My husband used a company because he knew the owner. They hand all our insurance, and they handle multiple insurance companies. My agent have been very responsive when we had questions or concerns and has been with the company forever. He also moved my mother’s policies to them last year from the company she was with as they handled the same companies as her original policies.
It has crossed my mind to look for a new broker now that I handle everything alone, but feel like I have received good service from them, so will leave well enough alone for this year. I have asked for a possible change in coverage, and have been told over and over again that mom and I both have the best policies. As these are the same polices mom had when dad was alive, and was using a company owned by a close friend, I am going to assume we are ok.
Now, if I could get mom to give up the car and save $2K, that would be a huge win! Oh, and my coverage will go up by about $900 when my new car comes in.
I just saved my mom 51% on her auto & home policies. She’d been with AllState forever and never questioned any premium increases. She had mentioned to me that her auto insurance was really expensive ($4500 annually, single person with a clean record). I called to get a quote from my insurer (I use AAA, and my premiums have increased immensely like everyone else’s) and the quote was almost $3900 less than what she’s been paying AllState. She’s so pleased with this outcome. I’m really hoping that she will use some of that saved money to finally see a lawyer about a will; she’s never had a will despite my frequent prodding.
My insurance company recently dropped me citing increased rates in the area but I believe it was actually because I dropped my whole life policy. Neighbors recommended a broker but the broker came back with very high rates. She claimed what I’d had in the past was way below market. I shopped around on my own and found bundled auto and home with Allstate for cheaper than I currently pay. I’ll start shopping every year to keep my costs low.
Be very careful, as your insurance company may be ‘what you paid for’ - lower insurance premiums but also lower satisfaction with how they handle and pay out on a homeowner’s claim for example.
I had a bad claims experience with All State years ago in TX - they colluded with the auto dealership to put used parts when new parts should have been used for important things like the door hinge. Almost new car. We found out later, with leaking water into the rear flooring, what had happened. We had moved out of state, and no recourse other than not use All State again. Ever.
Here is an ‘update’ on our home insurance damage and status of ‘recovery’. Start of this insurance journey was 5-18.
Right now we are proceeding on 3 interior rooms and roof being worked on (torn out Master Bath; some tear out on formal dining; emptied formal dining and living rooms) - major insurance check expected today (actually two claims, it is a story) so we can sign a contract for roof/rooms. Paid off the packer/mover company, paid off the tear out/dry out company. Noticed some damage and filed insurance claim 5-18. Delay with roof due to separate gutter remove and restore. Everyone was on the same page finally (with insurance go-ahead) for packing rooms June 24, moving items to storage June 26, and tear out of formal dining wall on June 27. Verified 2nd water source (plumber in April put a hole in our sink drain junction area in 2nd story master bath when clearing out a clogged drain – and the hole was behind the vanity in the wall above the formal dining wall) and generated second insurance claim. Tear out/dry out of Master Bath July 3rd. Rooms dry and equipment removed July 10th. Our estimator was on vacation and that was a hopefully final delay. Now awaiting the larger insurance check so we can hopefully get our contractor going.
DH was out of town a few short periods; I was with DD1’s family for two planned weeks with my return June 17th (her DH was on scheduled time helping his parents who will be moving from GA to LA to be near family sometime in the near future due to the dad’s declining health with Parkinson’s). LA location (where other son lives) is 6 hours drive for DD1/SIL/kids, so a ‘good’ move. DD1 needed me to help with the 4 kids ages 1 - 6, as she has a FT demanding job and needed the second adult helping. Insurance fumbled along, bumped up claim with no one assigned, insurance had generated early stuff which all had to be canceled out including a payment.
Insurance delays - some due to the responsiveness ‘windows’ they give themselves; major one was claim mishandled but there was a senseless delay of anyone picking it up. We have a relatively new endorsement on the roof, which our state required insurance to offer in 2022 (and we picked up that endorsement) - it is for IBHS fortified roof – built to withstand high winds. Won’t help against hail (home built 1992, roof replaced due to hail damage 2009; now had ‘severe hail damage’ again). Construction crew to come from 100 miles south, and also inspections from there, with experience with this roofing system. Insurance also probably not so experienced with reviewing roof estimate. Contractor picked up on things they did not consider (per my phone conversation and follow up email on Monday - will see how much of their 7 to 10 day window they take). My personal notes on this insurance and home damage work (starting from 5-18) is up to page 26.
We’ve had USAA for home/auto/umbrella for decades and have been happy with their service in our one auto claim and one home claim.
D recently bought a house and contacted USAA (she has her car with them). Was told they are not writing HO policies in her area of Southern CA. This is not in a fire risk zone. She found a good price with Amica (well rated by Consumer Reports). We also have friends who are very happy with them.
Makes me think we’d likely get dropped after a USAA HO claim (we’re in the same general area as D). As mentioned upthread, we have a high deductible so it would only be after something big.
A friend is new homeowner in CA (prior home was not in CA), and due to all the various disaster situations in CA some have needed to have high deductible (our friend’s home has a $15,000 deductible).
I didn’t know how USAA would handle CA new home situation (my friend was not eligible for USAA coverage).
We have only been on USAA home/auto/umbrella since 2016 and was very glad to get on with them (we were ‘dumped’ by State Farm for these 3 policies, and State Farm kept my jewelry policy). We had State Farm homeowner’s for over 30 years; our agent was highly annoyed while we had to scramble to find coverage when our policy terms ended. This is our first USAA homeowner claim, and it is a ‘doosy’ but things are moving along and they seem professional along with meeting the terms of our policy.
I believe USAA will come through on payment of our insurance claims - but it has been dragging out. The large USAA check did not arrive today, but since they missed some of the things on the roof estimate - will have to wait for that to be re-evaluated by USAA.
I’m sure USAA will come through for you. Sounds like your claim is complicated. But if you’re in an area that they no longer underwrite it may be an issue moving forward. Dropped or +$$$? Hopefully not!
USAA very active writing in our area. The complicated part is mostly ‘behind us’. Since our contractor for our roof is also contractor for interior work, and insurance has ‘recoverable depreciation’ on the back end (when completed on the roof) - so not rushing until have insurance details.
“For anyone who has a heat pump or sewer-grinder, let this serve as your reminder to check and see if your insurance company covers them.
I have been insured by the same carrier for the past 24 years…so shame on me for not having read the fine print and reassessed my options more recently…but…
In the past 12 months both my family’s heat pump and sewer-grinder died. Our insurance carrier did not cover either of them…after a bit of research I found out that State Farm actually would have covered both of them had we been insured with them.
I have zero affiliation with State Farm, but want to say I have been nothing but impressed with their customer service in switching over, using the local office.”
I just learned - our roof - because it’s 19 years old - they only cover 43%.
They said - you get a table with the policy with a note that said read this - but they said some many addendums -a nd the broker didn’t point it out. So not happy.
What’s worse - they take 43% of the cost…and after that then take the deductible. They don’t take the deductible first.
So on a $33K roof, they’re going to pay $450. It’s because we have a 2% deductible on the roof - 1K on everything else. TN - lots of hail, wind - so they’ve been making it pricier for home owners.
I totally blew this one…epic fail.
Insurance is so complicated.
Almost makes me wonder why I have homeowners at all.
In my state, and with most mortgage lenders here…if you have a mortgage, you MUST have homeowners.
Key…read every single word of your policy. We pay a bit more for our coverage but it is replacement value with a $2000 deductible. And that includes the roof.
Re: the roof, our contractor went to the company first when we needed work on a roof with a 35 year warranty after only 15 years. He got a prorated amount from the shingles company first…rest wasn’t all that bad in terms of cost.
Our new policy apparently covers the roof and will replace the entire roof instead of replacing only the damaged part. No prorated for age either.
Our agent said that was a big plus.
We had a storm 6 or so years ago. Trees fell in part of our roof, insurance only paid for the portion. Which was ok, the roof needed to be replaced and insurance paid for half of the cost.
We live in an area with few tornadoes or hurricanes or fires. I’ve been told that we have relatively low homeowner’s insurance rates. Compared to say Houston which seems to have lots of weather related problems.
We have 2 friends who have recently had major house issues: One’s house burnt down and their insurance company had put them up in a rental home for a year, as they will be taking their destroyed home down to the studs. The other friend’s home is old and the electrical wiring is out of date. They had a tree fall in their yard and pull the power lines from the overhead pole and the telephone lines to the house (yes they still have a landline). They cannot get the power restored to their house until they have all the electrical redone and brought up to code. The insurance company has put them up in a residence inn type place, but if it takes very long to do the repairs they may move them to an airbnb. Can’t imagine not having homeowners insurance.
Your homeowner’s insurance (and the state of TN) may offer endorsements for IBHS fortified roof (AL did in 2022 and we got this endorsement). It doesn’t offer extra protection from hail, but this roofing system can handle high winds better. Although we are in a tornado area (we live in N AL some miles away from a ‘common’ tornado path due to where the weather and topography seem to have tornadoes go through) we have just needed a new roof due to hail (2009) and again now - but the new roof with be IBHS fortified.
Still ‘stumbling through’ with USAA claims. Got major check on Saturday which covers what they will pay now on the roof - our credit union will release the majority of the check in 7 business days due to the size of the check ($24,000). USAA challenged some items with the IBHS fortified roof that our contractor provided information last Monday (and USAA responded Friday on their claims communication center ‘anonymously’ and w/o calling us). More contractor feedback to USAA this morning (and giving contractor direct cell phone number and the IBHS fortified roofing expert’s phone number). We are getting close on the roof. Have to keep USAA’s ‘feet to the fire’ about addressing the quality carpet and padding - we provided data and at the 11th hour they want costing data that they can find out themselves.
I keep calling and messaging them. Contractor is patient.
Right now, it seems the depreciation amount (to be paid once the roof is done) is about $19,000. So if USAA takes 7 days to get a check to us when roof is ‘complete’ and it takes 7 days for credit union to clear money, it is at least 15 days before we can pay roofing contractor balance. We need to sign a contract and pay for materials when they are ordered.
Contractor told me this morning they have to do the roof first. We/homeowners now have we believe ‘the lay of the land’ - USAA has to provide us up to date claims detail which this morning their adjuster is having to ‘find’ since what he sees (and what he sent me this morning via email) is not up to date.
