Author Topic: Home/auto ins tied together  (Read 3285 times)

auntbecky

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Home/auto ins tied together
« on: November 19, 2013, 11:46:19 AM »
I was checking my auto insurance rates and homeowner policy rates online.  Of course now people are calling me. One gal told me if I switched to one of the cheaper carriers like geico, progressive, or esurance, I would have my homeowners policy cancelled next year.  She states that most companies require the bundling of homeowners and auto.  Has anyone else had this happen?  What if I got rid of my cars?  This just seems..... So bizarre of a concept.

Jamesqf

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Re: Home/auto ins tied together
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2013, 11:49:10 AM »
Never had that happen.  I have home & auto insurance with different companies, no problems.  Occasionally one or the other will claim that they can give me a better rate if I bundle both with their company, but the numbers have never actually worked out in favor.

MissStache

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Re: Home/auto ins tied together
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2013, 12:26:54 PM »
No way!  Insurance companies WANT you to bundle (because it makes it less likely that you will cancel either coverage with them), but they will happily take either your homeowners or car individually if they can't get both.  You should run far, far away from whatever insurance she was selling.  And the reason geico and progressive and esurance are (generally) cheaper is because they don't have to pay agents to call you and lie to you about your options!

dadof4

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Re: Home/auto ins tied together
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2013, 12:32:26 PM »
Nope.
I had both with Farmers until a year ago, then switched my cars to Esurance. Homeowner's insurance rate went up a bit, but I'm still saving a ton compared to the bundle I had before.

BlueMR2

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Re: Home/auto ins tied together
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2013, 04:43:59 PM »
Yep, I tried to get a quote from a company recently for auto/motorcycle and they wouldn't even talk to me unless I bundled the house.  I didn't feel like digging out all that info and they lost a potential customer.

chasesfish

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Re: Home/auto ins tied together
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2013, 07:28:40 PM »
I'm going through this exact same thing right now and I'm at five quotes.  Here's what I've found:

They can't "require" bundling, but they can make the tied pricing their only competitive option.

The best three quotes for me all came in bundled.  State Farm, American Family, and Travelers were all close and with agents I know.   Liberty Mutual was the highest.

Geico was the cheapest on car insurance, but any of the unbundled homeowners options would have negated their savings.  I've also been hit by a Geico driver and I wasn't treated well by the company.  Just bad service by multiple people.

I then priced out adding an umbrella and it'll tip the scale over to Amfam.  They're just under the other options and the agent is good. 
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 07:30:51 PM by chasesfish »