Insurance inquiry

bonnielu · ‎03-11-2010

I have a bundle, car, home and umbrella. Had it for years. Insurance companies changed ownership so I was transferred around. Been pretty much pleased. No real problems, just one flood in the area and I had some minor work on a basement room. No car issues. Nothing over a 50 year period unil a month ago.

By permission I was able to add our grandson the rights to drive on a temporary basis.ONE MONTH ONLY. They sent me a letter of approval. No fees. Just a courtesy. Long story short--- banged up our second car in our driveway near a light post. No damage to property other than side of my car. Car was repaired without issue. However I got a letter saying he personally would be excluded from driving the car for life. EXCLUSION CLAUSE FROM DRIVING THE CAR AND EXCLUSION FROM UMBRELLA.

Hit me hard, not that I would ever ever ever again allow anyone to drive my car. But I felt betrayed since I honestly got permission and they were hard to reach to get details and equally hard to reach when I wanted answers after the face. No longer local. No longer centralized. Might as well have called the MOON.

Question: Does anyone have experience with this. Is this common 1. hard to reach agents or agency 2. Exclusion policies after getting permission. 3. Denial of someone driving a vehicle in general.

gidgetgh · ‎03-09-2010

@bonnielu wrote:
I have a bundle, car, home and umbrella. Had it for years. Insurance companies changed ownership so I was transferred around. Been pretty much pleased. No real problems, just one flood in the area and I had some minor work on a basement room. No car issues. Nothing over a 50 year period unil a month ago.

By permission I was able to add our grandson the rights to drive on a temporary basis.ONE MONTH ONLY. They sent me a letter of approval. No fees. Just a courtesy. Long story short--- banged up our second car in our driveway near a light post. No damage to property other than side of my car. Car was repaired without issue. However I got a letter saying he personally would be excluded from driving the car for life. EXCLUSION CLAUSE FROM DRIVING THE CAR AND EXCLUSION FROM UMBRELLA.

Hit me hard, not that I would ever ever ever again allow anyone to drive my car. But I felt betrayed since I honestly got permission and they were hard to reach to get details and equally hard to reach when I wanted answers after the face. No longer local. No longer centralized. Might as well have called the MOON.

Question: Does anyone have experience with this. Is this common 1. hard to reach agents or agency 2. Exclusion policies after getting permission. 3. Denial of someone driving a vehicle in general.

@bonnielu - I'm so sorry this happened to you.

I have State Farm for all my policies- home, car, umbrella and a separate jewelry policy. My agent is local and when I call they answer the phone.

Question for you though. Why would your grandson have anything to do with your umbrella policy???? I didn't understand that.

Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?

Franklinbell · ‎01-04-2015

@bonnielu @Gosh! I'm so sorry this happened to you. I will be following this thread to see the responses.

NicksmomESQ · ‎08-19-2014

@bonnielu I was an insurance claims,regional supervisor in my prior life. My DH was a manager, until he recently retired. I can tell you that insurance companies insure you until you give them a reason not to.

Insurance companies are particularly careful about insuring kids under 25.Your insurance company extended you a courtesy for 30 days. Within that time your grandson damaged your car which cost them money.That's why he is no longer allowed to be insured under your policy. It's not personal. It's how they do business.They drop people all the time.

Also, I don't know who your insurance provider is,but it's unacceptable, that you can't communicate with them.If you're referring to your broker, I would suggest you get a new one. If your referring to the insurance company, I would suggest you shop around for another carrier.I have never had trouble talking to my insurance providers.

I also must say that when my son got his license & we put him on the policy our premium skyrocketed. When he had an accident the premium went up another $800 a year for 3 years.I know people who's policies were cancelled because of one car accident. Consider yourself lucky.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

@bonnielu Beyond frustrating to get an answer to any issue that isn't common to many of their customers frequently -- I've had that with several companies, insurance, banking, and stock market related.

I have never had your exact problem, so I'm no help at all really.

Good luck. Hope someone here chimes in. I know we have at least one poster who has worked in insurance. Sorry I don't have a name for you.

bonnielu · ‎03-11-2010

I so appreciate your response. I feel better now. Yes he is 18 on his way to the University of Md. He obtained a job in our area for one month. We got permission without payment to drive back and forth. The first few days he backed up into a stone wall on one side of our driveway. Boy, what fun getting to talk to someone. And they were rather harsh and denied the special priviledge until I produced the letter.

In any case old grandma here will never let anyone ever touch my car. I did not know and was trying to save myself the daily ride... hills and curves to his destination. When he did drive I had a tracker on him to know where he was on his drive back and forth. If he just did not hit the wall.

I am looking around for a local company or representative. I did have one for almost 50 years until..... seems the UNTIL is common these days. Thanks agaiin

bonnielu · ‎03-11-2010

Yes, the umbrella policy. I asked and got an answer that I did not understand. I asked them if he should sleep outside and that did not go over too big. LOL

bonnielu · ‎03-11-2010

My long answer was meant for you. I appreciate the other responses as well. I guess my glasses were in my pocket. LOL In any case I will be on the hunt for a local person soon. But the policy will renew in Sept and the amount did not go up for what happened other than the usual yearly rate increase. Thanksful for that.

It was the way I was treated. The promise they made, I thought. Heck for 50 years I have only made one claim and it was natural disaster in my area for flooding. And only one room in the basement was at issue. My sump pump could not take the increase in water and it failed. I ended up buying a French drain and it has been okay every since. I

nikkisaunt1 · ‎05-11-2011

Nicksmom is exactly right. The 30 days was almost a probationary period. He was temporarily allowed on your policy and then they saw that he was a risk they did not want to Insure. I think you will find that the cost to insure him should you try to go to another carrier will be high too because he has an accident now on his record and due to his age. He likely should seek a policy of his own with an agent’s help.

ScrapHappy · ‎03-28-2010

I don't have the experience you had but I was with an insurance company, Liberty Mutual, for over 30 years. Never a claim, house or car(s) and not even a traffic ticket. When we moved into our new home and I really needed them, they denied the claim and increased our policies by nearly $2000. Went to Allstate after that. I liked that there was someone local to speak with. Now I'm using an insurance broker. I like that she's also local and I can call her for anything. Not only did she save us money, I got bette coverage...especially on my home.