Tag Archives: DWI

21st Century Insurance Review: JD Power Ratings, AM Best Financial Strength Ratings, & Customer Complaints

Posted on by

This 21st Century review will analyze the change in the JD Power auto insurance study scores & ratings for 21st Century Insurance over the last several years. The annual JD Power insurance surveys are, in my opinion, the most objective and relevant indicators of insurance company customer & claims satisfaction, by gathering the opinions of thousands of auto insurance customers. However, the power circle ratings used by JD Power can be misleading, with some top four and five power circle rated companies not scoring much above the score of the average company.

This review will look at the JD Power ratings & numerical scores for 21st Century, in all the JD Power insurance studies where it was included in the last three years, to see what its current JD Power ratings really say about the quality of the claims & customer service for the company.

Another measure of quality for an automobile insurance company is the number of upheld complaints filed against it with a state’s insurance regulatory authority, adjusted for the company’s market share. This review will show you if 21st Century has a better than average, average, or below average complaint record for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014. Additionally, I’ll review the AM Best Financial Strength Rating (FSR) for 21st Century insurance.

The smart insurance buyer shops for the best combination of coverage, price, and service, so be sure to use the ad below this paragraph (or the ad at the end of this review) to get price quotes from multiple insurance companies and find the best insurance company for you. Continue reading →

Progressive Review: Auto Insurance Price Competitiveness, AM Best Financial Strength Ratings & Complaints 2009-2014

Posted on by

This Progressive Insurance review will evaluate, for the most recent five year period where reliable statistics are available (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, & 2014), the auto insurance complaint record for the major subsidiary companies of Progressive, to determine whether each subsidiary, such as Progressive Northern Insurance Company, has a better-than-average, average, or worse-than-average customer complaint record.

I’ll also look at the JD Power ratings for Progressive auto insurance pricing, and increases & decreases in market share (as measured by annual written premiums) for each Progressive subsidiary, as a possible indication of high or low car insurance rates. In addition, I’ll review the AM Best Financial Strength Ratings for the Progressive insurance companies, too. Continue reading →

Dairyland / Viking / Peak Insurance Review: Auto Insurance Complaint Record & Ratings

Posted on by

Dairyland, Viking, and Peak, all owned by Sentry Insurance, are nonstandard auto insurance companies for drivers without insurance, tickets or accidents, license suspensions, recently licensed, and other factors making them ineligible for standard auto insurance with most companies. It’s easy to find a lot of bad reviews for Dairyland, Viking, or Peak insurance on the Internet, like you can find for all insurance companies. Unfortunately, complaints written by customers are hard to tell if the complaints are legitimate. This review has complaint ratings for the Dairyland, Viking, and Peak insurance companies compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, from statistics gathered by each state’s insurance department. I think these statistics are more reliable and relevant for evaluating an insurance company’s customer service than personal accounts. Plus, you can see how these companies’ complaint records compare to the average complaint record for the auto insurance industry.

Because Dairyland, Viking, & Peak insure high risk drivers, their customers are more likely to cause automobile accidents. I also provide in this article contact phone numbers for customer service, claims reporting, & fraud reporting, which can be used by both Dairyland policy holders, and other people involved in accidents with Dairyland customers. Continue reading →

Choosing an insurance agent: Experience is not expertise

Posted on by

In my last blog post, I wrote how you should choose an agent with enough experience to be competent. More than 2 years is enough, but 5 to 10 years experience is preferable. Anything more than 10 years is not relevant. But experience does not guarantee expertise.

True expertise is hard to find. I have always been surprised how little your average, experienced & successful agent knows about the products they sell, or how much bad information they can provide to their customers & prospective customers. Continue reading →

Foremost Insurance Review: Auto & Home Insurance Customer Complaints, AM Best & JD Power Ratings

Posted on by

This Foremost Insurance review will evaluate the AM Best financial strength ratings, any JD Power claims & customer satisfaction ratings, and the 2009-2014 home & auto insurance complaint record for the subsidiary companies of Foremost Insurance Group, to determine whether each subsidiary, such as Foremost Insurance Company of Grand Rapids, MI, has a better-than-average, average, or worse-than-average customer complaint record.

Foremost insures mainly high risk drivers, mobile homes, trailers, vacant homes, homes with a recent claims history, and other properties many other insurance companies won’t insure. I’ll compare the auto & home insurance complaint records for the Foremost subsidiary companies, with major competitors offering nonstandard auto insurance and specialty home insurance, like Progressive, Homesite, Dairyland, & American Modern. Continue reading →

Infinity Insurance Review: Auto Insurance Customer Complaints, AM Best & JD Power Ratings

Posted on by

This Infinity Insurance review will evaluate, for the most recent six year period where reliable statistics are available (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014), the auto insurance complaints for the subsidiary companies of Infinity Property & Casualty Corporation, to determine whether each subsidiary, such as Infinity Auto Insurance Company or Infinity Indemnity Insurance Company, has a better-than-average, average, or worse-than-average customer complaint record.

I’ll look at increases & decreases in market share (as measured by annual written premiums) for each Infinity subsidiary, as a possible indication of high or low auto insurance rates. I’ll also review Infinity’s JD Power customer satisfaction ratings & AM Best financial strength ratings. Lastly, this review will compare the auto insurance complaint records for the Infinity Group companies, with major competitors, like Allstate, Progressive, GEICO, The General, & Farmers. Continue reading →

Kemper Specialty Insurance Review: Auto Insurance Customer Complaint Statistics & AM Best Ratings

Posted on by

This Kemper Specialty Insurance review will evaluate, for the most recent six year period where reliable statistics are available (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, & 2014), the auto insurance complaint ratings for the subsidiary companies of Kemper Specialty, to determine whether each subsidiary, such as Alpha Property & Casualty Insurance Company or Financial Indemnity Company, has a better-than-average, average, or worse-than-average customer complaint record. I’ll look at increases & decreases in market share (as measured by annual written premiums) for each Kemper Specialty operating company, as a possible indication of competitive pricing. The Kemper Specialty companies sell nonstandard auto insurance for drivers considered higher risk. This review will compare the auto insurance complaint records for the Kemper Specialty subsidiary companies, with the companies or subsidiaries of major competitors selling nonstandard auto insurance, like Allstate Indemnity, Progressive, GEICO Casualty, The General, Infinity, National General (Formerly GMAC) & Mid-Century Insurance Company (Farmers). Continue reading →

TheGeneral.com Review: Auto Insurance Complaint Record, JD Power & AM Best Ratings

Posted on by

Are you curious about The General auto insurance? Have you seen The General TV commercials, read consumer reviews, and wondered if they might be a good choice to insure your cars? If you have a hard time qualifying for auto insurance, The General might be a good choice for you, because they promise low down payments, which can be hard to find if you have issues qualifying for standard auto insurance.

However, if you don’t have a hard time qualifying for auto insurance with most companies, you may find The General is too expensive. If you are considering buying The General, this General auto insurance review will give you information, like their three year complaint record, to help you decide if you get what you pay for with The General. Included in The General Insurance review is information on competing nonstandard auto insurance companies, so you can shop your auto insurance for the best price, coverage, and service.
Continue reading →

Alfa Insurance Review: JD Power Ratings, AM Best Financial Strength Ratings, & Customer Complaints

Posted on by

This review will analyze the change in the JD Power home & auto insurance scores & ratings for Alfa Insurance over the last few years. The annual JD Power insurance company studies are, in my opinion, the most objective & relevant indicators of customer & claims satisfaction, by surveying the opinions of thousands of consumers about their auto & home insurance. However, the power circle ratings used by JD Power can be deceptive, with some companies receiving the top rated four and five power circle ratings, not scoring much above the score of the average company. This review will look at the JD Power ratings & numerical scores for Alfa, in all the JD Power insurance studies where it was included in the last three years, to see if its JD Power ratings truly reflect the quality of the claims & customer service for the company.

This review will also show you if Alfa has a better than average, average, or below average complaint record for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014. Additionally, I’ll review the AM Best Financial Strength Rating (FSR) for the Alfa insurance companies. Continue reading →

Titan / Victoria Insurance Review: Auto Insurance Customer Complaint Record & AM Best Ratings

Posted on by

This Titan / Victoria Insurance review will evaluate, for the most recent three year period where reliable statistics are available (2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013), the auto insurance complaint ratings for the subsidiary companies of Titan Insurance, to determine whether each subsidiary, such as Titan Indemnity Company or Victoria Fire & Casualty Company, has a better-than-average, average, or worse-than-average customer complaint record. I’ll look at increases & decreases in market share (as measured by annual written premiums) for each Titan subsidiary, as a possible indication of the competitiveness of their auto insurance rates. Lastly, this review will compare the auto insurance complaint records for the Titan / Victoria companies, with major competitors, like Allstate, Progressive, GEICO, The General, Infinity, National General (Formerly GMAC) & Farmers. Continue reading →

Changing auto insurance companies? Here’s how to avoid mistakes.

Posted on by

Suppose you’ve taken my advice, shopped your auto insurance with all the major insurance companies in your state, and you found a much lower rate. What is the best way to start your new auto insurance and cancel your old policy? This blog post will give you advice on how to avoid mistakes when changing auto insurance companies, like an accidental lapse in coverage, by canceling your old policy, before your new policy has started. Continue reading →

Low Annual Mileage Auto Insurance Discount

Posted on by

Some auto insurance companies offer a low annual mileage auto insurance discount, if you do not put a lot of miles on your car. What happens if you put more mileage on my car than you reported to your auto insurance company? Can they charge you more money for not driving low miles you reported, or not pay a claim? Here is what you need to know about the low annual mileage discount, how to get it, and the consequences of misreporting annual mileage. Continue reading →

Auto Insurance Companies with Good Customer Service

Posted on by

Do you get what you pay for when you buy cheap auto insurance? Can you save $100s on your auto insurance, and regret it when you have a claim? The short answer is, “No.” The price you pay for insurance has nothing to do with how happy you will be with the insurance company’s customer service. So, how do you find auto insurance companies with good customer service? This blog post will give you some tips to finding the best combination of price and service for auto insurance. Continue reading →

Nonstandard Auto Insurance: How to Get the Best Rates

Posted on by

Have you called around for auto insurance price quotes, only to be told you don’t qualify for standard rates? Do some auto insurance companies say they won’t insure you? Are the auto insurance companies willing to insure you very expensive? Welcome to the world of nonstandard auto insurance.

From my experience, the people most interested in shopping for better auto insurance, are people paying or being quoted high rates, because they’ve had a lapse in coverage, have not been licensed to drive in the US for enough time, or have tickets, claims, or accidents. Unfortunately, these are the people some insurance companies want to avoid as customers, because they are considered at being a greater risk than the average driver for claims in the near-future. Rather than qualifying for lower standard or preferred rates, these people are offered nonstandard auto insurance rates, or turned away, if the insurance company does not offer nonstandard auto insurance rates.

If most auto insurance companies consider you a high risk driver, what do you do about it? You do what every auto insurance policyholder should do at least once a year — shop for better auto rates. Nonstandard auto insurance is expensive, but if you shop around, you’ll find some companies are much more expensive than others. This blog post will give you tips about how and where to shop for nonstandard auto insurance, and what you can do to get lower auto insurance rates. Continue reading →

How Much Do Speeding Tickets Increase Auto Insurance Rates?

Posted on by

Speeding tickets increase auto insurance rates. But by how much? I decided to write about moving violations and your auto insurance, after reading this NY Times Money blog post here. The NY Times blog mentions an Insure.com study stating one moving violation can lead to 18% higher rates on auto insurance. This strikes me as high, based on my many years experience working with auto insurance companies, and I think the problem might be the study treats all moving violations as equal. For example, a reckless driving or DUI violation is lumped in the same class as a minor speeding ticket. I assure you, insurance companies have MUCH higher rates for major violations, like reckless driving, than they do for a speeding ticket. This blog article will explain how minor moving violations impact auto insurance rates. Continue reading →

Auto Insurance Policy Exclusion: Pizza, Newspaper, & Other Types of Delivery May Not Be Covered by Auto Insurance

Posted on by

Cars used in pizza or newspaper delivery, or transportation of any person(s) or property for a fee, are usually excluded (not covered) by personal auto insurance policies, while engaged in these activities. In fact, if you use any vehicles insured by a personal auto policy (instead of a commercial auto insurance policy) for any business pursuit (picking up supplies at office depot, dropping off paperwork with a co-worker, etc.), whether you are self-employed, or work for a company or someone else, you should check with your agent or car insurance company, to see if you are covered, should you be involved in an accident or need to file a claim. This blog post will explain more about this common auto insurance policy exclusion. Continue reading →

Why would anyone pay more than the lowest price for auto insurance?

Posted on by

In my last blog post, I explained auto insurance is not priced like a commodity, with low profit margins for auto insurance companies, as each company competes to offer the lowest price and under-cut the competition. In reality, the thorough auto insurance shopper can save a lot of money by shopping with all the major companies, and find a reputable company charging a lot less than other companies for the same coverage. Continue reading →

Is Auto Insurance Soon to be Priced Like a Commodity?

Posted on by

When it comes to getting people to switch their auto insurance, the biggest factor influencing most consumers is the price. But is auto insurance a commodity product, like buying gas for your car, where the auto insurance offered by one company, is the same as the auto insurance offered by any other company, with the only difference being the price each company charges for its coverage? Continue reading →

21st Century Auto Insurance Reviews: Complaint Ratings & Customer Satisfaction Ratings

Posted on by

This blog entry is the first in my series of reviews of the leading insurance companies offering home & auto insurance in the United States, reviewing the customer service & complaint record of 21st Century auto insurance. Continue reading →

What is the best car insurance company in the North Central USA? Find out here!

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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 US Auto Insurance Study: Summary, Conclusions, & Shopping Tips

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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 →