I have State Farm and have used them while living in three states over a period close to fifty years. I stick with them because back in the 90s when I was living in Santa Barbara, my house was on the side of a hill and we had a terrible storm They flew in adjusters from other parts of the country and went above and beyond settling my claim. I did not have flood insurance, but had flood damage. They didn't blink.

Lou

 

Well, I actually started the thread on the topic of the Drive-Wise feature from Allstate (and similar features from other companies) that save you money if you have driving habits that please the company. That has little to do with claims and claim-experiences......which are another whole issue and topic. Depending on the company, the people handling the claims aren't necessarily the same people (or departments) that do the policy-billing.

 

Ok well to stay on topic I have State Farm and they have something similar to Allstate called Drive Safe and Save where you put a beacon in your car and update your mileage on an app on a periodic basis. I subscribe to it and it saves me a decent amount of money on my GTR since I don’t get to drive it much. It only “saves” me a little on my daily drivers but who knows if it is all BS anyway.

For my side business my partner has his company car through Allstate but we didn’t subscribe to the program. Unfortunately I was forced to change insurance companies to State Farm today since my new job restricts me from having Allstate.

 

Funny we're both with progressive as the one thing i like about progressive is i've never spoken to anyone ever about it and i certainly don't want or need the overhead of an agent. just like i don't need a travel agent, i don't use phone stores, i have no interest in car dealerships, hmm... there's a pattern here. oddly i enjoy shopping in best buy, probably because employees aren't commission based so aren't pushy and i can check out a range of things that interest me.

 

Actually travel agents can be super helpful especially if you’re traveling someplace or in some way that you have never done before. Believe it or not I have used travel agents several times in those situations and my experience was excellent. My wife is actually a travel agent just for fun and to get us travel discounts (they’re significant on things like cruises etc) and she’s helped some friends of ours plan Disney trips since she knows so much about Disney.

For insurance, I have several times leaned on my agents to get claims approved, get OEM parts approved etc.

 

insurance companies dont reward you for being loyal, have to shop around every few years

 

Yeah quite the opposite of rewarding you lol

 

oh i believe it.

i used a travel 'expert' one time for a trip to costa rica because we had no clue and she seemed to know a ton. we also have no clue if what she recommended or what we paid was the best choice/value but we had a wonderful time and it made for less decision making so i know they can be of value.

 

Incorrect.....that is not always the case. Too many generalizations in your statement.

 

Giving you $100 because you've been with an insurance company for a few years is, technically, a "reward". BUT--could you save WAY MORE than $100 if you shop around, get other quotes, and try and get your current insurer to match? Very possible. Insurance companies make you THINK you are being "rewarded" for being a long-time customer by trying to keep you from shopping around. THAT is the point being made.

Like many many other industries.

 

Thats exactly the right situation. I would never use one to plan a trip to someplace we know well, way easier to just do it yourself in that situation. They also have a ton of value on a business level if you're planning a corporate trip or something like that, and thats how most of them make a living today.

If you're ever interested in what a travel agent makes on a trip, its shockingly little lol. My wife planned an $8,000 disney trip for a friend of mine and she made $250. Hours on the phone, planning, changes and adjustments...totally not worth it!

He's pretty spot on. Insurance companies raise rates over time and don't offer you their best rates when you've been a customer a long time. I guarantee a bnew Geico customer will pay way less for the same coverage you have. Shop it around and see.

 

Buick is coming up with a program that is apparently quite similar. They sent me a promotion today where you use your myBuick app to have your driving record checked.....and maybe qualify for insurance discounts. I'll post the parts of it that don't have my private-information.

I doubt if I'm actually going to go this route, though.....(I don't even use the Buick app LOL). I'm extremely satisfied with GEICO and the way they have treated me over the years. Only once in 40 years did they do something I thought was questionable.






Your good driving could really pay off.
Use the myBuick app to monitor your driving behavior, get tips on how to better your driving and check your Buick Smart Driver score anytime. Don’t miss out – you can qualify for insurance discounts based on your good driving behavior. We’ll even check to see if you’re eligible for discounts every six months.


See important terms below.


KNOW YOUR CAR BETTER. See important terms below. app. Check your fuel range, oil life and tire pressure (if properly equipped), and schedule service appointments right from your smartphone.

 

Had my 2004 Tacoma totaled out in a wreck a few years ago(my fault, almost bald tires in the rain, had to dodge somebody who cut me off, spun the truck). Geico paid me $5900 for that truck, with 200,000 miles on it. Dad paid $12,000 for that truck back in 2004 with 3 miles on it brand new. So I'd say they treated me more than fair, but that was the 2nd offer after $4500 originally. Really miss that little truck though, it was very handy and did 25mpg beating on it.