🚀 go-pugleaf

rdonahue@spdcc.com (Bob Donahue) writes:
>My insurance went DOWN 15% in moving from New Mexico to Massachusetts,
>all because of the "good drivers record" from another state.  Methinks
>it's your insurance company that's dorking you around.

People in this state widely believe they don't have to shop around for
car insurance because "rates are regulated".  But rates for legal-minimum
coverage are not all one should consider when buying car insurance.

I bought a car two and a half years ago and called my agent ahead of time
to inquire about premiums for different deductibles and different car
models.  Based on this, I chose a $1000 deductible and a four-door car.
When a friend of mine bought a car last month, he took my advice to
ask about insurance rates.  Based on feedback from *his* agent, he
went with a lower deductible and a two-door model.  His rate is about the
same as mine, leading me to believe I have a high-priced insurance carrier
*for the particular combination of benefits I wanted*.

Since few motorists actually carry only the minimum insurance, it probably
does pay to shop around.  And it always pays to ask your agent a few
questions before selecting a new or used car.

There are other differences between insurers, such as the amount of time
and paperwork necessary to file a claim, and the percentage of denied
claims, etc.  But those are harder to compare, requiring greater research.

One thing that seems to have faded into the past is reasonable payment
plans.  My current company just sends me a bill for the full annual
premium each October.  If I choose to pay over more than a 30-day period,
I must fork over interest at a 15% annual rate.  Ten years ago, I could
ask for a payment plan which cost something like a dollar extra per
payment if I wanted, say, quarterly or monthly payments.  Have other
companies also taken to charging usurious interest rates?

-rich