Need to Find GOOD SF Agent !!!

[Insurance-Guy]

and two days later my husband and son were in a horrible car accident (hydroplaned) and totaled our car.

After two events that were totally out of our control and not due to negligence????

Your husband and son hydroplaning and totaling a car is called an at fault accident. This is due to negligence...failure to control your car. Now I am not saying that the home claim is your fault…it is what it is.

However I am shocked that any company would look at dropping you for one auto claim on your auto policy, and one homeowners claim on a homeowners policy. If both claims had happened on the same policy that would be one thing if you filed back-to-back claims on your car and they both were at fault...but this doesn’t make sense.

So why did your agent tell you that you are on the brink of being dropped? What started that conversation...did he out of the blue tell you this...or did you call him and ask about another claim...or about a premium? Most state farm policies that I see around where I am at actually include accident forgiveness in them after a policy holder has had them for I think over 5 years (forgive me I am not a State Farm Agent) But there has to be more to this story...I have heard so many sob stories of people getting dropped after they file one claim…and I rarely see that…that is truly what happened. If in your case if I am wrong…I apologize in advance and I would find another company. Where I am at I can usually beat State Farm’s prices even with the claims…but be careful there…if you move with the existing claims and then go and file another you run the risk of getting dropped there also…and may end up with a non standard company paying extremely high premiums…

 

[vkflowers]

First of all, I find that a hydroplaning car in a serious rainstorm being an "at fault" accident is absolutely the stupidest thing I ever heard. If that's the way the insurance business sees it, that needs to change.

Second, our policy payment was due (not overdue) and the agent - a SF rep for over 20 years - left me a voice message on my cell that if we don't pay it, go somewhere else and are subsequently dropped, he can't take us back and that our claim record already has us in jeopardy of being dropped. Can't begin to tell you why he left that message. That's the whole and entire story. You can assume I left something out or lied if it makes you happy.

And I accept your apology.

Third, you state that both claims on one policy would be different. Exactly how?? Is this insurance which we paid for for over 20 years and which is supposed to protect us in case of disaster or is it some fraudulent game where it's only good if we don't use it?? Come on...

 

[Newby]

I'm no PC agent but if I hydroplane my car and crash I assume all fault.
Who else chose to drive in bad conditions.? Who else drove fast enough in those conditions to hydroplane?
How can you see it any other way?
Who's fault is it?

 

[xrac]

Hydroplaning is considered by law enforcement to be driving too fast for conditions. The contributing factor for hydroplaning is tires with not enough tread depth, usually 5/32's or less. People do not realize that on a wet road it takes a lot of tread to channel water and grip the road. If tread is too thin the tire will reide on top of the wated and you will have little contact with the road.
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I dropped State Farm several years back due to the way they handled a claim. My agent was a good friend but he could do nothing to help.

 

[Josh]

First of all, I find that a hydroplaning car in a serious rainstorm being an "at fault" accident is absolutely the stupidest thing I ever heard. If that's the way the insurance business sees it, that needs to change.

The whole tone you're taking here would make me want to avoid having you as a client.

A word or two about hydroplaning:
Hydroplaning occurs when someone is driving too fast for road conditions. Personally, I drive a little slower than the rest of the crowd when it's raining, but that's just me. The fact of the matter is that cars don't just start hydroplaning on their own without user error which is the key in determining whether or not it's at fault. This has nothing to do with the insurance industry, it's just the way that accountability and responsibility work.

Lightning hitting your house? Unless your house is on a hill and you put a 200 foot metal pole on the top of your house, most likely not your fault.

 

[Insurance-Guy]

Glad you are with state farm...I had a wise guy like you come in my office telling me how he knew he was right didn't even do a quote told him I couldn't touch his rate so he got the hell out of my office.

You don't understand your auto policy and home policies are two different policies no preferred carriers drop people for one claim that I am aware of. So I was questioning why your agent would have called or how the conversation got started. Why would I pick up the phone to tell some one they might get dropped? He did it because he thought you may be trying to leave...I guess? I would have said thank god she's gone!

 

[JCK818]

We will be glad to give you a quote. We have over 20 carriers we can quote you with. Please email me if you would like, I'll be happy to help.

 

[pv30044]

If hydroplaning is at fault, would smoking not be considered at fault?

 

[xrac]

If hydroplaning is at fault, would smoking not be considered at fault?

Ofcourse, smoking is a fault. It is definitely not an accident.

 

[Guest]

Your experience is why some carriers are trying to keep loyal customers buy offering a vanishing deductible (Nationwide), accident forgiveness (Allstate) or guaranteed renewability (Hartford through AARP). These are all companies that are similar to State Farm where the insurance agent represents the carrier. A insurance broker represents the insurance buyer. A insurance broker may be able to convince the carrier to reconsider their decision to non renew. It is recommended to find out from a insurance broker if the companies they represent offer some kind of loyalty incentive. Sorry for you situation and hope all works out!