I Like Geico, but My Motorcycle Policy Seems a Little Off

[Josh]

So even though I've held a property and casualty license and even though I ran an Allstate office, you think that because a local agent can tell me what I already know and charge me more money for it, I should go with them? Why don't I just pick an agent and pay then 10% of my premium as a commission and still be saving money with Geico.

The math doesn't work. I have shopped it with local agents and they can't beat the premium.

jdeasy will flat out send clients direct if he thinks they will get a better deal that way.

Shouldn't an agent do what's best for the client?

 

[BTFuzz]

I wouldn't send anyone direct...ever! The more important thing is having a trusted source to contact for anything insurance. Especially local.

You may know insurance but 99% of people don't...I have to take CE classes and the such to keep up. How is the average joe gonna know.

Do you know how many written testimonials I have in my possession from clients that sent them to me for helping them in a time of need? I highly doubt geico has too many of those...but hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.

By the way, I just took a policy from geico yesterday...gave them higher coverage and their cost with my company for 1 yr is just a little more than they pay for 6 months with geico....PLUS, wrote their homeowners insurance and found out their prior carrier had them under insured by a lot! Now I got a good client!

 

[Norwayguy]

I wouldn't send anyone direct...ever! The more important thing is having a trusted source to contact for anything insurance. Especially local.

You may know insurance but 99% of people don't...I have to take CE classes and the such to keep up. How is the average joe gonna know.

Do you know how many written testimonials I have in my possession from clients that sent them to me for helping them in a time of need? I highly doubt geico has too many of those...but hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.

By the way, I just took a policy from geico yesterday...gave them higher coverage and their cost with my company for 1 yr is just a little more than they pay for 6 months with geico....PLUS, wrote their homeowners insurance and found out their prior carrier had them under insured by a lot! Now I got a good client!

CE classes, come on the required ce courses can be a joke. Some people will prefer price over an agent. Josh does not and that's his choice.

 

[Josh]

C'mon man, if you've been doing this for more than a day you know that some carriers are more aggressively priced with different risk than others. There is no one carrier that is the cheapest for all risks. Within the last 6 months I've had a local indy agent quote me out and he couldn't touch my premium for apples to apples.

Your CE? Seriously? That's what you're going with? I'm sure some states are more difficult than others, but in NY and VA the CE courses are a joke and I'm unaware of any state that is not.

Geico has people that switch to them because of how well they handled a claim when the other party was at fault. Geico has video testimonials they air on national television. Geico has a fantastic online policy service center, 24 hour access to top notch claims help, they quoted me on a bike at 8pm on a week night so I knew what to expect in premiums on the different motorcycles I was looking at, Geico has handled a personal claim flawlessly.

I get that you P&C folk are intimidated by them and I totally get that sometimes a local agent can be more helpful than Geico. When I was at Allstate we had a guy come in to cancel his policy because he saved money with Geico by lowering his policy drastically. Apples to apples their rates weren't close, so it was a dirty trick and we explained it to the client and the client decided to cancel Geico.

I totally get that people should be educated about what their liability limits are. I'm sure you've seen folks with higher liability limits than their UI/UM and for the few dollars difference that's a total mistake.

Again, do you think I should pay more money for the same coverage just for the sake of having it with a local agent that won't answers my calls at 8pm at night?

If you think I'm "sticking it to agents", do you have any idea how many leads I've given insurance agents for free? Literally nothing. I took the time to put up FreeTelemarketingScripts.com to help folks get started and/or be more effective at cold calling. I've spent countless hours on this forum contributing helpful information to agents all over the country before I ever started selling anything on here. You're telling me that because I happen to get the best rate on the same coverage with Geico vs a local agent that I'm somehow insulting the entire agent community? That's certainly an interesting way of looking at it.

 

[BTFuzz]

Good grief...I thought you guys were all insurance agents that represent the companies you worked for? Why, as an agent, you would advocate going direct is unreal to say the least...the fact that the value of a local agent can't be seen must mean you who do this bring no value either.

I'll let this rest now because it's like p1ssing in the wind.

 

[rousemark]

It's not zero help when you set up a policy to protect the client from losing everything due to a suit. Does geico educate you on umbrella's? No. Will they write you limits lower than 100/300k BI? Yes. I refuse to write limits under a certain amount. In my state there is "tort"...does a geico rep take the time to explain how tort effects you? Doubt it...most of them prolly don't even know.

An insurance agent buying direct is not practicing what he preaches...if all companies would go direct we would all be in obama's bread line.

I can't believe I am actually having this discussion on here....

You need to read what I said..I didn't say an agent gives zero help. I said in the case of a lawsuit, the agent gives zero help. In most cases, they are running for cover. And, I would assume that if a person is going to buy direct, they have researched on their own to decide what they need.

Me? I carry that "horrible" State Farm and I have had it for at least 25 years simply because I like my agent and the service she provides.

 

[Josh]

Good grief...I thought you guys were all insurance agents that represent the companies you worked for? Why, as an agent, you would advocate going direct is unreal to say the least...the fact that the value of a local agent can't be seen must mean you who do this bring no value either.

Admittedly I can be a touch longwinded so perhaps I didn't make this point clear:

I think a local agent is more likely to explain coverages to a customer and I think that's important. The "average joe" as you put it absolutely doesn't know what their limits mean and that is negligent on the part of any agent, direct or indy, that doesn't explain that to them.

As an agent, I advocate what's best for the client. For many clients they are better off both in terms of price and expertise in working with a local agent and with companies like progressive I believe they can always call the national call center, use the online account management system, etc.

I think you're just getting nasty with your last line. Not all local agents bring value to the table either. There are plenty of local agents that are terrible at what they do.

Let me ask you this:

If I've managed an Allstate office before and am more than familiar with what I need and Geico can offer me the best rates on the coverage I need, what is the value of a local agent? Maybe there is something I'm missing here.

 

[Guest]

I'm tired of argueing this matter, the point is simple, AGENTS SHOULD SUPPORT AGENTS! PERIOD, no ifs ands or butts....

Now, in re-reading this entire thread, pretty suprised what your BIlimits are, especially on a motorcycle......

 

[Josh]

Why do the BI limits surprise you? I presume you think they're a little high?

 

[Guest]

Why do the BI limits surprise you? I presume you think they're a little high?

On a motorcycle, you should have them AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE because when hit, you WILL receive injuries. People on Motorcycles should have an umbrella WITH UM-UIM.

DO you even have med pay coverage?