Progressive Insurance

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Any experience with car and truck insurance using Progressive?

[id10t]

We went wtih Progressive after being dropped by State Farm because one of their clients hit our fence and they were there offering a check or to fix it 13 hours later. Impressive service, no?

Now, 6 years later, just had 2 claims. First for my deer hit, had to wait 2 and a half weeks to get an appointment with the adjuster, had to take time off work and drive across town to meet him at a body shop (their "preferred place") and all he needed there was a desk... But paid up reasonably and with no complaints. Body shop that is actually doing the work (for less, and a better job) said he didn't include a lot of little $5 things that would actually add up to another 150 or so (retention clips, plugs, etc). Just dropped car off for fix while I'm on Spring Break an hour ago...

Wife hit a deer a few weeks later, adjuster met her next day at place of her choice.

Very confusing for me.... 2 very different levels of service within a few weeks of each other and on the same policy....

[Deschodt]

I was with them for almost 10 years... Zero claims. Then within 2 years I was broadsided by a moped type thingie while stopped, and a neighbor backed into my parked car. In both cases 0% responsibility for me. Not even that expensive a claim in both cases (<2K). They dropped me like a dirty rag ;-)
id10t - prepare to be dropped at next renewal if history is any indication ;-)

Not just that, they messed up the reporting on the insurance records and I've been tagged subsequently by new insurances for one of those accidents I was not responsible for, thereby denying me discounts. I only found out recently, and had them fix it (which they did, in their defense). My current ins. reimbursed me for the missed discount, but they still cost me some $ on th ein-between insurance. So I'd vote no... That and their plug in module they try to push on you !

I also vote note on GEICO on account of their subsidies to radar purchase by Law enforcement.
And 21st century will seriously deluge your mailbox with documents each time you sneeze, and force you to do stupid car inspections all the time.... Not a lot of good choice out there.. I hear state farm might be OK (not for me, they want all my cars or nothing)

[Porsche-O-Phile]

They're fine until you have a claim. Do a search. A few years ago I had my Mercedes unquestionably backed into in the Alewife parking garage in Cambridge (I had parked it overnight over St. Patrick's Day while I was stuck working late and ended up staying at the office that night) so it was pretty obvious what had happened - some idiot obviously went out, got drunk, staggered back to his pickup, threw it into reverse and hit the gas until he heard a "crunch" then panicked and high-tailed it out of there. I came back to it the next afternoon after work to find the door smashed in, glass broken, mirror dangling, etc. Real fun to find your car like that. No note, no witnesses of course. And no camera coverage. I found lots of broken taillight material on the ground (which I photographed and took, then actually matched to a pickup parked on a different level of the same garage a few days later with taillight / rear quarter / bumper damage and paint matching my car and a broken taillight lens EXACTLY matching the pieces I had...)

I took a lot of photos, etc. MBTA police were utterly useless and no help at all beyond writing a report saying what I'd observed. Despite all this, the evidence I had made it (or should have) a no-brainer. Progressive denied it and then actually tried to claim that I was committing insurance fraud and that I'd hit a pole while driving. WTF? Did I somehow levitate my car 3' off the ground and hit it while moving sideways?!?! Needless to say I fought it and raised hell with them, getting bounced around from claims adjuster (ducking my calls) to supervisors (also ducking my calls) and what-not for about two weeks before the adjuster left me a VM wherein he radically changed his tune and did a 180. No apology, no admission of wrongdoing - just "take your car to a shop, your claim number is XXX". They DID eventually get the car repaired for me but it was an unnecessary fight and the shop actually missed a spot that I ended up having to fix myself later on (so much for how wonderful Prime is). Anyway, I immediately dropped them and will never go back. This may be particularly relevant to you because you're in MA and my car was registered there / insured there at the time. I also inquired about diminished value - they claimed that it "didn't exist in Massachusetts" (I later found this to be a flat-out lie after a conversation with someone from the State Insurance Commissioner's office but by that time I wasn't about to dig it up and waste more time on it even though I considered it just to stick it to them as much as possible).

Good luck. I wouldn't touch them with someone else's 10-foot-pole. Just my $0.02 based on personal experience. To some extent I think they're all capable of sucking or being just fine depending on who you happen to get as a claims adjuster and whether or not they're having a good day or a bad day but I was so soured by Progressive and their blatant, inappropriate, accusatory allegations, lies and B.S. I wouldn't ever give them another dime.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

id10t - prepare to be dropped at next renewal if history is any indication ;-)

Not if I can drop 'em first

[Esel Mann]

I've been with Regressive off/on for the last 12 years to cover my daily driver. They have their place but, use carefully and wisely. Disclosure: My Regressive experience is based upon the central FL area and from what it seems, location can have an impact on your insurance experience.

The good:
- Flo is hot.
- If you decide to buy a car on a whim, I can say they are quick at getting you signed up and proof of insurance faxed to the dealer.
- IF you have a squeaky clean driving record, IF you pay in full, IF you have EXCELLENT credit, IF you own a home, you will be hard pressed to find the exact same coverage at the big ones for anywhere near the cost. /*digression-on*/Are you listening Warren Buffett?? That's right you pegger, the model your Geico uses to base price sux donkey nutz. Stop trying to court me, it ain't gonna happen. You suck Warren!!!/*digression-off*/

The bad:
- Aside from getting initial coverage, their customer dis-service people are somewhat mentally challenged should you need to call in say to get something clarified or corrected or completed.
- They do play the jack the rates subsequent renewals BUT NOWHERE NEAR what the others do.
- If you have a claim they will peg you over like a BDSM dominatrix from Boise. Then boot your sore azz with no complementary pain-b-gone cream.

In summary, while they do suck, the others (eg. State Farm, Allstate) suck even more from my experience. Please don't get me started on my State Farm experience.

That all being said, Shaun you are in the Republic of Rent-control Cambridge, no? When we lived in Slummerville, we had Liberty Mutual. No bad experience with them. It also left us with enough spare change to patron the Thirsty Scholar and O'sullivans.

[gatotom]

I have been a Chiropractor for 34 yrs, in that time have treated many car accident claims.

Progressive IMHO is regressive, they nickel and dime my charges like I am the criminal but in essence am caring for their client. United Healthcare is another.

Thank you but no thank you, I don't take any cases that involve progressive or UH and in this valley, the client might be hard pressed to find someone that takes them.

The criminal is them, must cost too much for the Flo commercials.

[Rick Lee]

They raised the rates on my bike policy by $250/yr. after nine years of no claims or tickets. I left and went to Geico, saved a bunch. Then Geico just did the same thing to me. Progressive offered me a far lower rate to come back than I had been paying before they raised the renewal premium. So I went back. I will shop and switch if they raise my renewal by $1 when my risk and bike's value only ever goes down.

[nota]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

They raised the rates on my bike policy by $250/yr. after nine years of no claims or tickets. I left and went to Geico, saved a bunch. Then Geico just did the same thing to me. Progressive offered me a far lower rate to come back than I had been paying before they raised the renewal premium. So I went back. I will shop and switch if they raise my renewal by $1 when my risk and bike's value only ever goes down.

the game is low-ball the first rate to get you hooked
then bump the rate every-time you renew

so there is no point in staying with the same corp
just go with the low bid major each year

[Rick Lee]

To their credit, they did keep my premium the same for many years, relative to whatever new bike I had. But when it went up on the same bike after three years of owning it, I told them I was not going to paying them more so they could put more obnoxious Flo commercials on tv.

[Sunroof]

Six months ago, a deer hit the side of the car (Nissan Rogue) while going 50 mph on a major thoroughfare and literally left a dent n the side of the door in the shape of a deers head!! The impact set off the alignment and crushed the door. We have Progressive and immediately filed a claim. We were asked to come to the claim center, where we picked up a loaner car (new Nissan) and were treated quite well. They had the car in the shop (we were given the option of using one of our own selection) but opted with one of their select shops. The Rogue came back perfect!! We paid our deductible and off we went. No points against us with rising premium(s). We have been very pleased with Progressive thus far.

[chuckr]

I've had Progressive for about 7 years. I got a DWI with them... had to get SR22 High Risk
Insurance. They raised my rates ! expected it.... not that bad considering.
Year later, totaled a car, Progressive gave me way more than it was worth (Cadillac)
Not only did I NOT get a rate increase, my rates have been coming down,mostly due to
the DWI coming off the books. I have no problems with Progressive. Good service, quick to pay
reasonable rates.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Very good input so far, thanks everyone. Here's my story. I've been using Safety Insurance for 25 years and think they are excellent. I gave my truck to the company when I started it and recently transferred the title. My insurance agent told me that as a commercial vehicle, I'd be paying $1400 a year for a 2001 Tundra. Does not make sense, truck isn't driven for than 2K miles a year. Called another MA insurance agent that's been advertising recently and they gave me $560 per year through Progressive.

While $1400 is far too much, I would rather pay $750 a year for coverage I can count on vs. discount rate insurance that will cause more headache, and maybe money, than a few hundred dollar a year difference if something happens. Oddly enough, people seem to hit me a lot, last time was a new RAV4 drove into the side of the truck while I was stopped at a stop light. Ripped the nose right off his car. That sort of thing happens a lot. Anyway, being hit has worked out well for me, but don't want to test waters the other way around even if I'm not at fault.

[Arizona_928]

I use them on a bike that I don't ever ride. 180$ annual.

Talk to an insurance broker. The one I use offers rates lower then those online quotes.

[herr_oberst]

"Flo is hot"?

[Tervuren]

Progressive put me down for an at fault accident that never happened. I had to waste a lot of time to sort that out. I ended up dropping them.

Seems I'm not alone.

[aigel]

My experience was on the receiving end - progressiive insured totalled my wife's SUV, mild injuries etc. The claim agent applied sleazy tactics, constantly trying to get us to sign, low balling etc. etc.

I guess it was what every insurance company does these days? Just don't expect Progressive to be any better than any other company out there.

I am also highly suspicious of them because of their very aggressive dumbass commercials. I don't even own a TV and am annoyed by them.

G

[Baz]

Shaun - have had them for over 10 years and last fall had a girl hit my truck in the side of the bed by violating my right-of-way. No citations issued but Progressive said I was 30% at fault (?) so they wrote me a check for 70% of the estimate. I'm going to do the repair myself so will be ahead on the $. My rates are not going to change and I'm not being dropped. I have an excellent driving record. They did a very professional job with the claim, IMHO.

[BGCarrera32]

Read the "Philanthropy and political contributions" section about their recent chairman/founder's son, and then decide.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_B._Lewis

[Brando]

Dropped progressive years ago. Was given shoddy service when selling my 911 - they wouldn't give me a 'named insured' policy (liability only) without having it attached to a vehicle. Strike 1. Then, 2 rate hikes when moving to safer, less-risky areas, driving less miles, etc. Made no sense. They were done after that.

Now with AAA. Not bad aside from their over-abundance of offers for life insurance. Rates have been slowly going down. We'll see how it goes after a new car purchase.