Switched from Geico . . . No this is not an ad!

[bayview]

   I was doing my regular Saturday morning writing checks for bills.  Noticed my auto insurance went up $160.00 per year for no reason. 

   I went on line to the AARP/Hartford insurance website.  After about 1/2 hour of filling in information and receiving a call, I was setup.  I got a better policy and saved $593.00 a year.

   I guess it pays to be an old guy . . .


/

[MountainDon]

sometimes us geezers get a break. 

[Redoverfarm]

So I guess with all the advertisements that claim the average savings of $XXX when you switch to Geico is actually paid by the other policy holders.   

[glenn kangiser]

http://tipmra.com/new_tipmra/insurance_scam.htm

Gieco donates radar guns to police so they can raise your insurance rates.

[MountainDon]

We've used Geico as our vehicles insurer for something over 15 years. Every time I check rates (once a year the month before my birthday) they still come up as the best deal.  On the other hand my father in law had Geico jack his rates after he turned 80 (I think it was 80, not positive.) He then found Allstate had his best rate.

I don't worry about speeding (or other moving violation) tickets because I haven't had any for so long I can't recall when the last one was. I've had a few warnings over the decades but years apart and those are not put in any nationally available database.


The tickets I hate are the photo radar / red light camera tickets. They are simply revenue generators for local governments. They do not appear on any driving records, at least not around here, nor are available to insurance companies. I've run into the photo radar a couple of times mostly late at night on nearly deserted roads.

[rick91351]

We tried AARP - Hartford.  I filled out the basic forms on line, things looked good on the instant quote.  I talked to the write up people.  We went with them covering everything at a very good savings plus an umbrella policy.  Then we got to the ATV's, quads or fourwheelers or whatever you want to name them, and the horses they asked about, they wanted to drop us like a ton of bricks.  Reason?  We are to active.  This was a vehicle and home owners policy not medical or disability nor insurance on the ATV's but because of the umbrella policy they asked for the info.  

Then came up the issue of the mountain ranch property and cows.  We soon found out we could not be insured by them at all.  In fact after we told them just drop the homeowners and go with the vehicles they said they would not do that because we just did not fit their policy plan.  So we kept our old insurance company at a higher rate but I am not ready for the wheelchair and walker this year.          

[bayview]

The tickets I hate are the photo radar / red light camera tickets. They are simply revenue generators for local governments. They do not appear on any driving records, at least not around here, nor are available to insurance companies. I've run into the photo radar a couple of times mostly late at night on nearly deserted roads.

   We have quite of few of these red light cameras recently installed in our town. . .   Have you noticed that the "yellow" light has been altered so the red light comes on quicker . . .

   People have caught on to the faster yellow light.  So, now instead of going through the intersection, they slam on the brakes.  Resulting in near rear-end collisions.

/

[bayview]

So we kept our old insurance company at a higher rate but I am not ready for the wheelchair and walker this year.          

   rick:

   I not sure but I think I have to take offense to your statement. . .     

   I am only using a cane, not a wheelchair or walker, yet!   

/

[MountainDon]

. . .   Have you noticed that the "yellow" light has been altered so the red light comes on quicker . . .

Not myself. But last year one of the local radio talk shows did an investigation and came up with some convincing evidence that amber lights were shorter at some red light and photo radar intersections. There was evidence that rear enders were more frequent and some contradictory evidence as well.

One thing that really gets me is that the city (ABQ) pushed it as a safety thing when they put in the first red light cameras. I do believe that red light runners should be punished. That is a real red light runner, one who enters an intersection on a red, after a normal length amber, and with other traffic around. They quickly added the photo radar. The website of the company that owned the cameras, did the installations, etc made no mention of safety, but did mention revenue enhancement. They knew what they were offering, and the city I feel knew they were lying.

I've read that some city in TX tried an experiment in which they increased the amber light duration by 1 second. They found that red light running went down and rear end accidents at those intersections went down as well. If local officials are truly interested in safety it would seem that the "no cost" solution is to add a second to the amber lights. My own city does not have any but ABQ across the river has 20 intersections with cameras.

[Squirl]

So I guess with all the advertisements that claim the average savings of $XXX when you switch to Geico is actually paid by the other policy holders.   

All insurance companies advertise savings of "$XXX" for "those who switched."  Because if people weren't saving "$xxx" they wouldn't switch.