utah

ecblackiii wrote:

All insurance rates are increasing because claims are increasing all over the nation. A year ago I switched from USAA, which I had been with for for more than 50 years, when I decided to shop around. I went with Hartford (via AARP) and cut my yearly home and auto insurance bill by more than half!

Yes I have had Hartford for many years and every year they just keep increasing our rates to the point I'm shopping around.

Tucker Loc: Derry, NH

This happened to my wife and me several years ago, rates were going insane. We got a couple of quotes from other companies, and our insurance agent matched them.

Vladimir200 Loc: Beaumont, Ca.

Here in California, Allstate, State Farm, and my carrier, Farmers........has all said they will not write Home Owners any longer. I still have 8 or 9 months before my HO expires but then, I guess I'll be looking too. Bottom line: There used to be a lot of wisdom and value to "shopping" every few years but now, especially in California, when a HO carrier increases the rates somewhat, many of us are simply paying and hoping they won't be the next carrier to leave the state. I'm reading that my old home state of Florida is having similar problems. Here in California, it is the fires that are killing the HO business. Anyhow, good luck to all of us regarding HO insurance.

agillot

Most insurance co dont want to cover houses .Been with allstate since the middle 70 s , zero claims , that did not keep them from trying to dump me . first time because of our boxer dog , they considerate that dog as a vicious breed .Second time , calif , in a fire zone . That was a total lie . The insurance agent did a good job to keep us on .He said , insurance co dont care , you are just a number . Yes , you can change co , but within 3 yrs , you will be back where you started .

JimmyDK

I firmly believe that if an insurance company pulls out of insuring homes in a state, the state should prohibit the insurance companies from offering car insurance and other forms of insurance in that state.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

BebuLamar wrote:

The only thing I can recommend is to jump ship every year. Insurance company (as well as phone companies and internet service providers) no longer treat their loyal customers well. They give discounts only to new customers. The insurance agent actually told me so.

Same here in the U.K., I usually stick to around 3 years.

Red6

DirtFarmer wrote:

We shop for insurance frequently. Not necessarily every year, but maybe every 2 or 3. It helps.

I agree. When I was a teenager my father had State Farm and their local agent formed a close relationship with his customers and knew most of them by their first names. I continued my life with State Farm and kept them for many years. But that policy of knowing their customers changed, and few even knew them.

I worked at a small company for many years and the owner "shopped" all his insurance needs regularly. He would compare costs vs benefits and if he could find a better deal with another agent, he did so.

That pushed me to do that also. I have been looking at my insurance needs for home and auto for about a decade now and it is very competitive in those areas and deals can be had. It still can be expensive there is always someone who is more reasonable with coverage just as good or better.

Being a veteran, I have found my best deals for the past few years at USAA. Very pleased with their cost and service.