Recently shopped my insurance...wow.

[Regs]

I switched from Geico to Progressive and saved a small fortune as well. Progressive also gives you a lot of discounts for safe driving and loyalty. The worst one is All State and they try to tell you they're not cut-rate but better coverage. Not sure if that is entirely true or not because I don't know too many insurance companies whom their customers required by law to carry willingly want to cover your accident prone ass with the highest of services.

 

[manly]

You guys ever try https://autoandhome.selectquote.com/

They shop around your policy for the lowest rates. Worked a couple of times for me.

Nerdwallet used to have a generic calculator that would spit out some estimates, but it's gone now. I sort of dislike getting online quotes because you have to submit (some) personal info to get accurate rates.

I was a Mercury Insurance customer since ~ 1993 but they had been jacking up my rates in recent years. According to the aforementioned Nerdwallet calculator, they were still competitive with the field but I finally jumped over to Progressive nearly a year ago. The final straw with Mercury was continued rate increases (despite my Japanese cars getting older, not newer), and Mercury insisting I renew for more annual miles than I actually drive. I had taken a road trip to Las Vegas in winter 2017, and the way they calculated mileage was just not accurate. They wouldn't budge, so I saved about 30% switching to Progressive.

Unfortunately, it's looking like Progressive will raise my rate about 16% for my renewal in a month. I had a NO-fault claim in October, so this is bullshit Imo. So it's time to get some more rates; when I last checked a year ago GEICO was just a little higher than Progressive.

Any other good options for a good driver in SoCal?

 

[Regs]

That's the thing with insurance companies - they work like most cable companies. They promo you to death until it becomes the norm, but when time comes when the promotional period ends or other circum-happen-stance and the promo is removed and your rate goes up. Progressive, like most, have tiers and safe driver promos that end if you fart in the wrong direction at a traffic light. You can get cheaper rates by going to another carrier that give you the promo's right off the bat. But be warned - they can adjust the rate a month after you received what you thought was a cheaper rate.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

But be warned - they can adjust the rate a month after you received what you thought was a cheaper rate.

That's why you should always buy in 6 month increments? That and it's cheaper in general.

 

[paperfist]

Nerdwallet used to have a generic calculator that would spit out some estimates, but it's gone now. I sort of dislike getting online quotes because you have to submit (some) personal info to get accurate rates.

I was a Mercury Insurance customer since ~ 1993 but they had been jacking up my rates in recent years. According to the aforementioned Nerdwallet calculator, they were still competitive with the field but I finally jumped over to Progressive nearly a year ago. The final straw with Mercury was continued rate increases (despite my Japanese cars getting older, not newer), and Mercury insisting I renew for more annual miles than I actually drive. I had taken a road trip to Las Vegas in winter 2017, and the way they calculated mileage was just not accurate. They wouldn't budge, so I saved about 30% switching to Progressive.

Unfortunately, it's looking like Progressive will raise my rate about 16% for my renewal in a month. I had a NO-fault claim in October, so this is bullshit Imo. So it's time to get some more rates; when I last checked a year ago GEICO was just a little higher than Progressive.

Any other good options for a good driver in SoCal?

I don't like those online quotes either, by the time you're done you've successfully signed up to be on their mailing list and disclosed more private info they you need to open a bank account. Plus you never save the $650 they say you will. You can call SelectQuote, that's how I use it. and once they give you a quote they recommend calling before the next renewal to see if they can find you more savings somewhere else.

This is such a BS industry, they spend billions on stupid TV ads having nothing to do with insurance, collude with other companies on price fixing and when you turn in a claim that's not even your fault they car jack you.

Oh don't forget guys, you can take defensive driving (some online now) to save around 10% on your car insurance.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Oh don't forget guys, you can take defensive driving (some online now) to save around 10% on your car insurance.

Also, the online defensive driving is a complete joke. Put on a movie and occasionally click the mouse button (for the timer to perceive that you actually read the shit). When it gets to quiz time, copy/paste the question into google (if you don't know the answer since most of it is easy) heh.

 

[clamum]

My auto (2011 Honda Civic) is $1,570 a year, with zero tickets in my life. F'ing Michigan insurance. I used to be with Progressive several years back but switched to save money. I should look around again.

I have renter's insurance too (required by my apartment complex); it's around $15/$16 a month. Just a few weeks or so ago I got a quote from Geico for renter's insurnace, thinking if I bundled it with my auto I'd maybe save some. Hell no; Geico's was about $10/month more expensive for about the same coverage. I think my renter's is pretty good but I should shop around for auto.

 

[RearAdmiral]

Just made the official switch yesterday / today. We will see how it goes if I ever have to make a claim. Saving almost 3k / year at the current rates.

 

[paperfist]

Also, the online defensive driving is a complete joke. Put on a movie and occasionally click the mouse button (for the timer to perceive that you actually read the shit). When it gets to quiz time, copy/paste the question into google (if you don't know the answer since most of it is easy) heh.

Yeah it’s so easy a caveman can do it

To bad you can’t stack the discounts for defensive driving.

 

[manly]

I don't like those online quotes either, by the time you're done you've successfully signed up to be on their mailing list and disclosed more private info they you need to open a bank account. Plus you never save the $650 they say you will. You can call SelectQuote, that's how I use it. and once they give you a quote they recommend calling before the next renewal to see if they can find you more savings somewhere else.

This is such a BS industry, they spend billions on stupid TV ads having nothing to do with insurance, collude with other companies on price fixing and when you turn in a claim that's not even your fault they car jack you.

Oh don't forget guys, you can take defensive driving (some online now) to save around 10% on your car insurance.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/selectquote-insurance-services-san-francisco

Yikes, SelectQuote (at least this office) has terrible reviews.

So I found out that my rate at Progressive is going up 15% based on an address change. When I reverted the address, the old rate was restored. IMO this is bogus because my SoCal neighborhood now is no worse than east San Jose where I was living previously. Sure it's possible that rates are higher in SoCal for different reasons, but it's still lame.

Unfortunately GEICO is 23% higher than Progressive's new rate. I'm about to check AAA but I have a feeling I will renew the policy with Progressive for this term (6 months).

Edit:
AAA is 80% higher than Progressive.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

https://www.yelp.com/biz/selectquote-insurance-services-san-francisco

Yikes, SelectQuote (at least this office) has terrible reviews.

So I found out that my rate at Progressive is going up 15% based on an address change. When I reverted the address, the old rate was restored. IMO this is bogus because my SoCal neighborhood now is no worse than east San Jose where I was living previously. Sure it's possible that rates are higher in SoCal for different reasons, but it's still lame.

Unfortunately GEICO is 23% higher than Progressive's new rate. I'm about to check AAA but I have a feeling I will renew the policy with Progressive for this term (6 months).

Edit:
AAA is 80% higher than Progressive.

Check liberty mutual... check em' all. From what everyone tells me it's just a locality thing.

I've heard people preach State Farm - and in my area the rates they offer me are laughable. For me it's either Progressive or Geico.

 

[kranky]

I've come to the realization that every insurance company's rates are based on so many variables you can't predict who might be cheapest. That's how Progressive can say "people who switched from Geico saved $448", and Geico can say "people who switched from Progressive saved $329". You must shop around. Your quote will depend on many factors, down to the zip code, so a guy two blocks away could be quoted $150 more or less than you.

When we switched to Liberty Mutual we saved $300/year. Five years later, after painful renewal increases, we saved $600/year leaving Liberty Mutual just a few weeks ago.$600 is huge.

I was excited a few years back when I was able to get into USAA, only to find their insurance quotes were not competitive for us. Neither was Amica, Progressive or Geico. This time we used an independent broker who reps for 18 different companies, worked out great.

Don't restrict yourself to only getting quotes from places where you can do it online. Also got a great tip from the insurance broker - if we ever have a claim, call him first. He'll take the info then contact the insurer, to make sure I don't innocently say something that will screw up the claims process.

 

[Crotulus]

https://www.yelp.com/biz/selectquote-insurance-services-san-francisco

Yikes, SelectQuote (at least this office) has terrible reviews.

So I found out that my rate at Progressive is going up 15% based on an address change. When I reverted the address, the old rate was restored. IMO this is bogus because my SoCal neighborhood now is no worse than east San Jose where I was living previously. Sure it's possible that rates are higher in SoCal for different reasons, but it's still lame.

Unfortunately GEICO is 23% higher than Progressive's new rate. I'm about to check AAA but I have a feeling I will renew the policy with Progressive for this term (6 months).

Edit:
AAA is 80% higher than Progressive.

Try Wawanesa since you are in CA. I check around when I get a rate increase and they are still several hundred less than other agencies.

 

[destrekor]

All this talk of rising insurance costs and USAA being amazingly cheap - I must have some kind of holy grail thing going on because I've been with State Farm since my first car, had my renters and now homeowners insurance with them as well as my car. I did a quote with USAA, it was right about the same, maybe a buck or two cheaper or more expensive than what I was getting via State Farm. And even today, my costs have consistently went down.

edit: All that is true especially for my car insurance, which is comical as I have accrued speeding tickets in my time, had a misdemeanor offense for a driving transgression, and had a no-fault accident that totaled my car on the highway. Granted none resulted in claims against insurance, and I only had liability-only insurance at the time for that car so I was screwed in general, had no perks from insurance to help out with costs for any of it. Never again, even if the car is paid off like the last one. I haven't technically cost the company a dime so I think that must be a decisive factor in the complex algorithms used to determine rates.

 

[highland145]

All this talk of rising insurance costs and USAA being amazingly cheap - I must have some kind of holy grail thing going on because I've been with State Farm since my first car, had my renters and now homeowners insurance with them as well as my car. I did a quote with USAA, it was right about the same, maybe a buck or two cheaper or more expensive than what I was getting via State Farm. And even today, my costs have consistently went down.

1 hail damage roof claim ($1200 iirc) 2 cars same storm (under $1500) It was 17 years ago so I don't really remember the $$. Anyway 30 years with State Farm and no one gave a rats ass when I left. Eff them.