The talk about home insurance in CA got me looking at my coverage

[kdonnel]

Almost 5 years ago I switched from Allstate to Horace Mann and saved $1000 a year on homeowners and $3000 a year on car insurance.

Today I switched from Horace Mann to Progressive and saved $900 a year on homeowners and $3600 a year on car insurance.

I tried to stay with Horace Mann, gave them multiple opportunities over the past 3 months to offer me lower rates, but like every insurance company I had to switch to get better rates.

If you have been with your same insurance provider for 4+ years it is time to switch. The insurance companies have no loyalty to you, you should not have any loyalty to them.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Wow, your car insurance must have been through the roof if you could save $6600 on it!

I have Liberty for home insurance (very few companies will cover my area (not sure why?) & even fewer also don't have dog breed restrictions) but my car insurance was through AAA. Even with the "bundling" deals, it was cheaper to separate them out.

Shop around!

 

[kdonnel]

Wow, your car insurance must have been through the roof if you could save $6600 on it!

I have Liberty for home insurance (very few companies will cover my area (not sure why?) & even fewer also don't have dog breed restrictions) but my car insurance was through AAA. Even with the "bundling" deals, it was cheaper to separate them out.

Shop around!

Georgia is one of the most expensive place for auto insurance. Over the past 5 years my rates had slowly increased to what they were.

With Horace Mann I was paying $602 a month for 4 cars, with higher than normal coverage because of the umbrella policy requirements. The same coverage is $292 a month from Progressive.

 

[disneychrista]

I might look but very few companies will write new policies in California these days.

My current company just sent me notification that if I don’t replace my roof they won’t continue not renew my policy. Not an expense I was expecting to have for a few more years.

 

[cabanafrau]

Georgia is one of the most expensive place for auto insurance. Over the past 5 years my rates had slowly increased to what they were.

With Horace Mann I was paying $602 a month for 4 cars, with higher than normal coverage because of the umbrella policy requirements. The same coverage is $292 a month from Progressive.

Michigan would like you to hold their beer.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Rates vary greatly by state, your age, income, credit etc. We ae paying $1400 annually for a 2024 and 2020 Subaru (up from $1000 three years ago). Our house is $900 vs $600 last year for large, new home. Both are with a name brand which we switched to more than 15 years ago. Coverage is high with low deductibles. We are older, low mileage so lower risk.

 

[lanejudy]

Just be aware that my experience is Progressive low-balls car insurance for a year or two then the increases hit pretty big. Be ready to change again in 1-2 years.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Just be aware that my experience is Progressive low-balls car insurance for a year or two then the increases hit pretty big. Be ready to change again in 1-2 years.

Very true. Another consideration is the cost of vehicles. Low coverage leaves you very exposed since cars and pickups can easily be 50-100K. A multi car accident is even worse if you are the one that causes it.

 

[kdonnel]

Very true. Another consideration is the cost of vehicles. Low coverage leaves you very exposed since cars and pickups can easily be 50-100K. A multi car accident is even worse if you are the one that causes it.

I don't have state minimum.

I have what I believe to be decent coverage that is then backed up by an umbrella policy.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Very true. Another consideration is the cost of vehicles. Low coverage leaves you very exposed since cars and pickups can easily be 50-100K. A multi car accident is even worse if you are the one that causes it.

Funny enough, I also looked at my car insurance coverage, and decided 100K per accident for property damage was no longer enough with the value of cars nowadays...so I upped mine to 300K (I already had max on people coverage b/c people costs are expensive, but depreciated cars tended not to be...but I rethought that in 2025 after the last few years of astronomical new car cost increases)...

I've got a $1M for the people, which is max. I'd buy more if they let me...

 

[kdonnel]

Just be aware that my experience is Progressive low-balls car insurance for a year or two then the increases hit pretty big. Be ready to change again in 1-2 years.

Can’t be any different than what I experienced in the past with Allstate and then Horace Mann.

I have no loyalty.

 

[georgina]

Agree after a few years it is important to check around. Some of your rates are crazy high! We’re paying about $1000 for homeowners, which went up from 800 last year, $1200 for 2 cars but I expect that will go up as I am replacing a 2011 Subaru with a 2025 RAV4 PHEV, and $265 for an extra umbrella liability policy.

 

[amcnj]

I have had the same insurer for going on 7 years now. The rate has started climbing the last couple of years, so I get online quotes from a few other companies, including another insurer that is well regarded in my state. So far my current insurer has always been slightly less, so I have not made the switch. But I keep checking!

 

[barkley]

because of the umbrella policy requirements

are you required to have an umbrella policy or do you opt to have one? mine runs $273 per year for $1M.

Low coverage leaves you very exposed since cars and pickups can easily be 50-100K

coverage absent underinsured coverage can leave you terribly exposed as well. we had a relativly minor accident a handful of years back and the responsible party's insurance was the bare bones their state required-we were thankful for the underinsured coverage we had in place.

 

[tvguy]

Never hurts to do an insurance review. I have my Auto/Homeowners/Umbrella thru Allstate. My rate went up sharply in 2020 when we traded our 2000 Mountaineer in on a new 2020 Camry Hybrid. In part because of a new car, and in part because the lender required a deductible of no more than $500. I have never ever had a deductible that low before. I need to get that adjusted since the car is paid off now
Every time I price shop other companies, there are vast differences in the individual coverage rates, but the sum total of all three coverages always ends up within about $10 a year of what I have. And of course I can't cherry pick coverages because the rates on based on them being bundled.
The coverage I would like to find a lower rate on is Long Term Care. I had a broker who handles 30 LTC carriers price shop for me, but the lowest quote came in at more than double the rate I have. And the broker said I had unbelievably good coverage that hasn't been offered in years. I guess the key to low LTC rates is to buy it when you are young, in our 40's in our case. But it still is the most expensive insurance we have.

 

[georgina]

are you required to have an umbrella policy or do you opt to have one? mine runs $273 per year for $1M.

Our umbrella requires us to have a certain level of liability on our car insurance.

 

[kdonnel]

are you required to have an umbrella policy or do you opt to have one? mine runs $273 per year for $1M.

Not required, I opt to have one.