Quote an Insurance Industry Legend! (Home/Auto Portland OR)

[JazzInk]

OK, maybe not quite "legend" but I did write a well-received novel about Final Expense sales. Brag at the reward trips about your famous client!

We're looking for home and auto in Portland, Oregon. We also have a separate earthquake policy which could be replaced. Our long-time indy rep retired, and her successor is nothing short of a total disaster.

We're not high maintenance but do appreciate good service when questions or renewals come up. Looking for find a solid agent who'll shop for us to get a good deal and be around in the future.

Please respond by PM. Thank you!

 

[Al3x Lee]

Our long-time indy rep retired, and her successor is nothing short of a total disaster.

I enjoy a good disaster story. What's going on with the successor?

 

[JazzInk]

I enjoy a good disaster story. What's going on with the successor?

A bit of a perfect storm, as our agent retired at the same time Oregon Mutual was closing shop, so we needed to get new coverage.

Ironically, I had a claim in December which was typical of the problem OM was having. (I wrote an article about it: "How TikTok Stole My Car. It Started at 4am This Morning With a Banging on My Door").

Also, at the same time, the local indy shop we used changed names. I didn't think anything about it but now I realize they were apparently bought by a much larger outfit (Assured Partners). If so, this might have contributed to the chaos.

Anyway, some highlights:

• Agent was very hard to get ahold of, didn't answer emails. Finally had to call the day before expiration repeatedly. Her story was that she'd been sick and then she'd been on vacation. OK, but I think if I hadn't called I think coverage would have lapsed.
  
• As she was going over the renewal, she said under her breath "so that's done, and that's done, and you don't have an umbrella policy so we don't need that, so I think we're done." Wait a minute, I DO have an umbrella policy! "Oh...ok, we can add that." I could have been left out high and dry. And of course, she screwed it up because she marked us as not having a pool when we told her we do.
  
• As of today, about two weeks past expiration, we still have an extra vehicle on our account and a vehicle that isn't covered.

And to top it off, she's only sent us docs on auto and umbrella but not homeowners. I hope I have homeowner's insurance.

I feel like I need to check if she has E&O coverage because at the moment that carrier is probably my primary insurer...

Anyway, I keep reading how insurance is a tough game, agents are burning the midnight oil, and competition is getting fiercer all the time. So if you inherited a book of business, wouldn't you make some kind of proactive contact? It's been me chasing her, which seems backwards...on top of being a hazard to my family's financial health.

I'm going to end up calling State Farm if some of you lazy bums don't PM me.

 

[Al3x Lee]

Wow! Thanks for sharing. I'd help you out if I wrote personal lines, but I only do commercial P&C.

Our Oregon agency got acquired last year by a large outfit as well. I know the personal lines department is short-staffed, overworked, and isn't prospecting any new business. Renewals have been rough since the P&C market is more volatile now than perhaps at any other point in history. This has led to slowdowns on the carrier side, rate increases, and an overall decrease in the level of service across the board to the end customer (you). That's all with our agency not even having Oregon Mutual, so I can only imagine what a catastrophe it was for the agencies that did.

Anyway, I keep reading how insurance is a tough game, agents are burning the midnight oil, and competition is getting fiercer all the time. So if you inherited a book of business, wouldn't you make some kind of proactive contact? It's been me chasing her, which seems backwards...on top of being a hazard to my family's financial health.

I'm going to end up calling State Farm if some of you lazy bums don't PM me.

Indeed insurance is a tough game and many are burning the midnight oil. Most agents do try to be proactive but unfortunately are bogged down by the level of work the current market has created. I suggest you read about the current state of the P&C marketplace if you want to understand more of the behind-the-scenes.

You seem like a good risk, so not getting PMs from agents fighting to write your business should tell you something.

 

[marindependent]

I hope I have homeowner's insurance.

I hope you do too.

we still have an extra vehicle on our account and a vehicle that isn't covered.

Crazy question, but are you able to log in online with your insurer and make this change yourself?

keep reading how insurance is a tough game,

Yes and in many states its not even that good.

burning the midnight oil,

In the bar perhaps

competition is getting fiercer all the time

I do not actually think that the case in Personal Lines in many states right now.

So if you inherited a book of business, wouldn't you make some kind of proactive contact?

Yes, they should.

I'm going to end up calling State Farm

Sounds like a good plan, they are after all in many locations, the only game in town right now.

Sorry for all of your troubles.