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Have any of you signed up with nanny car insurances?

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I see all of these car insurance ads on TV in which the insurance company states it will have sensors in your car and jack up your rates if you brake too hard or swerve suddenly, etc. Well, sometimes someone in front of me runs a stop sign, or a squirrel will run in front of my car, or whatever. I'm not interested in my insurance company wagging its finger at me based on a sensor in my car (nor do they need to know everywhere I'm going). I don't think I'd ever let them install something like that in my car. Have any of you?

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JayCeeKy Veteran

JayCeeKy

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I didn't have "sensors" in my car, but when I switched from State Farm to a lesser-known company two years ago I was asked if I wanted to drive with a plug-in monitor (like a flash drive that plugs into an outlet under the dashboard) that would give both them and myself a running account of my driving habits (sudden accelerations, sudden breaking, driving really fast, etc.). I accepted and over a 60 day period I got dinged 2x for sudden stops - both times were within the first week of being monitored. As a result of having just two dings, I got a 10% discount on my car insurance. I have to admit that I was super careful after getting those first two dings (you get a daily readout online about your progress) and I think it actually made me a more careful driver - more anxious but more careful (just like those commercials where the woman is in labor but yells at her husband to slow down "Don't mess with my discount!"). I saw my old agent a couple of months ago (I had been with his agency for 30 years), he asked how I liked my new insurance company. I told him about the discount and he said "Yeah, all the insurance companies are pushing those discounts now" - and said that if I went back to State Farm they have the same discount - too late.

Also, I was reading an article today that stated too many people stick with the same insurance company year-after-year, and are missing out on a lot of discounts and thus lower premiums (the article says that a person can often save $500+ by getting quotes from other companies) - it says that insurance companies are extremely competitive, though obviously a person would do well to check out companies with the BBB and online reviews. I have been very happy with the company I switched to and am paying about 15-20% less than with my old company. And I'd recommend the monitor if you are a reasonably good driver.

Edited by JayCeeKy
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Charlie Grand Master

+ Charlie

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I have an insurance broker who finds the best insurance deals for my house and cars, and he has advised me to change companies about three times in the past fifteen years. He has never advised one of the companies with those in-car sensor thingies.

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Guest

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...just like those commercials where the woman is in labor but yells at her husband to slow down "Don't mess with my discount!"...

Yes, and that's not too far-fetched. I don't need to justify the way I drive. And, yes, those sensors also know WHERE you've been driving and when.

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sniper Grand Master

+ sniper

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Something to think about when you hear one of those cheap companies like GEICO is liked by 97% of their customers. Car claim frequency is about 5%. That 3% who don't like them are most likely 60% of people with claims - i.e. the people who actually have to use them, tend not to like them...

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rvwnsd Grand Master

rvwnsd

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State Farm thinks I've been their customer for 33 years. In reality, it is only 26 My first policy with them was in 1986 but I switched to Met Life between 1989 and 1993-ish and then to Liberty Mutual between 2004 and 2007. But, SF gives me an amazing loyalty discount, and so far no one can beat their price, so who am I to complain?

 

When I moved from San Diego to Phoenix my agent, who is a woman, found me another female agent who I later learned is LGBTQ. The process was easy. I e-signed a couple of forms, printed insurance cards from the SF website, and permanent insurance docs were on their way.

 

I nearly totaled my car last October and the claims process could not have been easier. It worked like this:

  1. rvwnsd slams parking garage support pillar while avoiding a pedestrian who ran in front in front of his car
  2. rvwnsd navigates to State Farm website and answers a few questions
  3. State Farm calls to make sure no one was injured, asks a few more questions, and provides the names of three nearby repair shops
  4. rvwnsd selects repair shop
  5. Rental car company (Hertz, not effing Enterprise) calls to ask what kind of car I want
  6. Hertz delivers car
  7. Repair center calls to schedule pick-up of damaged car
  8. Tow truck picks up car
  9. Repair center calls Hertz to extend car rental
  10. Repair center calls rvwnsd to say "Geez, what the hell did you do to your poor car?" (Not really - they called to say the repair would take longer than originally quoted because in addition to body damage the battery, radiator, wheel., and several other parts had to be replaced)
  11. State Farm calls to say "don't worry - rental car is extended. Oh, you might need to keep it over Thanksgiving if your car isn't ready by then? OK, we've noted it - no problem"
  12. Repair center repairs car
  13. Repair center calls to say car is ready (day before rvwnsd leaves for Thanksgiving)
  14. rvwnsd pays his $250 deductible, trades cars, and drives off with repaired car
  15. State Farm calls to make sure everything was to rvwnsd's liking
  16. State Farm has not increased rvwnsd's insurance premium

My brother has GEICO and every little thing from billing to roadside assistance, to claims is a nightmare. He thinks State farm will be too expensive. Liberty Mutual was incapable of following their own procedures when I bought a condo and did not sell me the correct insurance coverage. After a snippy-ass phone call from their "resolution" department I switched back to State Farm, but did pay more. $5.00 (yes, FIVE DOLLARS) more per YEAR. And I was supposedly receiving a fantastic discount through my employer at Liberty Mutual. Why, exactly, would I switch?

 

My actual neighbors should be so good.

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jjkrkwood Grand Master

jjkrkwood

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State Farm thinks I've been their customer for 33 years. In reality, it is only 26 My first policy with them was in 1986 but I switched to Met Life between 1989 and 1993-ish and then to Liberty Mutual between 2004 and 2007. But, SF gives me an amazing loyalty discount, and so far no one can beat their price, so who am I to complain?

 

When I moved from San Diego to Phoenix my agent, who is a woman, found me another female agent who I later learned is LGBTQ. The process was easy. I e-signed a couple of forms, printed insurance cards from the SF website, and permanent insurance docs were on their way.

 

I nearly totaled my car last October and the claims process could not have been easier. It worked like this:

  1. rvwnsd slams parking garage support pillar while avoiding a pedestrian who ran in front in front of his car
  2. rvwnsd navigates to State Farm website and answers a few questions
  3. State Farm calls to make sure no one was injured, asks a few more questions, and provides the names of three nearby repair shops
  4. rvwnsd selects repair shop
  5. Rental car company (Hertz, not effing Enterprise) calls to ask what kind of car I want
  6. Hertz delivers car
  7. Repair center calls to schedule pick-up of damaged car
  8. Tow truck picks up car
  9. Repair center calls Hertz to extend car rental
  10. Repair center calls rvwnsd to say "Geez, what the hell did you do to your poor car?" (Not really - they called to say the repair would take longer than originally quoted because in addition to body damage the battery, radiator, wheel., and several other parts had to be replaced)
  11. State Farm calls to say "don't worry - rental car is extended. Oh, you might need to keep it over Thanksgiving if your car isn't ready by then? OK, we've noted it - no problem"
  12. Repair center repairs car
  13. Repair center calls to say car is ready (day before rvwnsd leaves for Thanksgiving)
  14. rvwnsd pays his $250 deductible, trades cars, and drives off with repaired car
  15. State Farm calls to make sure everything was to rvwnsd's liking
  16. State Farm has not increased rvwnsd's insurance premium

My brother has GEICO and every little thing from billing to roadside assistance, to claims is a nightmare. He thinks State farm will be too expensive. Liberty Mutual was incapable of following their own procedures when I bought a condo and did not sell me the correct insurance coverage. After a snippy-ass phone call from their "resolution" department I switched back to State Farm, but did pay more. $5.00 (yes, FIVE DOLLARS) more per YEAR. And I was supposedly receiving a fantastic discount through my employer at Liberty Mutual. Why, exactly, would I switch?

 

My actual neighbors should be so good.

 

I am in NYC, and have GEICO. No problems with them with anything EVER .

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BlueSky Experienced

+ BlueSky

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Posted

No I wouldn't consider the monitor in my car. Too Big Brother. I just hope the insurance companies don't convince the government monitoring should be mandatory some day.....:oops:.

 

I've always had my insurance with State Farm. I do shop to compare rates every two or three years but SF always comes out on top. I've never had a claim so I can't say how they would handle it.

 

I have heard that you shouldn't ever buy the roadside assistance coverage from your insurance company. They will sometimes treats assistance calls like claims and jack up your rates. I don't know if this is something SF would do or not.

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sincitymix Mentor

sincitymix

Posted
Posted
State Farm thinks I've been their customer for 33 years. In reality, it is only 26 My first policy with them was in 1986 but I switched to Met Life between 1989 and 1993-ish and then to Liberty Mutual between 2004 and 2007. But, SF gives me an amazing loyalty discount, and so far no one can beat their price, so who am I to complain?

 

When I moved from San Diego to Phoenix my agent, who is a woman, found me another female agent who I later learned is LGBTQ. The process was easy. I e-signed a couple of forms, printed insurance cards from the SF website, and permanent insurance docs were on their way.

 

I nearly totaled my car last October and the claims process could not have been easier. It worked like this:

  1. rvwnsd slams parking garage support pillar while avoiding a pedestrian who ran in front in front of his car
  2. rvwnsd navigates to State Farm website and answers a few questions
  3. State Farm calls to make sure no one was injured, asks a few more questions, and provides the names of three nearby repair shops
  4. rvwnsd selects repair shop
  5. Rental car company (Hertz, not effing Enterprise) calls to ask what kind of car I want
  6. Hertz delivers car
  7. Repair center calls to schedule pick-up of damaged car
  8. Tow truck picks up car
  9. Repair center calls Hertz to extend car rental
  10. Repair center calls rvwnsd to say "Geez, what the hell did you do to your poor car?" (Not really - they called to say the repair would take longer than originally quoted because in addition to body damage the battery, radiator, wheel., and several other parts had to be replaced)
  11. State Farm calls to say "don't worry - rental car is extended. Oh, you might need to keep it over Thanksgiving if your car isn't ready by then? OK, we've noted it - no problem"
  12. Repair center repairs car
  13. Repair center calls to say car is ready (day before rvwnsd leaves for Thanksgiving)
  14. rvwnsd pays his $250 deductible, trades cars, and drives off with repaired car
  15. State Farm calls to make sure everything was to rvwnsd's liking
  16. State Farm has not increased rvwnsd's insurance premium

My brother has GEICO and every little thing from billing to roadside assistance, to claims is a nightmare. He thinks State farm will be too expensive. Liberty Mutual was incapable of following their own procedures when I bought a condo and did not sell me the correct insurance coverage. After a snippy-ass phone call from their "resolution" department I switched back to State Farm, but did pay more. $5.00 (yes, FIVE DOLLARS) more per YEAR. And I was supposedly receiving a fantastic discount through my employer at Liberty Mutual. Why, exactly, would I switch?

 

My actual neighbors should be so good.

I was with Geico for a very long time, under my parents car insurance. He got so many discounts from them.

I remember a time when i was backing out of the garage with a new car.. and since i wasnt used to it yet.. misjudged and the side mirror pretty much went snap.. along with a huge scrape along the side of the car.. (insert asian driving jokes.. but i do admit its somewhat true with me:P )

The Geico rep i called laughed her ass off when i told her i backed into the side of my garage.. of course i was laughing along with her.. after making sure i was safe and unhurt.. pretty much everything you outlined above happened.. and rates did not go up..

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Guest

Guest

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Posted

I have heard that you shouldn't ever buy the roadside assistance coverage from your insurance company. They will sometimes treats assistance calls like claims and jack up your rates. I don't know if this is something SF would do or not.

 

I get roadside assistance through AAA. I'm embarrassed to admit how long I've been with them.

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honcho Grand Master

+ honcho

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Posted (edited)
I get roadside assistance through AAA. I'm embarrassed to admit how long I've been with them.

 

Why should you be embarassed about that? I've been a member for 37 years. Although I consider myself somewhat of a bleeding heart liberal, any political positions the club have taken have seemed to me to be, if you'll forgive the intended pun, "middle-of-the-road".

Edited by honcho
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