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Help, I'm a new driver and insurance costs are giving me a heart attack

2

Comments

  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Hi modestmouse. Geico is indeed a legitimate company. I do not see anything wrong with insuring your vehicle through them if their quote was significantly lower than the others that you received.

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  • prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    .... is legit. For the record, I have been insured with them for eight years. Never had any problems with claims or service. I've been in the insurance business for 32 years, including 20+ in property and casualty (P&C) of which auto is part of.

    I was my own agent through Transamerica (TIG) and switched not just because of the premium savings, which were significant, but because TIG would not give me the property damage limits I needed on a leased vehicle.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    For years, I had my vehicle insured by State Farm or Allstate. Always believed that you needed an agent for customer service and if you had a claim. However, when I had a claim on my home policy, I could never get the State Farm agent to respond to my calls.

    At work, they offer a GROUP auto and home policy through METLIFE. No agent, just an 800 number. The savings were something like 40% from the previous company. I have been with them since 1995 and have had NO problems getting good customer service and quick response to my claims.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Offers great rates. But they a pretty picky also.
    You must have a garage. No young drivers. Clean DL. etc.......

    Get one ticket and they drop ya like a rock!

    I Had them here in NY for a few years. Now use AIG !

    MM...You could raise your deduct to $1000. Dump towing and rental also. That would save ya $$$$

    Don't feel bad. My 25 yo cousin pays $5000 a year on a new Focus in NJ ! Lousy driver he is!
  • poji102poji102 Member Posts: 2
    I'm trying to figure out what a good insurance rate for a 98 Jeep Cherokee Laredo would be. I tried to get a couple quotes but they seemed way too expensive for a 98 vehicle. I'm 20 years old and have a perfect driving record--no collisions or tickets or anything. I've previously been insured on my parents' policy but am buying and insuring this car myself. Any thoughts??
  • tornado25tornado25 Member Posts: 267
    You need to do one of 3 things:

    1) Keep shopping.

    2) Find an older, less valuable vehicle. Within the same year, for someone your age, you will see dramatic differences between a JGC and say a Chevy Lumina, but the Lumina will still be pretty expensive. In your case, the specific vehicle is not the big issue.

    3) Wait till you turn 21. The biggest drop for most companies occurs then. For insurance companies, they don't care if drive one mile under the limit and do a complete left, right, left stop at every intersection. You're still a 20 year old guy.
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    And, forget the notion that an older car is necessarily cheaper to insure. The insurer's greatest risk is liability, as in you plowing into someone else's Lexus. You can do that with any age car.

    Also, rates usually don't go down as the car ages. Even the comp stays the same cost, or even goes up as the car ages, since parts start becoming harder to find. There are really only two ways to drive insurance costs down: One is to reduce coverage , and that is usually not a great idea, even at 20. The other is to buy a less vaulable vehicle.

    Good luck.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    The real problem with insurance comes when you need to make a claim...They love you when your giving them your premium but some will really try their best to screw you if you need to make a claim...

    I just made a quick call to our body shop manager who deals with insurance companies daily. He sure knows who is good and who isnt. To be fair I dont want to name names...but let me give you an example of one company that has been mentioned in the past few posts..

    customers 2001 Acura TL has apx $3000 in damage. His insurance company refuses to use OEM body parts of the car. They will only pay for the least expensive and lowest quality ones available. The customers says he wants the original Acura body parts put on the car and he is willing to pay the difference out of his own pocket. The insurance company told him that if they didnt use the parts they want him to use they will drop the claim. What an outrage.

    The point is, read the fine print of the insurance policy, in the long run almost everyone will have some sort of claim, and really understand the terms of the policy. They have more gotcha's than all the car dealers combined.
  • prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    That insurance company and its policy of demanding the use of after-market parts should be reported to the insurance commission and the press.
  • tornado25tornado25 Member Posts: 267
    "That insurance company and its policy of demanding the use of after-market parts should be reported to the insurance commission and the press."

    Yes. Along with mass protests, sit-ins, complaints on talk radio and appearances on Hardball. And then, after the big bad insurance company has been put in place by being forced to use OEM parts (at the naturally higher prices because now guess what? you are buying parts from an automatic monopoly! Yay!) and your premiums go up to match that increase in costs (think slowly about this--your premium is based on the company's ability to use aftermarket-built parts at their lower prices, so if the price of materials go up, so does the premium) the fun of being outraged can start all over.

    One thing I will say is I'm very surprised the company referenced in this story wouldn't allow the owner to pay for the difference for the OEM parts.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    << The real problem with insurance comes when you need to make a claim...They love you when your giving them your premium but some will really try their best to screw you if you need to make a claim... >>

    Exactly. One thing I learned when my wife, in her 6 month old 1996 Jeep Cherokee, was rear ended by a drunk driver while sitting at a red light, is that your own insurance company will screw you just like the uninsured drunk guy who hit you.

    In regards to after market vs. OEM parts, I believe that's pretty much standard in the industry now. It sucks, but make sure you read the fine print in your policy.
  • prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    What I dislike is the "demand" of using non-OEM parts under threat of "dropping" the claim! And not allowing the insured to "pay the difference."

    Also, it's the law here that insureds can specify OEM parts.

    An OEM part I would reject is the battery. My BMW had a VARTA brand which cost $120 (vs. $60 for a Sears Die Hard) at the time and carried a six-MONTH warranty! No thanks!
  • tornado25tornado25 Member Posts: 267
    "What I dislike is the "demand" of using non-OEM parts under threat of "dropping" the claim! And not allowing the insured to "pay the difference.""

    ITA. It's absurd for the company to say either: "if you use OEM, (even if you pay) we will [I assume the correct word is actually deny, here?] the claim" or "no, if even you pay every cent of difference, you can't use OEM". It's ridiculous. I know we allow it, but require the client to pay the difference. I would also point out there's lots of times we use OEM parts: 1) aftermarket or QRPs are simply not available, 2) OEM can actually be cheaper--more complex panels are probably harder to develop, but cheaper for the company that originally designed them to make, or 3) it makes sense in the repair--a car 3 mos old often will get all OEM--but that's more of a difference betweeen aftermarket and QRPs.

    "Also, it's the law here that insureds can specify OEM parts."

    Given the laws you've described there, I don't doubt it--I don't know what the law is on that here in WI.
  • prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    It may be similar to the situation of name-brand vs. generic in regard to prescription drugs.

    Also, it's highly likely that OEM crash parts for older cars may no longer be available. The only source for some may be the junkyard!
  • tornado25tornado25 Member Posts: 267
    A lot of times, people will read from the "we're only here to help the consumer, but in reality, we hope you give us a donation" types about the horrible scams every single corporation is perptuating upon the American public, only to find out not only is it true, it's good business.

    That is, forget paying for it, how can I literally, give you a part that does not exist?
  • prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    My classmate had a problem with his late-'70s Toyota Celica. He needed a part which the dealer did not have in stock. The corresponding part of the models from the year before and after were not compatible. It had to be ordered from Japan and took three months as it had to be machined from scratch. And this was when his car was only three years old!

    My BMW was in the body shop for 5-1/2 months due to the unavailability of certain crash parts throughout the USA. Imagine having to pay for insurance on a non-operable car for that time.
  • kdogkdog Member Posts: 23
    I just switched to Geico(from Farmers) and read somewhere that they do not specify OEM parts when it comes to repairs. Is it true? I have a Bimmer right now and certainly would want to have OEM parts in case of repairs. Any suggestion on another company that specifies OEM parts and has lower premiums than Farmers? Thanks.
  • kwietstorm6kwietstorm6 Member Posts: 11
    I am presently covered on my mother's policy for her 97 accord (she has AARP-Hartford). When I asked several insurance companies when I got my own insurance would the time spent on my mom's (4+) yrs be considered continuous, most said yes but some said I would be considered 1st time/parent's policy. Is this normal? I am listed by name on her policy and have an incident free record (so does she) and am over 30 and have since moved out. I do not want to get put in the category of 1st time if I have been insured since '97. I am looking to get a car in the next month or so and am trying to figure out how would I get insurance/quotes for a car I don't have yet. Also I know it is insurance fraud to use one address for insurance but live at another but does it matter if your name is on the property of an address you want to use?
  • e39_touringe39_touring Member Posts: 13
    I considered this, too, when shopping insurance companies. I had Geico for about 10 years and switched to Safeco (www.safeco.com) and saved about $400/yr on my 2000 BMW. Unlike other companies, they do not say you HAVE to take non-OEM parts in their insurance contract. Sometimes, the adjuster may specify non-OEM parts, but you can specify that OEM parts be used, and they have to abide.
  • tezztezz Member Posts: 1
    :cry: Im 17 white and a male. i got my license a few months ago. I bought a used 91 GMC jimmy 4x4.

    High risk... Yes i know. Well my dad is insured under amico, and its supposedly the cheapest insurance agency in NY, [my dads friend owns an agency and cant get his OWN insurance that low] My insurance for the car is 2965 almost 3000 bucks, None of my friends are paying that much. Where can i go to get a cheaper ... rate, because i can not pay that. The car is "owned by my father" and im primary driver. [thats all amico will do, they are pretty strict] Help! i cant afford 3000 bucks a year. some of my friends are paying about 1000 a year to 1750 a year tops, Why do i pay 2000 bucks more than them? [by the way my dad will not switch agencys] so theirs no chance of me being able to have hi m switch to get multi car discounts.

    THanks, and i need help
    Tom
  • carlisimocarlisimo Member Posts: 1,280
    some vehicles cost more than twice what others do... sucks but you'd probably save money by buying something else

    (I just got some semi-random quotes on new car insurance, minimum complete coverage, and I'm 23 with a slightly imperfect record... $1800 for a Corolla, $2200 for an Audi A4, $3900 for a Civic Si! Must be something similar going on.)
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    You need to get the details on what that dollar figure includes: liability limits, comp, collision, pip, deductibles, etc. That should be on the declarations page. I would not have comp & collision on a 91 Jimmy.
  • carisacarisa Member Posts: 1
    Go to insweb.com. That saved me $500/year. My two teenage daughters are driving now and it was costing me $2100 to insure everyone with GEICO. Our cars are barely even WORTH $2k. It was the biggest expense in our household aside from the mortgage. Granted I did get a ticket 4 years ago but when that went off my record there was NO drop in rates. My kids both have clean records. I finally shopped on insweb and a bunch of companies emailed me quotes. It was AWESOME. The place you live also determines rates to some extent...that's why they ask for your zip code in the rather LONG questionnnaire. But it was well worth the time for the savings!! I'm with Amica now in WA State.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    Oh Oh Oh..I can't wait to sign up...I've also got two teen age drivers. One has 3 tickets but no accidents and the other has 3 accidents but no tickets.
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    LOL - sounds like some cross-training might be in order.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Sounds like another advertisement.
  • likeitornotlikeitornot Member Posts: 42
    I want a Honda Civic Coupe. But people keep telling me to go with the sedan because the insurance is supposedly cheaper. But I did a few quotes online with Progressive and even called them up and it came out about the same with like a $10 difference... I didn't give a social security number though.

    Anyone know whether or not the Honda sedans are cheaper in insurance and how much of a difference?
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    I'm just getting ready to replace a vehicle with a Honda Civic coupe and when I contacted my ins. co., the coupe was about $200 more per year over a sedan on my son's policy.
  • mjpbyronmjpbyron Member Posts: 3
    I am 24 years old, unmarried, male, zero points, and in Insurance Hell. I started off with a no-name company on my parents' plan. We later switched to Geico. I had an accident shortly afterwards and I was not issued any tickets, so I'm assuming I was found not at fault. My premiums did go up since my car was totaled (It was an '00 Neon, worth about $6,000 but it had serious damage to the frame and engine). I switched to Progressive, saving about $200 a year, but I'm still at $1280/6mo.

    I just got quotes from Unitrin and 21st Century. Unitrin has me at $918/6mos with 100/300 for BI and UI, PIP additional with 700/68xxx income continuation, and 750 comp/coll deductibles (I own my Scion but I want to be covered). 21st has me at the same levels but 250k/250ded for PIP, $50 deductible for comp and $250 for collision. It seems too good to be true! Does anyone have anything good/bad about 21st or Unitrin? Are there any other companies I should consider?

    State Farm won't touch me, Allstate is exorbitant, and Geico can't beat Progressive.

    I can't wait until next October... it'll have been three years since the accident and I'll be 25, which might mean a drop in premiums... *crosses fingers*
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    At your age and with your record, it is not too unusual that there are LARGE variances between different companies. You need to shop around and make sure that you are doing as "apples to apples" comparison, that is, you are comparing similar policies.

    You will need to shop around again after you turn 25 and include the comparies that have shunned you up to this point.

    (seeing those rates, I am glad that I am old ... and have no children)
  • phase2k2phase2k2 Member Posts: 5
    i've been reading this topic...seems like you guys are just cheap no offense.

    i'm 18, i got my license early this early may.
    i plan on buying an 07 nissan sentra or a 07 hyundai elantra

    my quotes:
    geico : 12,000 for 6months premium
    progressive: 11,000 for 6month premium
    the lowest i can find is like a 8,000 for 6month premium on state minium requirements...

    my parents don't drive and i have no idea what to do this moment.
    go under my aunts policy? make my parents get their license? :cry:
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,562
    What are you, a serial killer who uses his car to mow people down? No one could afford that!

    My son on my insurance on a car he was the primary driver--$1300 for a year. My insurance on a car that I am the primary driver--$259 for a year.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    my quotes:
    geico : 12,000 for 6months premium
    progressive: 11,000 for 6month premium
    the lowest i can find is like a 8,000 for 6month premium on state minium requirements...


    You had to have meant $1200.00, $1100.00 and $800.00.

    Nobody pays $24K a year for insurance. If you have that bad of a record you have no business having a liscense :confuse:
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    For the cost of the car and the insurance, you could take taxi's every day and still come out ahead.

    And it'd be cheaper still to just hire an on-call driver.

    Yes, there's something wrong with those numbers.
  • jcoryjcory Member Posts: 17
    I used to drive an '01 Civic Coupe, I now drive an '01 Civic Sedan. As a 24 year old male, I can tell you that the difference in costs was astounding.

    6 month cost (Iowa/State Farm) on the Coupe - 1020; Sedan - 660.

    Keep in mind that insurance costs vary widely. I live in the cheapest state in the nation to insure vehicles, but I'm also relatively high risk; <25, male, and posess a lead foot, so says the Iowa Highway Patrol. :blush:

    So... moral of the story, go find an insurance agent that you trust, and get actual quotes tailored to your exact situation.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Coupes provide significantly less protection, especially on rollovers.

    Also, the coupes tend to attract a riskier, more aggressive driver.

    I am not going to get into the great debate between coupes and sedans. However, insurance rates are directly proportional to the risk of loss related to the vehicle and the driver.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    The Focus really got hammered on insurance rates its first couple of years because we were going after the first time buyer/college grad crowd on them and selling them to allot of young people.

    Well after the first year the rates doubled on them due to the number of accidents. It had nothing to do with the car, it was the demographic we sold them to
  • phase2k2phase2k2 Member Posts: 5
    My #'s are correct, yes its 12grand for a 6month premium full coverage.

    I asked the represenatives why? here are the reasons

    1. I just got my license
    2. MY age ( 18 )
    3. my residency ( 11214 )

    Don't believe me? get a quote using that zipcode with your age as 18.
  • ntextreme3ntextreme3 Member Posts: 1
    you must be mistaken..

    im 17, i got my insurance (no collosion) for $944 a year... currently just finished paying off a ticket plus i go to court tuesday for speeding and thursday for careless driving (even though the careless driving wasnt my fault.. the cop was walking down the street and said that it look like i was going fast hahahah.. so i have to plea not guilty but i have no money for a lawyer so ill be repping myself fun fun..)... i pay once a year, not monthly, and paid in full in february (after the one ticket occasion) and still have under 1000 as my payments.. my mom is 35 with bad credit and not a perfect record so its not any reason that its that low..

    i also have a friend who is 18, has his own insurance, along with 13 points for speeding, wreckless, and so on and his is 6000 for liability only.. so i see no way possible that a new driver with a good record could be double his is with a horrible record
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Are you also in Brooklyn, NY? This could make a big difference.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    his insurance is for full coverage
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    i've been reading this topic...seems like you guys are just cheap no offense.

    i'm 18, i got my license early this early may.
    i plan on buying an 07 nissan sentra or a 07 hyundai elantra


    my quotes:
    geico : 12,000 for 6months premium
    progressive: 11,000 for 6month premium
    the lowest i can find is like a 8,000 for 6month premium on state minium requirements...

    my parents don't drive and i have no idea what to do this moment.
    go under my aunts policy? make my parents get their license?


    I bolded out the main problem in your statement.

    What happened to the rule that new drivers get 10-15 year old beaters? I bet you that a state minimum liability only coverage won't cost more than $3000 a year in Brooklyn on a 1985 Chevrolet Impala.

    I used to live in the Bronx, and my insurance was $5000/year for full coverage for a 99 Civic coupe, back in 1999-2001. While liability only on the 1991 Jetta prior to the Civic was only $1000/year.

    Set your sights on a nice mid-80's domestic sedan and you should be able to afford insurance.
  • phase2k2phase2k2 Member Posts: 5
    yes , i'm from brooklyn.

    now about getting an old [non-permissible content removed] car, thats crazy :/
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    We offered advice to help save you money on insurance. If you are prepared to pay $12K per year in insurance costs, then feel free to discount this advice. Unfortunately, none of us has been able to locate the Insurance Fairy, who can provide deeply discounted rates on new vehicles for new drivers living in major urban areas. Sorry!

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    yes , i'm from brooklyn.

    now about getting an old [non-permissible content removed] car, thats crazy :/


    Well, you could have wheels, or no wheels at all. I don't know your financial situation, but $12,000 a year to cover a $15,000 car is plain crazy. And the reason your insurance is so high is because you have no driving experience, and will probably wreck the first car, which will put the insurance company on the hook. They don't want to pay it.

    You need to get some time behind the wheel before your rates can go down. In order to gain time behind the wheel in insurance company's eyes, you need to have continuous coverage for let's say a minimum 3-5 years.

    Since you can't afford $12K premium, but you need to get 3-5 years of continuous coverage, you are limited to what you can cover out of your pocket, which is liability only coverage. No bank will let you borrow money and not have the vehicle fully insured, and if you had the cash to buy this shiny new car for cash, you would not want it destroyed or gone the next day without having it protected.

    You are basically limited to a used beater for the next 5 years. Everyone had to do that, you are no special exclusion, unless you are born into a rich family, where everyone gets a BMW for their 16th birthday, and daddy pays for everything.

    My first car was a 1983 Chevy Celebrity with 140,000 miles, and that was in 1994. So, 11 year old car now would be a 1995, which I bet is a lot nicer than an 83 Chevy was. My Liability coverage was at state minimum ($25,000/$50,000) and it cost $700/year in the Bronx. I didn't buy new car until 1999, and that was a shocker, $5,000/year for full coverage on top of $300 monthly payments. I move dout of the Bronx fairly soon after that. Location made a huge difference in insurance cost.

    Now, I pay $600/year for a $100,000 full coverage policy on a 2005 CR-V, $70/year on the motorcycle, and $350/year for the homeowners, but I live in the suburb of Buffalo (2nd highest populated area in NY State) and I am over 30. I have been driving for the last 13 years and have not had claims against my policy, have perfect credit. All of those factor into insurance cost, credit history being 2nd most important after driving history.

    So, your choice is no wheels, or old wheels.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    If you are prepared to pay $12K per year in insurance costs

    The quote was $12K for 6 mos of coverage, not one year. His lowest quote was $8k for 6 mos at the state minimum requirement.

    Wow.....
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    Don't believe me?

    Nope.
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Yeah, you're right. The point still stands that none of us is going can offer advice beyond 1) pay the astronomical insurance rate, or 2) set your sights lower on the vehicle purchase. There is nothing behind door #3.

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  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    Yeah, you're right. The point still stands that none of us is going can offer advice beyond 1) pay the astronomical insurance rate, or 2) set your sights lower on the vehicle purchase. There is nothing behind door #3.

    Well, there is door #3... It is called Insurance Fraud, and about 45-50% of NYC residents commit it, either by registering out of state or in upstate NY. Then 10-15% just drive without insurance and the rest have to pick up the tab.
  • phase2k2phase2k2 Member Posts: 5
    cant i go under my aunts policy? let her buy the car and let her buy insurancez , list me as an optional driverz

    the most i can afford is 6000/year for insurance, aka 500 a month.
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