Many GEICO auto & home insurance customers are canceling their GEICO policies over the latest Internet buzz about GEICO being against gun owners and the gun industry. This negative publicity arose when a cancellation letter was posted online, for an auto insurance customer being canceled by GEICO, because their vehicle is used in conjunction with a company that deals in the weapons industry. This letter has led some people to believe GEICO will cancel their personal auto insurance policies, if they transport guns or work in an occupation related to the weapons industry. Some people are upset, and switching to different car insurance companies, because they see the cancellation letter circulating on the Web, as proof GEICO is taking a side in the ongoing national gun debate, showing it is anti-gun, and does not support your second amendment right to own a gun. This cancellation letter may show GEICO is prejudicial against the weapons industry, but many people are misinterpreting the meaning of the cancellation letter, and how their GEICO auto insurance will be affected if they are a gun owner, transporting guns in their car, or work in the fire arms industry. This blog post will explain the real implications of the cancellation letter, and how to choose an insurance company not opposed to your second amendment rights. Continue reading
Category Archives: Auto Insurance Information
Improve Your Auto Insurance Credit Score & Lower Your Rates This Year!
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Auto & Home Insurance Companies: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?
Everyone wants a good price on auto & home insurance. But people also want to avoid the bad insurance companies that deny claims all the time. An affordable price for your car insurance and homeowners insurance is important, but you also want to choose a company that pays claims and does not hassle you.
Some people believe all insurance companies want to sell insurance, but none want to pay claims. Other people think some insurance companies are honest and pay claims, and other companies are dishonest and weasel out of paying legitimate claims. Some people think bad insurance companies automatically deny any claims over a certain dollar amount.
Many car & home insurance buyers have misconceptions about insurance companies, leading them to make mistakes they regret when they have a claim. This blog post will tell you about these misconceptions and mistakes, how to avoid them, and how to make better decisions when choosing your insurance company and coverage. Continue reading
Why Do Some Insurance Companies Ask So Many Questions?
If you have received an auto insurance quote online, or you have called an insurance company or agency for a home or car insurance quote, you know insurance companies ask a lot of questions before they give you a price. Why do insurance companies ask you for so much information, instead of just giving you the price quote you asked for? What do they do with your information? Do they sell it? Why do some companies ask for more information than others? In this blog post, I will answer these questions, and tell you how to get the insurance agent or company representative quoting you to do their best to give you the lowest insurance rates for the coverage you need, and all the discounts you deserve. It’s worth it to you to read this entire blog post, so you know what’s going on when an agent quotes your auto or home insurance, and how you can use it to your advantage. Continue reading
Nationwide Insurance Phone Number for Recent Security Breach: How safe is your personal information with your auto or home insurance company?
Earlier this month, Nationwide Insurance had a database compromised, which resulted in the theft of confidential information for one million policyholders and non-policyholders. You may not be insured with Nationwide, but if you gave information to Nationwide for an insurance quote in the past, you may have been affected. If you think Nationwide might have your personal data, you can call this phone number, 1-800-760-1125, to see if your personal information was stolen. The information taken includes names, social security numbers, and other information, but no credit card information was supposedly accessed. Nationwide is notifying the people affected by this data breach, and offering free credit report checks and identity theft coverage. You can find out more about the Nationwide Insurance security breach, and links to articles regarding how several state insurance commissioners have reacted to it, by clicking the link to my Facebook page in this paragraph.
Computer hacking and theft of customer information from large companies is often in the news these days. This may be an even greater concern for customers of insurance companies, because unlike a retailer like Barnes & Noble, insurance companies are usually in possession of their customer’s social security numbers. This blog post will give you some tips on how to minimize your risk while shopping for insurance, and warning signs showing your insurance company or agent is putting you at greater risk of having your personal information stolen. Continue reading
Car Insurance Claims: Company Ratings for Auto Claim Satisfaction in 2012
If you follow my advice, by getting price quotes from all the leading auto & home insurance companies each year, to make sure you pay reasonable rates, and get additional opinions on your coverage, you will see some companies charge more than double the amount other companies charge. This is how you can save hundreds of dollars by shopping your insurance. But some people have a reluctance to change to companies with substantially lower rates, thinking you get what you pay for. The good news is, unlike a lot of products, where you get better quality by paying more, you don’t get better service by paying more for insurance. My blog post today will discuss the JD Power 2012 US auto claims satisfaction ratings for all the major car insurance companies, and tell you what you need to know to find a company with acceptable claims satisfaction, and low rates for you. Continue reading
What is the best car insurance company in the North Central USA? Find out here!
Here are my summary and conclusions about the 2012 JD Power north central region auto insurance customer satisfaction study, surveying car insurance customers insured with the major companies in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. As is the case with the other regional studies, some of the companies rated among the best, or better than most, did not score much above the study average. Also, some of the companies receiving JD Power’s lowest rating, 2 power circles (the rest), are not much below the average score for the study. My analysis will help you tell the difference between the companies truly performing well, the companies performing about average, and any companies performing poorly, based on the numerical scores from the north central study. I will also discuss strengths and weaknesses for each company, in the factors considered by the study, such as Pricing, Policy Offerings, Billing & Payment, and Contacting the Insurance Company. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 Auto Insurance Southeast Region Study: Summary & Conclusions
Today, I’m writing about the JD Power 2012 auto insurance customer satisfaction study for the Southeast region of the USA, including the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, & Tennessee. More so than the other regional studies I have reviewed, I think the power circle ratings in the Southeast regional study are very misleading, with some top rated, 5 power circle (among the best) rated companies, scoring only a few points above the average score, and not many points above companies rated at 3 power circles (about average) for overall customer satisfaction. I’ll analyze the scores and ratings, and let you know my opinion why a company may be a good choice for you, and if I think the study results indicate truly better or worse customer satisfaction. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 West Region Auto Insurance Study: Summary, Conclusions, & Shopping Tips
Here is my summary, conclusions, and shopping tips regarding the 2012 JD Power West Region auto insurance survey, measuring car insurance customer satisfaction in 10 Western states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Remember, each state’s automobile insurance market is unique. The top insurance companies in Washington, Wyoming, and Arizona are likely to be different companies. Any of the companies on this list, and even smaller companies not making the list, might be the company saving you hundreds of dollars on your auto insurance. If you don’t want to grossly over-pay for auto insurance coverage, decide on the coverage you need, and get quotes for the same coverage from all the companies on this list, to find the companies with good service and competitive rates. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 West Region Auto Insurance Study: Companies Rated Below Average
This blog post will review the remaining 4 lowest rated companies, each rated at 2 power circles (the rest) for Overall Customer Satisfaction, of the eleven companies included in the JD Power 2012 auto insurance study, covering the states in the Western part of the USA. My first blog post for this regional study, analyzing the ratings of the companies considered among the best in the West region, notes the states included in the study. I’ll note the specific states again in my next post, which will summarize the West region study results.
Your inclination may be to want to know the names of the lowest rated companies in this regional study, so you can avoid them, or to find out if your auto insurance company is one of the lowest rated companies. When you look at the study results beyond the power circle ratings, you learn some of the highest rated companies are not so good, and some of the lowest rated companies are not so bad. The information in this blog post will help you decide if you should consider insuring with any of these companies ranked at the bottom of this study. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 West Region Auto Insurance Study: Companies Rated About Average
My last blog post showed you the two top rated companies in the JD Power West region auto insurance survey. But one of them limits eligibility to members of the military and their immediate family (USAA), and the other company, State Farm, did not score high enough above the region average, to make it worth paying a lot more, if State Farm does not have a competitive auto insurance rate for you. If USAA and State Farm won’t work for you, there are a few companies rated about average in the West region study you should consider. Also, if you live in the Western portion of the United States, and you are not insured with USAA or State Farm, it’s important to know how your auto insurance company ranked in this study. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 West Region Auto Insurance Study: Companies Rated Among the Best
Continuing with my review of the seven regional auto insurance customer satisfaction studies completed in 2012 by JD Power, this is my first blog post for the West region, reviewing the highest rated companies in the second regional study, covering the western states of AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, & WY. As you will find out from reading this blog post, the 5 power circle rating used by JD Power to rate companies performing among the best in the study, can mislead you about the true quality of customer satisfaction for these companies, compared to other, seemingly lower rated companies. I dig deeper into the study results, beyond the Overall Customer Satisfaction rating, to give you more useful information to help you decide on an auto insurance company, and avoid paying more for a company with the false expectation of astounding customer service. Continue reading
My Sister’s Auto Insurance Paid to Defend Her Killer?
Social media is buzzing about this blog post, written by New York Comedian Matt Fisher, describing his family’s ordeal settling a claim with Progressive auto insurance over the death of his sister in an auto accident in 2010. I’m taking time out, from my continuing analysis of the latest JD Power auto insurance study, to discuss this difficult and poorly handled claim, and make a few points I think are important to the insurance-buying public. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 California Region Auto Insurance Study: Summary, Conclusions, & Shopping Tips
Now I have completed my review analyzing the scores behind the power circle ratings for each company in the JD Power 2012 California region auto insurance study, let me summarize the results, and give you tips on how to shop for the best rates, coverage, and service for you. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 US Auto Insurance Study: Summary, Conclusions, & Shopping Tips
Before I write my summary of my analysis of the results for the JD Power 2012 California region auto insurance study, let me explain how to use the summaries I’m writing for the seven regional studies, making up the JD Power 2012 US auto insurance company customer satisfaction study, so you can find the auto insurance company with the best combination of coverage, service, & price for you.
I don’t think many auto insurance buyers choose a company on service alone, without consideration of price. So, I will list the companies rated by JD Power for each regional survey summary, from best to worst, discuss their strengths & weaknesses, and tell you which type of customers should get a quote from them. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 California Region Auto Insurance Study: Companies Rated Below Average
This blog post finishes my review of the car insurance companies rated by the JD Power 2012 California region auto insurance study. Was your auto insurance company rated less than “about average” for customer satisfaction? Was it classified with the lowest rating of 2 power circles? JD Power diplomatically refers to companies with the 2 power circle rating as “the rest.” The good news is some of the companies scoring below the California regional average score are not far below the average. I will review the company scores, and the factors leading to the scores, such as Billing & Payment or Pricing, and let you know if you should be looking for a better company. Some of these companies you may want to avoid, but some of them may meet your insurance needs at a great price. I’ll give you the information behind the power circle rating for each of the companies below the California average, to help you make better decisions when choosing an auto insurance company. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 California Region Auto Insurance Study: Companies Rated Better Than Most
My last blog post told you about the two highest rated companies for customer satisfaction in the JD Power 2012 California region auto insurance study. The top company was USAA, but it restricts eligibility for its insurance to the military. The only other company in the California survey to receive a 5 power circle rating, was Wawanesa, and its score was not much higher than the companies rated 4 power circles.
Now, I examine the numbers and considerations behind the companies rated 4 power circles (Better than most), to let you know my thoughts about what the JD Power survey results really say about these companies. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 California Region Auto Insurance Study: Companies Rated Among the Best
Which auto insurance companies in California received the best rating — 5 power circles (Among the best) — for customer satisfaction by JD Power in 2012? I’ll tell you not only the companies with the top ratings, but how I think you should consider each company’s rating, and how it compares with other leading companies. I’ll help you avoid the mistake of paying too much for car insurance, because of the possibly false expectation of excellent customer service. If you look at the JD Power number scores behind the power circle ratings, you will find some companies rated among the best may not be really much better than other companies. Continue reading
JD Power 2012 US Auto Insurance Study: Customer Satisfaction Factors
Before I review the results of the JD Power 2012 US Auto Insurance study, for each of the seven regions where auto insurance companies are rated, I want to explain the individual factors, such as Pricing and Billing & Payment, which make up the Overall Satisfaction rating for each auto insurance company included in the study.
Survey results for at least one of these factors may have no relevance for you as a customer, and performing well or poorly in one of the factors, may distort the Overall Satisfaction rating in a way which may mislead you, and cause you to choose or avoid the wrong insurance company.
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JD Power 2012 US Auto Insurance Study: Understanding the Power Circle Rating System
Before I analyze the results of the JD Power 2012 US Auto Insurance study for each of the seven regions rating auto insurance companies, I want to tell you about how the JD Power rating system works. Trusting the power circle ratings alone, without understanding how they are calculated, or the point score associated with them, can lead you to think an insurance company is better or worse than it actually is for customer satisfaction. Don’t worry about following the math in this post, but it’s important to read the conclusions I make about it. Continue reading
2012 JD Power National Auto Insurance Study Considered
JD Power has recently released its 2012 auto insurance study, and there have been big changes to how the study is presented. Instead of providing national study results, from surveying customers for each of the largest auto insurance companies in the USA, JD Power has broken down their annual auto insurance customer satisfaction survey into seven regional study results. This blog post is the first of a series discussing the changes to the study, lets you know the best rated companies in each region. and how to use the JD Power auto insurance study results to help you decide on the best insurance company for you.
JD Power uses a “circle” rating system, where 5 power circles is the best rating, and 2 power circles is the worst rating, but I will show you why you have to look deeper than the circle rating, before you decide to select or pass on an insurance company Continue reading
Finding Affordable Commercial Auto Insurance for Work or Business
As with personal auto insurance, it pays to shop around for the best commercial auto insurance company, if you use a car for business. Commercial auto insurance is usually more expensive than personal auto insurance, but you risk your business and your personal assets, if you insure a car you use for your business on a personal auto insurance policy. However, just like personal auto insurance, you can save $100s per year by shopping with all the leading commercial auto insurance companies. This blog post will tell you why you may need commercial auto insurance, the leading companies providing it, and how to get the coverage you need at the best price. Continue reading
Choosing an insurance agent: Questions to ask before you buy
Most people do not know the important questions to ask, or what to look for in the replies of an insurance agent, to know if an agent is deserving of your business. This blog post will give you tips on what questions to ask, and how to ask them. so you are able to see through empty claims of great customer service & expertise.
If you have visited the “about us” section of almost any insurance agency web site, you read the same things: Our customers are the focus of our business. We are committed to personal service. We work hard to get you the coverage you need at a low price, etc. The truth is anybody can claim to provide a high level or personal customer service, and just about everyone claims to provide it. Continue reading
Choosing an insurance agent: What to expect from a good agent
I started this blog series about how to choose an agent, telling you about the hype you hear from every agent, usually in a confident, friendly manner: “I have many years experience. I represent a large, old, financially stable company with 24 hour claims service. I’m an independent agent, and I can shop the home & auto insurance market for you (except I don’t tell you I don’t represent some of the biggest & best companies). I put my customers first. Yadda, yadda, yadda.”
There are lots of well-established, financially strong insurance companies. Most companies have 24 hour claims reporting. Almost all of the reasons agents tell you why you should insure with them are not unique, and they are common among all insurance companies. If other companies offer the same benefits, why shouldn’t you choose the company with the lowest price?
Some agents do add value with the service they provide, and this blog post will show you how to recognize this value, and allow you to tell the agents really putting their customers first, from the majority of agents merely claiming to put their customers first. Continue reading
Choosing an insurance agent: Your agent’s office location
How important is it for your agent’s office to be close to your home or work? For a lot of people, this is an important factor for choosing an agent. But for most people, choosing an agent based on the agent’s office location can be a mistake. Depending on your needs, the location of your agent’s office may not be important at all. This blog post will tell you when having an agent close to you is important, and when choosing the agent closest to you is a mistake. Continue reading