Insurance Company Adds Another Person to Insurance w/o permission from insured

[mworrell]

What is the name of your state? Virginia
My husband and I have been insured through Nationwide for over 10 years. We had a border move in a year ago (who has now moved out because it was only temporary). The insurance company contacted us last month and advised they were going to add this border to our insurance. We vehemently said No, he is not associated financially with us, we have no responsibility for him, he has his own insurance, he is moving soon anyway, he does not drive our vehicles, he is not even related to us. Well, we got a letter saying they were adding him to our insurance policy anyway as of November 30, 2006. How can they add another person to our insurance policy when he has nothing to do with us, except that he is only a border for a short time. I couldn't believe they did this. This is our insurance policy that we purchased, not the border. That shouldn't have anything to do with who lives at our house. HelpWhat is the name of your state?

[CraigFL]

I know that some insurance companies will look at everyone in the "household" and require that hey be insured by them. I also know that some insurance companies will allow you to sign a waiver and not have certain members included. It seems to depend on the insurance company because I had to change companies to get to do this which allowed my rates to be lowered.

[isue4you2]

Originally Posted by mworrell

What is the name of your state? Virginia
My husband and I have been insured through Nationwide for over 10 years. We had a border move in a year ago (who has now moved out because it was only temporary). The insurance company contacted us last month and advised they were going to add this border to our insurance. We vehemently said No, he is not associated financially with us, we have no responsibility for him, he has his own insurance, he is moving soon anyway, he does not drive our vehicles, he is not even related to us. Well, we got a letter saying they were adding him to our insurance policy anyway as of November 30, 2006. How can they add another person to our insurance policy when he has nothing to do with us, except that he is only a border for a short time. I couldn't believe they did this. This is our insurance policy that we purchased, not the border. That shouldn't have anything to do with who lives at our house. HelpWhat is the name of your state?

Call NATIONWIDE and ask to speak to your underwriter. Explain the situation, and I am sure the underwriter will satisfy your concerns.

[moburkes]

Okay. The underwriter is NOT going to speak to you. If Nationwide's underwriting guidelines state that they MUST include every household member on the policy, then there is nothing that you can do to change those guidelines. But, all you need to do at this point is to call them up and explain that he is moving on whatever date.

Sure, you can shop around, but Nationwide's policies were made to protect both you and the company. They don't want to pay a claim when your boarder drives your vehicle with or without permission, and you don't want to be left with coverage if something happened, either. You think the boarder won't driver your vehicle, or won't need to, but stuff happens. If stuff didn't happen, then Nationwide wouldn't care.

[isue4you2]

I have NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY on my dwelling, and have spoken with an underwriter.

[moburkes]

I had Nationwide for 16 years, and never spoke with mine. The only time that, I, as an underwriter, spoke to a customer, was when I was the coach/supervisor in customer service. However, we weren't the TRUE underwriters who DECIDED the underwriting guidelines. We were simply the people who decided if the guidelines were met. I also personally, currently represent over one dozen companies in 20 states, and none of those underwriters EVER speak to the customers directly. But, they'll talk to me.

[LSCAP]

I suspect the OP”s problem was with the AGENT. Not the company nor underwriters.

(underwriters? Who ever talks to them? )

Try taking the Ops problem to the extreme.

Her Boarder! Not Boyfriend or family member. Suppose she is running a boarding house with ten tenants. Does she have to list them all?

I still think she should either change agents, or as Curt said, change companies.

I’ve had Allstate on and off for 50 yrs. I’ve had to switch agents or companies a half a dozen times.
Agents retire, die, sell out, hire foolish assistants, etc.

[moburkes]

Guys, the agent doesn't order his own CLUE reports at renewal. The insurance company does. That CLUE report showed an unlisted driver. Apparently, Nationwide does NOT allow exclusions, or the AGENT should have offered it to her. The companies that I represent do the same thing. Some of them, anyway. Some customers only tell the company about the people that they want listed on the policy, and don't mention the other people in the household. Then the company orders the reports, and declines to write the customer, add the others to the policy, or cancels the policy. Some of them offer exclusions, the rest do not. All she needs to do is let them know that the person no longer lives there.

People do not realize that insurance companies spend millions of dollars paying claims for people who are not on the policy paying prermiums. Millions. They accept risks THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT, and charge the premium based on the known risks, not the unknown risks. Insurance companies are asked ALL DAY LONG NOT TO INCLUDE the teenage drivers, the spouse with the bad driving record, or family member, or NON family member with the bad driving record. When that person grabs the keys and crashes, the first place that is called is the insurance company, and the insured is EXPECTING THE CLAIM TO BE PAID, regardless of the fact that the person is not listed on the policy. I've seen enough of these situations to know. Then, they want to pay premium from the start date of the policy, or whatever it takes, to get the claim paid. All of a sudden they will DO ANYTHING to get that person covered, but the damages are high. They suddenly want to do right by the insurance company. They don't want that claim denied, and have that financial burden fall on them.

It doesn't happen to everybody, but it happens often enough that the insurance company changes their underwriting guidelines to include EVERY HOUSEHOLD MEMBER. Some companies will make expections when the driver has other insurance, but they want PROOF. Some will allow exclusions, and some will not allow anything but for the driver to be added.

It sounds uneasonable until you are on the other end and see just how many claims are paid without the insurance company receiving a dime in premiums. Hell, customers even ask for excluded drivers to be covered after a claim. They say that they didn't realize what excluding a driver meant, although they signed forms written in plan English explaining exactly what it means.