We're Not A Charity (Warning - Language)

[rts]

That first thing you mentioned, I think you can thank those "consumer awareness" blogs, sites and TV news stories for that.

Many of them offer the "tip" that you can apparently often get a lower rate on something (credit card, insurance, etc,) just by calling and asking.

What the so called "experts" forget to say is that the merchant always has the right to say no. They make it sound like the merchant will bend over, if you only ask them to!!!

Ding Dongs!

[protege]

Automobile insurance can vary greatly for the exact same coverage from company to company. It is calculated on multiple factors as well (the vehicle itself, the driver, family members driving, age, experience, prior accidents/tickets/violations, etc.)

I was just going to say that. Let's not forget "classic car" coverage. Rates for that are usually pretty inexpensive. Insurance companies figure that most classic owners are a good risk--most tend to take care of their vehicles, and outside of racing, are careful with them. Plus, many policies put an annual mileage cap on the vehicle too. That's why a year's worth of insurance on my MG costs about what I pay *per month* for the daily-driver Toyota. With the older car, the company also takes into account its replacement value, whether or not I keep it in the garage, if I take it on long trips, etc.

[chainedbarista]

with his 3 dui's, i'm surprised that he's still coverable; most places would drop him without a second thought, to my understanding.

imo, he shouldn't have a car or license if he's that stupid.

[depechemodefan]

There are 2008 PORSCHE SUV 4x4? I assumed Porsches were all tiny little cars.

[Chromatix]

Porsche don't *only* make the 911 in all it's variants. They've made "ordinary" sports cars in the past, and now they make the Cayenne, which looks like a 911 on stilts and steroids.

Apparently, it's a good machine, but expensive and thirsty.

[SteveZim1017]

As a fellow insurance agent I feel your pain!!

and of course the people that 1.) never pay on time and 2.) always claim that they got a cheaper insurance rate from someone else, are the ones that call you once a week and never seem to take that "cheaper rate" they threaten you with...

[Wade]

My point exactly - thank you, Steve.

At the risk of sounding like a snob, I work for a Tier I company. Of course our rates are going to be a little higher, because we provide better service than Pete's Fish-N-Chips-N-Insurance. Sure, they may offer a lower premium, but God help them when it comes time to file a claim....

[JLRodgers]

Why is it people no longer expect to pay to do business with a company? We offer a service, we charge for it, accept this fact and get on with your life already!

I blame open source software and the internet for that one. Open source since people automatically assume anything computer-based should be free (despite open source not even meaning free in price), and the internet because people have gone overly-crazy downloaded pirated things.

Then they started to think that if that can be free, then why not everything else? Then with the sad state of jobs and everything else found online (blogs/tips/rip-offs, etc)...



Although I've always hated insurance.... I had to pay more than women when I was younger than 25 because "men are worse drivers!!!" Then I hit 25 and thought "yay! It'll go down!" Nope, they raised mine more because men who are single and 25 aren't married and that must mean there's something wrong with them, so they must be a bad driver too! (I was told this by the insurance agent).

[Alpha Strike]

That first thing you mentioned, I think you can thank those "consumer awareness" blogs, sites and TV news stories for that.

Many of them offer the "tip" that you can apparently often get a lower rate on something (credit card, insurance, etc,) just by calling and asking.

That's actually true. I did call to get my Bank of America Visa rate lowered and they did it just because I asked.

BTW - I did ask nicely and if they weren't going to do it for me, I was just going to use a different card.

I called Mastercard and it worked for me as well. But like Sprocket, I was polite and I asked nicely - there were no demands, and I didn't threaten to take my business elsewhere. I simply told them that I was doing this with my other 2 cards and that it would make it more difficult to use my MC if it had a higher rate.

I think it also helped that I have been with them for 16+ years and am a "good" customer (no late payments, no problem calls and I carry a balance.)

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Money must be no object to that guy if he can drive around stewed in such an expensive vehicle. I'd be afraid to drive a $70,000 vehicle while sober. I'm certainly not a celebrity or a big industrialist or some other Very Insignificant Penis who could afford to treat a Porsche SUV like a $300 beater purchased out of the newspaper classifieds.

Edited for my amusement

If he's got a $70,000 vehicle and 3 DUI's, it's a question of time before he no longer needs insurance b/c his license would be permanently revoked if he's caught again (depending on the state he lives in.)

[persephone]

with his 3 dui's, i'm surprised that he's still coverable; most places would drop him without a second thought, to my understanding.

imo, he shouldn't have a car or license if he's that stupid.

While I agree with the he shouldn't have a car or license, if the State has decided to let him keep them, someone, somewhere has to cover him. Because automobile insurance is mandatory. I've never seen / heard of someone being denied because of driving record. Your premiums will be INSANE but the only reason I know of someone is denied insurance is non-payment of premiums.

I do not work in insurance, so I could be wrong, but if insurance coverage is mandatory by the State, don't the companies kind of HAVE to insure someone, if the State grants said person a driving license? How would that work?

[Lehk]

Edited for my amusement

If he's got a $70,000 vehicle and 3 DUI's, it's a question of time before he no longer needs insurance b/c his license would be permanently revoked if he's caught again (depending on the state he lives in.)

Or because a shiny new red paint job for a random roadside tree need not carry auto insurance.

[brucetiki]

As a fellow insurance agent I feel your pain!!

and of course the people that 1.) never pay on time and 2.) always claim that they got a cheaper insurance rate from someone else, are the ones that call you once a week and never seem to take that "cheaper rate" they threaten you with...

Amen to that brother. It's amazing how many people will dispute the price then a) go ahead and pay it anyway or b) call back to renew because they couldn't find that 'cheaper rate' elsewhere.

Then there the ones that go 'Why haven't we been advised of the price rise?' Duh we have told you, that why we send out a renewal with the new price on there.

[RetailWorkhorse]

$100 a month more? how much is insurance in the US?

Too much.

automobile insurance is mandatory.

There's that and it pisses me off.

I have a 1998 Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD Jeep (Built Aug of 97). Currently I do not have insurance (And Dad won't let me ask EQ to put me on her insurance) because Insurance for a "Luxury Vehicle" like the Jeep would put me in the poor house inside of 4 months. Nevermind the fact that I'm a good driver (not a GREAT driver, but a good once), have had no crashes, and my speeding tickets are now off my record. Nevermind the fact that my car has OVER a quarter of a million miles on it. Nevermind that I will be driving her until she literally dies underneath me. She's been paid off since the day I bought her.

But because my Jeep is considered a "Luxury" car, I'd have huge payments to an insurance company to make.

We're not going to get into Insurance for the RV. That's what Mexico is for.