Car Insurance: What are your experiences?

slyskipper11 said:Quick question... if a car is already deregistered, do I still have to deal with that 5% transfer tax, or is that off the table? Just wondering what kind of fees I'm actually looking at for a vehicle like that.

You definitely still have to pay it.

So, what’s the best way to rig this so I pay as little as possible? Like, is it actually doable to just list the car as being for parts—say, $300 or something—and then... I don't know, just go from there? Would I even be able to get it registered at all if I did that?

That car isn't worth even $2,000, honestly. I mean, I guess nobody is even going to bother you if you just list it for maybe $500 or $600. That makes the tax around $30-$$133. If saving an extra $100-$$67 really makes that much of a difference to you, then go ahead and play your games, but I personally don't think $133 is some massive, life-changing amount of money anyway.

darkmaker94 said:A couple of days ago, an agent from State Farm sent me a quote for $967. It's for an 85kw car with a Zg registration—first time registering it, so I'm at 0% bonus, and I'm 25. Usually, the standard rate sits around $1333.
I'm gonna shop this quote around to other providers now to see if I can snag a better deal. 😁

That's a solid offer; there's really no point in shopping around further. Last year, I registered my 75kw vehicle for the first time (zero bonus) and it cost me nearly $4,000.

Hey there! Does anyone have any inside scoop on what the pricing is going to look like once those new 180-style license plates roll out? I'm wondering if they'll keep the costs uniform across the country or if we're looking at different rates depending on the state or even specific plate types—that would be a headache, right? I’ve actually got some moving plans coming up soon, so I'm trying to figure out whether I should get everything registered at my current address or just wait until I settle into the new place. Any advice? Thanks!

Andrew Booth2 said:Hey there! Does anyone have any inside scoop on what the pricing is going to look like once those new 180-style license plates roll out? I'm wondering if they'll keep the costs uniform across the country or if we're looking at different rates depending on the state or even specific plate types—that would be a headache, right? I’ve actually got some moving plans coming up soon, so I'm trying to figure out whether I should get everything registered at my current address or just wait until I settle into the new place. Any advice? Thanks!

There's really no word on that yet.

My insurance is about to expire, so I went online to see what kind of rates I’m looking at this year. I hopped onto Compar, plugged in my info, and it told me I have a 130% malus. Checked a different provider's site too, and it's the exact same story. 😲
Last year was my first time registering the car with State Farm, and I actually got a 35% discount. I haven't been in a single accident. I honestly don't get it. Fingers crossed it's just some glitch in the system.

Quinn:

says: My Allstate policy is about to expire, so I went online to see what kind of rates I’m looking at this year. I hopped on Comparison, plugged in my info, and the system tells me I have a 130% malus. I checked another insurance company's website too, and it’s the exact same story. 😲 Last year was my first time registering a car with State Farm, and I actually got a 35% bonus. I haven't been in a single accident. I don't get it. I really hope it's just some glitch in the system.

Everything gets verified through Lloyd's of London. That's where they track your bonus levels and check if you've filed any claims. But ever since the market started deregulating, the whole Lloyd's system has been a mess. You aren't the only one dealing with this... when it comes time to renew a policy, they just look at whatever bonus is listed on the current paperwork instead of pulling the actual data from Lloyd's.

Quinn:

says: My Allstate policy is about to expire, so I figured I'd do a little digging to see what kind of rates I might be looking at this year. I went over to Comparison, plugged in all my info, and the system tells me I'm sitting at a 130% malus. So, I went to check another insurance company's website, and it’s the exact same story. 😲 Last year, when I registered my car for the first time, I went with State Farm and ended up with a 35% bonus. I haven't been in a single accident. I honestly have no idea what's going on here. I really hope it's just some kind of glitch.

I guess I'm wondering what you based that 35% bonus on? From what I understand, when you're switching providers, Lloyd's of London doesn't usually handle premium tiers in a way that makes perfect sense—I mean, as far as I know, there isn't an insurer out there that would give you the exact same tier for a transferred bonus as they would for a brand new one, though they do look at two things: either whatever is printed on the policy itself or the official proof from your previous carrier.

If you really are stuck with a malus, I suppose someone who's actually looking for a workaround will probably find a solution eventually. 😁

Ever since they started duplicating bonuses, having a status with Lloyd's of London is basically worthless.
The only thing that actually matters there now is whether you had any claims—or, you know, if you actually caused some kind of damage—during the previous period.

Most insurance companies, or rather their agents, have been told that the Lloyd's data isn't even relevant for calculating bonuses anymore; they’re supposed to look at the original policy instead. That said, if you do have a claim on file, pretty much everyone is still going to dock your bonus—it just happens based on the original policy rather than whatever shows up on those Lloyd's web pages.

Car Insurance - anyone else having weird experiences?
Basically, it’s always the same old story... when you're actually sitting there signing the contract, they promise you the moon, the stars, and everything in between, making it sound like they'll be your best friend forever. But man, once you actually file a claim and realize you need them to pay out for some real damage... that's when the honeymoon phase ends and all the headaches truly begin! 👍

Jessica Jones2 said:Car Insurance - anyone else having weird experiences?
Basically, it’s always the same old story... when you're actually sitting there signing the contract, they promise you the moon, the stars, and everything in between, making it sound like they'll be your best friend forever. But man, once you actually file a claim and realize you need them to pay out for some real damage... that's when the honeymoon phase ends and all the headaches truly begin! 👍

From my experience, things are easiest and fastest when someone admits they messed up. Simple. But if they won't take the blame, you have to call the police. Then you're stuck waiting on the police report, which they’re supposed to get to the insurance company within a month by law. Of course, they always wait until the very last minute. Then the paperwork goes through the mail, then they mail you to come sign the final documents... it drags on.

If it's the first scenario—where fault is clear—it's better if you know someone working at the agency. You can have them nudge the claims department to email you the signature pages. After that, you just wait for the check to hit your account, which usually takes about 15 to 30 days.

swiftridge29 said:From my experience, things are easiest and fastest when someone admits they messed up. Simple. But if they won't take the blame, you have to call the police. Then you're stuck waiting on the police report, which they’re supposed to get to the insurance company within a month by law. Of course, they always wait until the very last minute. Then the paperwork goes through the mail, then they mail you to come sign the final documents... it drags on.

If it's the first scenario—where fault is clear—it's better if you know someone working at the agency. You can have them nudge the claims department to email you the signature pages. After that, you just wait for the check to hit your account, which usually takes about 15 to 30 days.

Aha! See, there it is... that's the most important part of the whole thing: if you have someone working in insurance who can give them a little push ... 😁

RUN FOR THE HILLS AND DON'T LOOK BACK!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, whether it's State Farm, Allstate, or anyone else... it’s all just nonsense spun by Douglas Griffin, the self-proclaimed "king of insurance." Their whole motto seems to be "take everything they have and give them absolutely nothing." I've been stuck in legal battles for ten years now after a car accident left me in a wheelchair. And what do they do? They spout total lies and use every dirty trick in the book just to drag things out. It's a tactic! They drain victims—both their own clients and people hit by their clients—financially and emotionally until you're so exhausted you'll settle for pennies on the dollar. You won't see a dime of what you're actually owed without a long, grueling court battle. Or maybe you will, but it definitely won't be the full amount you deserve!!!!!!!!

This is just insane

Just Google his name for yourselves...

Hannah Allen5 said:Quinn:

says: My Allstate policy is about to expire, so I figured I'd do a little digging to see what kind of rates I might be looking at this year. I went over to Comparison, plugged in all my info, and the system tells me I'm sitting at a 130% malus. So, I went to check another insurance company's website, and it’s the exact same story. 😲 Last year, when I registered my car for the first time, I went with State Farm and ended up with a 35% bonus. I haven't been in a single accident. I honestly have no idea what's going on here. I really hope it's just some kind of glitch.

I guess I'm wondering what you based that 35% bonus on? From what I understand, when you're switching providers, Lloyd's of London doesn't usually handle premium tiers in a way that makes perfect sense—I mean, as far as I know, there isn't an insurer out there that would give you the exact same tier for a transferred bonus as they would for a brand new one, though they do look at two things: either whatever is printed on the policy itself or the official proof from your previous carrier.

If you really are stuck with a malus, I suppose someone who's actually looking for a workaround will probably find a solution eventually. 😁

It was my first time getting an auto policy (never had a car registered in my name before), and the agent gave me a 35% discount. No idea how she pulled it off—no special connections or anything, just walked in, asked for a quote, and that was that.

Anyway, I haven't been in any accidents, and I checked the American Academy of Arts and Sciences website and it shows zero claims, so I have no clue why I'd be facing a surcharge.

Hey everyone, quick question... does any insurance provider actually grant a bonus to a son or daughter if one parent holds a 50% stake? And if they do, is it an actual, permanent benefit, or just some carrot they dangle only to snatch it away the following year?

swiftridge29 said:Hey everyone, quick question... does any insurance provider actually grant a bonus to a son or daughter if one parent holds a 50% stake? And if they do, is it an actual, permanent benefit, or just some carrot they dangle only to snatch it away the following year?

I've had some luck with Allstate if you have someone else living at the same address who is already a policyholder.

urbanharbor95 said:Ever since they started duplicating bonuses, having a status with Lloyd's of London is basically worthless.
The only thing that actually matters there now is whether you had any claims—or, you know, if you actually caused some kind of damage—during the previous period.

Most insurance companies, or rather their agents, have been told that the Lloyd's data isn't even relevant for calculating bonuses anymore; they’re supposed to look at the original policy instead. That said, if you do have a claim on file, pretty much everyone is still going to dock your bonus—it just happens based on the original policy rather than whatever shows up on those Lloyd's web pages.

Even Allstate, which is usually super strict about rules and paperwork, has a directive to just look at the bonus listed on the policy itself. That’s the key! It HAS to say "bonus." Not an extra bonus, a family discount, a loyalty perk from the agency, or something else like that.

I’m pretty sure State Farm is in the exact same boat, and as for GEICO, I know we actually had to check the premiums through the AMS, so for them, it still carries weight. Unless, of course,😛there’s some specific insurer certificate regarding the bonus.

Jessica Jones2 said:Car Insurance - anyone else having weird experiences?
Basically, it’s always the same old story... when you're actually sitting there signing the contract, they promise you the moon, the stars, and everything in between, making it sound like they'll be your best friend forever. But man, once you actually file a claim and realize you need them to pay out for some real damage... that's when the honeymoon phase ends and all the headaches truly begin! 👍

Well, it’s not necessarily the person you pay who handles the payout. Though, while I was looking into this, I did hear that for some people, their insurance company actually helped them get their claim paid or helped collect from the other driver's insurance. I don't know how much truth there is to that or exactly how they pulled it off, but apparently, some people became loyal customers because of it, so they won't bother $33much

darkmaker94 said:It was my first time getting an auto policy (never had a car registered in my name before), and the agent gave me a 35% discount. No idea how she pulled it off—no special connections or anything, just walked in, asked for a quote, and that was that.

Anyway, I haven't been in any accidents, and I checked the American Academy of Arts and Sciences website and it shows zero claims, so I have no clue why I'd be facing a surcharge.

I'm not really familiar with that situation. If things were being duplicated, I guess I'd understand.

Maybe try going to an insurance agency with your policy in hand and check 😁

swiftridge29 said:Hey everyone, quick question... does any insurance provider actually grant a bonus to a son or daughter if one parent holds a 50% stake? And if they do, is it an actual, permanent benefit, or just some carrot they dangle only to snatch it away the following year?

So basically—there’s this requirement where someone in the household living at the same address gets a bonus that essentially doubles up. Based on what the American Musicological Society uses for premium levels, it isn't actually doubled (like, if you had a level 9 rating, they'd just bump you to an 8).

Progressive—they have a rule where if someone in the family has a bonus, it can be duplicated. Though, honestly, don't just stick to that one rule; they have over 30 different categories regarding how bonuses are transferred or doubled (under the American Musicological Society guidelines, a duplicated bonus would be a level 10).

Allstate—you need an active policy with Allstate at the same address, and there also has to be some kind of family connection. Just a heads-up: the policy has to be currently active, not just drafted (which matters because you can draft a policy six months in advance). Here's the catch: you can transfer a bonus from a father to a son, and then potentially double it back onto the father. It might actually be worth it if the offer is right, but you have to provide a statement notarized by a notary public, which I think costs about $5 or so.

Apparently, in certain cities like Chicago, they give the same bonus to all vehicles owned by the same person. Some people on the forums mentioned GEICO or State Farm for duplicating discounts too, but I don't know the specific details.

Alright, thanks for the input!
So here’s the deal with a buddy of mine. His old man hasn't had a registered vehicle through a major rental agency like Enterprise in maybe three or four years. Since then, he hasn't bothered registering anything and doesn't plan to... which means he’s sitting on that 50% good driver discount. Now he wants to pass that benefit down to his son. The kid just got his license and bought his first car, so the dad wants to make sure he doesn't get crushed by those initial insurance rates...

I mean, I guess you could probably pull that off with any of those three insurance providers, though I think State Farm has a five-year limit from when the policy expires, whereas companies like GEICO or Progressive don't really have those kinds of expiration windows on them at all.