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  1. #1
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    Question Switching Insurance from Amica to Nationwide?

    I've had Amica since I bought my house in 2016. They provided awesome customer service for a ~$40k hail claim the first year I owned my house and also for an auto claim this past year. Unfortunately they have jacked up my rates now that renewal is coming up.

    I used PolicyGenius to shop around an a like for like bundle of home/auto/umbrella with Nationwide is coming in about $900 cheaper per year, which represents >25% discount.

    Amica has been awesome to deal with, but it's hard to justify the extra cost. Is there any reason I shouldn't consider switching?

  2. #2
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    they are going to run an insurance report which is like a credit report and that 900 savings is going to disappear
    all the commercials on tv you see are bullshit, they should have a disclaimer at the end of each one that says we will do everything to fuck you

    I do alot of insurance work and it's unbelivable the bs
    I also pay almost 50k a year insurance it's full on stupid

  3. #3
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    fwiw I've had Natiowide home and auto for many years and I've never really thought about changing, they've always been good and the local broker guy is great. I'm probably getting robbed on rates but it's it's been a comfort thing.

  4. #4
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    It's a commodity, for the most part. Most policies are more or less identical. So yeah, if you can save $900 a year, you should.

  5. #5
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    Having had my house burn down and spending a lot of time dealing with our insurance company, I high recommend finding out how well they will treat you. it is worth paying more for a good responsive company. Traveler (house) has been great. Mercury (car) sucked sweaty balls. Choose wisely.

    That said, I know nothing about either company you are dealing with. Talk to some independent agents about which companies are good vs cheap. Many of our neighbors who also lost their houses due to the fire have some real horror stories about their insurance companies.

    I agree it is a constitutional right for Americans to be assholes...its just too bad that so many take the opportunity...
    iscariot

  6. #6
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    There are certainly differences in how claims are handled between companies (and between adjusters, for that matter).

    My recommendation would be to consider using a local independent agent that you know and can build a report with. They will help you shop around for the best rates and will be available to you if you have a claim and you have a problem
    with how it’s being handled.

    If you go it alone on buying the policy, you risk going it alone if you have a claim.

    To be clear, I am not an insurance agent.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by hutash View Post
    Having had my house burn down and spending a lot of time dealing with our insurance company, I high recommend finding out how well they will treat you. it is worth paying more for a good responsive company. Traveler (house) has been great. Mercury (car) sucked sweaty balls. Choose wisely.

    That said, I know nothing about either company you are dealing with. Talk to some independent agents about which companies are good vs cheap. Many of our neighbors who also lost their houses due to the fire have some real horror stories about their insurance companies.
    This makes sense, but is very hard to do in practice; every experience is anecdotal. I mean, I have USAA which routinely gets ranked very high on "service" and "claims handling" yet my recent experiences with them have not been good.
    "fuck off you asshat gaper shit for brains fucktard wanker." - Jesus Christ
    "She was tossing her bean salad with the vigor of a Drunken Pop princess so I walked out of the corner and said.... "need a hand?"" - Odin
    "everybody's got their hooks into you, fuck em....forge on motherfuckers, drag all those bitches across the goal line with you." - (not so) ill-advised strategy

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevo View Post
    I've had Amica since I bought my house in 2016. They provided awesome customer service for a ~$40k hail claim the first year I owned my house and also for an auto claim this past year. Unfortunately they have jacked up my rates now that renewal is coming up.

    I used PolicyGenius to shop around an a like for like bundle of home/auto/umbrella with Nationwide is coming in about $900 cheaper per year, which represents >25% discount.

    Amica has been awesome to deal with, but it's hard to justify the extra cost. Is there any reason I shouldn't consider switching?
    Is that Nationwide quote factoring in the $40K hail claim and the recent auto claim?

    Main reason to stay with a carrier is if you get a loyalty discount. Otherwise, I agree with the comment that they are a commodity -- so long as they are solvent. Look for a good AM Best rating.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peruvian View Post
    There are certainly differences in how claims are handled between companies (and between adjusters, for that matter).

    My recommendation would be to consider using a local independent agent that you know and can build a report with. They will help you shop around for the best rates and will be available to you if you have a claim and you have a problem
    with how it’s being handled.

    If you go it alone on buying the policy, you risk going it alone if you have a claim.

    To be clear, I am not an insurance agent.
    An insurance agent is a sales agent. They do not have claims handling authority.

    To be clear, I am (formerly) a bad faith insurance litigator. All insurance companies suck, at some level.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  10. #10
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    My experience* is that it has almost everything to do with the individual adjuster, though some companies are just wack as fuck, like Mountain West Farm Bureau. Fuck those guys.

    *I sue insurance companies. Currently suing AAA, Allstate, Safeco, Liberty Mutual, Farm Bureau, Stewart Title Insurance (fuck those guys too, what a bunch of morons), some local ones nobody has ever heard of, etc. My most successful case was against USAA but that was based on a single stupid decision by one person whose name never came out in 3+ years of litigation.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    Is that Nationwide quote factoring in the $40K hail claim and the recent auto claim?

    Main reason to stay with a carrier is if you get a loyalty discount. Otherwise, I agree with the comment that they are a commodity -- so long as they are solvent. Look for a good AM Best rating.
    Yes. The quote includes my claim history.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    An insurance agent is a sales agent. They do not have claims handling authority.

    To be clear, I am (formerly) a bad faith insurance litigator. All insurance companies suck, at some level.
    That’s true, but claims adjusters and their managers do listen when agents call and complain that they have a policy holder sitting in their office who has a problem.

  13. #13
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    Praxis Rx.

  14. #14
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    Came up a few years ago, think TNKen sues all of 'em and I remember him saying Cincinatti life (or maybe cleveland. when you get north of tennessee I'm pretty challenged and think of it all being part of canada) was by far the best. I priced it, state farm (who we were with) and USAA and USAA was by far the cheepest. I'm surprised it didn't come up in your search. Think TNKen said that USAA was 'aight but not great. I fugured for $2k a year I could live with 'aight.
    "Can't you see..."

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marshall Tucker View Post
    Came up a few years ago, think TNKen sues all of 'em and I remember him saying Cincinatti life (or maybe cleveland. when you get north of tennessee I'm pretty challenged and think of it all being part of canada) was by far the best. I priced it, state farm (who we were with) and USAA and USAA was by far the cheepest. I'm surprised it didn't come up in your search. Think TNKen said that USAA was 'aight but not great. I fugured for $2k a year I could live with 'aight.
    Thanks. I have no military affiliation so USAA is a no go for me.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevo View Post
    Thanks. I have no military affiliation so USAA is a no go for me.
    Dude. call them. if you have a relative that served in the military that get's you in (my father was in WWII).
    "Can't you see..."

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marshall Tucker View Post
    Dude. call them. if you have a relative that served in the military that get's you in (my father was in WWII).
    I looked into a couple years ago. My grandfathers were both in WW2, but neither joined USAA. If they had, they could have passed USAA down to my parents who could have passed it down to me. Since none of that happened and both my grandfathers are now dead there is no way in for me.

  18. #18
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    You should also get a quote from Progressive, I was happy with Travelers and on a whim checked rated for Progressive(I guess advertising works). I switched last year from Travelers for auto and saved about 25%. I would have bundled to save a bit more with home but they told me I would need to replace my roof so I stayed with Travelers for the home. When I called my local agent they gave me some bullshit answer on the price differences and when I finally talked to the agency owner who I have used for 25 years through a few different places he previously worked he told me he also has kids like me and uses Progressive for auto due to their aggressive rates.

  19. #19
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    Switching Insurance from Amica to Nationwide?

    When kids started driving had to switch from Erie to Progressive. I had Erie for like 20 years/no claims but became way too expensive with kids on policy.....was pissed I had to switch.

    But in hindsight, switching was no big deal and saved me like 1,000 bucks.....Progressive has made it reasonable the past 3 years.....I like the app/payment methods better too...
    Last edited by BC.; 06-23-2020 at 06:45 PM.

  20. #20
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    I watched a good friend and work partner who lived in Marin go through bloody hell with Allstate for years after his house burnt down. He hired a guy who specialized in going after Allstate and eventually got the full amount he deserved on the claim and was told the CEO had to sign off on it because they had their own policy to never pay more than like 50%.

    As my former lawyer used to say, "Insurance companies don't own skyscrapers because they pay claims."

    Root Skier - you an attorney now?

  21. #21
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    Cincinnati pays claims better than most but their pricing is getting fairly high in some areas. Progressive is great for high risk and kid drivers. Many agencies can sell Progressive so if you like working with an agent, you don’t always have to cut them out. As for agents in general, like anything, there’s good and bad. The good know the contracts and can walk you through how the coverage works and let you decide on what you want to purchase.

    It’s tough to make company recommendations because most of them are ran regionally so they may kick ass for pricing, coverage, and claims in some areas and not others.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by ötzi View Post
    fwiw I've had Natiowide home and auto for many years and I've never really thought about changing, they've always been good and the local broker guy is great. I'm probably getting robbed on rates but it's it's been a comfort thing.
    Do you get a petrified freeze dried guy discount?
    Quando paramucho mi amore de felice carathon.
    Mundo paparazzi mi amore cicce verdi parasol.
    Questo abrigado tantamucho que canite carousel.


  23. #23
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    Disclaimer: I work for an ins company.
    Progressive have the lowest cost ratio for consumer auto. Last time I looked they farm out their homeowners to there insurance cos. If you don't drive much also check out the startup metromile.
    If you just want them to pay up when it's time, look into Chubb (though may be different since ACE bought them, they're a sharp group).

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by schuss View Post
    Progressive have the lowest cost ratio for consumer auto.
    I was an "Emerald" Progressive policyholder for like 17 years on a multiline with zero claims, ever, and then found coverage that was significantly better (2.5x more auto liability and ~4x more UM/UIM and better homeowner's liability) AND which included a seven digit umbrella with another insurer that all cost less than my Progressive coverage, which didn't include an umbrella. And I will turn around and walk away from Travelers if someone ever beats them.

    Don't believe what anyone tells you. Insurers' overall "cost ratios" and whatever else nonsense they spew are all built on info nobody has access to and that requires actuaries who are beholden to the insurance industry to spread 'em wide and say yes. And if your state has an elected insurance commissioner, probably nobody is policing the police.

    (edit: I really fucking hate how much time I spend thinking about insurance. What a loser.)

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by splat View Post
    I watched a good friend and work partner who lived in Marin go through bloody hell with Allstate for years after his house burnt down. He hired a guy who specialized in going after Allstate and eventually got the full amount he deserved on the claim and was told the CEO had to sign off on it because they had their own policy to never pay more than like 50%.

    As my former lawyer used to say, "Insurance companies don't own skyscrapers because they pay claims."

    Root Skier - you an attorney now?
    Unless that was a long long time ago, there’s no possible way for a company like All-State to have a semi-known policy like we “never pay more than 50%”. And there’s no way the CEO had to sign off on a homeowners claim. Didn’t happen.


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