Comments on: Breaking up is hard to do [Insurance]

By: Linda from Allstate

Linda from Allstate — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:54:53 +0000

You got me. Funny though, right?!?

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:41:34 +0000

I imagine it’s a surprise to lose a long-time customer…you’d get comfortable with knowing they’ll always be there. But yeah, it’s not about being friends, it’s about getting the best insurance.

By: Clever Dude

Clever Dude — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:23:34 +0000

@”Linda”, nice try. Too bad the real Linda doesn’t live in or have an office in Rockville, much less the state of Maryland. Good try though.

By: Linda from Allstate

Linda from Allstate — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:15:31 +0000

CleverDude,

Thanks for canceling the insurance policy and ruining my life! I was counting on the commission I made from your policy to pay my mortgage this month – now I am going to have to prostitute myself out on the streets of Rockville just to feed my family! You greedy bastard!!! Thanks for nothing!!!!

By: Philip

Philip — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:10:09 +0000

I had a friend that worked at Allstate when I was getting quotes for home insurance. The quote they gave me was high and I talked to them about it, really all the agent can do is enter the data in their program and see what it gives. At most they could try to look up any discounts you might qualify for, but hopefully those were already in effect.

So most the time there is not that much more the agent can do now.

By: tom

tom — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:52:52 +0000

Man… you’d think, if she sounded devastated, she make some changes to lower your rates…

By: Cathy

Cathy — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:36:05 +0000

We all want to save money and sounds like this move is worth it. However i will be curious as to how well the new company stacks up in the Customer Service department. Will they cover your claims as willing? Get back to you as quickly? I probably wouldnt pay $1400 more for great service but i would definitely pay somewhat more. Would love to hear the follow up…

~Cathy

By: Clever Dude

Clever Dude — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:12:27 +0000

@Luke, I consider a professional relationship as one where I call, tell her who I am and she doesn’t act like she’s never met me before. I only talked to her about 2-3 times per year, but we chatted about non-insurance stuff as well.

Granted, I don’t know how much control agents have over rates, but my mom and friend, both with Allstate but in other states, are saving huge amounts by switching as well.

By: Luke @ Money & Fitness Blog

Luke @ Money & Fitness Blog — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:52:21 +0000

Did you actually have a relationship with your agent? The one that I currently have has talked to me on the phone twice in three years and that is because I have called her asking questions.

It is interesting how one company can be alright with charging that much more.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:30:48 +0000

Wow, I just went through a very similar thing yesterday. I changed my insurance to Progressive as now that Massachusetts allows competition, I can pay literally half of what I am paying now for insurance.

I also found it difficult to cancel with my current insurance agency, as they have been very pleasant to deal with. They were somewhat defensive (understandably so – they are probably losing tons of business now that people can find rates for half the cost), but in the end I just made the point that I cannot in good conscience pay double just because they are friendly.