Auto insurance policy

terminatedone · #1 06-30-2009, 06:58 PM

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA

i have an insurance policy and my husband and i have never had any accidents or claims in 26yrs. (when we first got married) had kids and my oldest who is 24 has been insured since 16 and 20yr old insured also since 16. both kids have never had any accidents until this past year. 24yr old had 2 at fault accidents over a 2yr period and 20yr had one. now the insurance company wants to terminate our policy. they also want my oldest removed from the policy if we are to stay. can they do this? they want my child to surrender his license. at one point the doctors had told my son not to drive because of the medication he was receiving for his cancer treatment. now he is fine and the insurance wants him to surrender his license. if i get a doctors note stating he is fine to drive would that be a problem? i think this is such bs with the insurance company.

LSCAP · #2 06-30-2009, 07:52 PM

Get another agent or
Another insurance company.

I've found that some of the independents, (though they cost more and are fast to tell you that they can't compete with the big companies) will work harder than you would believe, to get you good coverage and at a decent rate.

There are two big companies I wouldn't touch. I suppose I can't mention them here, but they DO A LOT OF ADVERTISING, mostly lies.
They progress from big smiles to little cutsey things.

They're known to drop you at the first accident.

LSCAP · #3 06-30-2009, 07:55 PM

I have to add, that once you've been dropped, the other BIG companies don't want you either.
At their first interview they ask, "have you been dropped....etc.

terminatedone · #4 06-30-2009, 07:58 PM

should i also file a complaint with the PA insurance commissioner on this? i really think this is unfair. should i also contact the drivers license bureau regarding the insurance company telling us that my child should surrender his license?

ecmst12 · #5 06-30-2009, 08:26 PM

The insurance company has NO jurisdiction over drivers licenses. Ignore that.

At 20 and 24, they are certainly old enough to get their own policies so YOUR rates are not affected by their accidents. They can do this even if they live with you.

If your insurance company wants to drop you, they can and there is nothing you can do about it. Shop around and get quotes from a few companies. With just you and husband, your rates should be very good. The young men will not be so lucky, but that is what you have to deal with when you cause accidents. Lots of people go through it and the increased premiums they will have to pay for the next 3 years will remind them to be more careful.

JustAPal00 · #6 07-01-2009, 12:15 AM

With three accidents in the last few years no one will insure you. If they will not renew, you will have to go on the sub standard insurance until your record is clear. Your 24 year old needs to have his own policy. I thought it was only until 23 if they were still in school that they could stay on mom and dads policy.

LSCAP · #7 07-01-2009, 04:42 AM

We’re assuming that you have three cars.
If each kid gets their own policy it won’t be all that much. Higher than normal but not impossible.

I believe that the accidents, and tickets, drop off each person’s record after three to five years.
Any licensed son or daughter living with you is assumed to be on your policy unless they can prove they have their own insurance on their own car.

I still think you should consider an independent, especially for the kids but, I’ve found that a good, knowledgeable agent -even though they don’t have the power that they used to have- is very important.

ecmst12 · #8 07-01-2009, 07:26 AM

As far as I know, even adult drivers in the same household can be on one policy - even if they're unrelated, and they can still get the multi-vehicle discount. So it would be ok to have the 24 year old on the same policy, if not for the bad driving record.

LS I have no idea what you mean by "independent". Many if not most agents are independent and will write policies for multiple companies, but the agent really has little to do with the rate structure or the cost of the policy in the end, any competent agent should get you the same rate for any given company. Insurance companies themselves come in "standard" and "non-standard". Non standard insurance companies ONLY write for high risk drivers - but I'm not sure that either kid individually would need that, and non-standard companies are NOT known for their service. Trust me, I worked for one. You don't want to get a non standard policy unless you have no other choice.

And in PA, accidents and tickets stay on your record and surcharge your premium for THREE years, not five. Like I said.

Stevef · #9 07-01-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terminatedone

at one point the doctors had told my son not to drive because of the medication he was receiving for his cancer treatment. now he is fine and the insurance wants him to surrender his license. if i get a doctors note stating he is fine to drive would that be a problem?

If he had two accidents during the time the doctor told him not to drive, the insurance company is justified in denying him coverage.

If the accidents did not occur during this time, a note would mean nothing.

terminatedone · #10 07-01-2009, 12:46 PM

first, thank you all for your advice. my son did not have his accidents while he was on medicine. my son was unable to even get out of bed while on medication. i just feel that they have insured him for 9 yrs free and clear and this happens.

LSCAP · #11 07-01-2009, 06:06 PM

ecmst12, You're right, like usual.

Allstate would not write my kid for his type of motorcycle, but a storefront, "Automoble insurance" searched and found someone who would write it for him.
When we contacted Nationwide, they wanted stuff like, income, debts etc.

And Yes, it was a bit more expensive than Allstate would have charged if they would have covered it.

My only point is that they tried harder.
But your point was better.

codysmom · #12 07-02-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAPal00

With three accidents in the last few years no one will insure you. If they will not renew, you will have to go on the sub standard insurance until your record is clear. Your 24 year old needs to have his own policy. I thought it was only until 23 if they were still in school that they could stay on mom and dads policy.

That is for Health Insurance not Auto.

JustAPal00 · #13 07-02-2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codysmom

That is for Health Insurance not Auto.

WHAT????

With auto insurance in the state of PA, having 2 accidents in 36 months where the damages total $1050 or more almost all companies will non renew! Maybe some of the fly by night State minimum companies will still cary you, but none of the reputable ones will! The OP has had 3!!!

ecmst12 · #14 07-02-2009, 10:58 PM

OP's FAMILY had 3 accidents - 2 from one driver and 1 from another. It's possible one of the other major companies will insure them, but of course not cheaply.

But the comment was in reference to you thinking that adult children can only stay on their parents' policy until age 23. If they live in the same household, they can share a policy indefinitely. Even unrelated roommates can share an auto policy to get the multi vehicle discount. Me and my fiance got onto one policy when we moved in together and saved a bunch of money.

JustAPal00 · #15 07-03-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecmst12

OP's FAMILY had 3 accidents - 2 from one driver and 1 from another. It's possible one of the other major companies will insure them, but of course not cheaply.

But the comment was in reference to you thinking that adult children can only stay on their parents' policy until age 23. If they live in the same household, they can share a policy indefinitely. Even unrelated roommates can share an auto policy to get the multi vehicle discount. Me and my fiance got onto one policy when we moved in together and saved a bunch of money.

Did you co own a car? I was picturing junior(24) owning his own car, and probably the other son also. I didn't realize kids and parents could lump all their cars together on one policy if they lived together. And you're right, I missed the point totally!