Good rates if you qualify
Written: Oct 05 '07
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Pros: If you have a good agent, you can save money with a proven company.
Cons: That $3.50/mo. fee to pay your bill monthly is predatory.
The Bottom Line: If you get a good agent and are a good risk, Allstate is cheap and proven.
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| mistsy's Full Review: Allstate - Auto |
Allstate is strange. It's not just Allstate, but a collection of companies that manage risk based on you claim history, your credit rating, your length of time with them, and any number of factors.
I've been with them for car insurance for over 10 years and now I'm in Allstate Indemnity which I think is their lowest risk category and thus their lowest risk company.
When you start out you'll be assigned any number of different "pools", which are set up as different companies. As time goes by your rates should go down if don't make claims, maintain good credit, pay bills on time, etc. If not, well, expect rate to rise and they may even dump you if you don't meet certain milestones like a certain number of years without accidents, for example.
What I like best about Allstate is that I have a good agent. She handles al the nonsense like telling me if I should take driver ed for a discount, get a car alarm, or all kinds of little things like that that keep your rates down. To me it's worth defensive driving ed every few years for $20 for a $100/year discount or so. Sure, it's a pain, but I can do it online and that saves time. At least I'm being told how to keep rates low.
Although I think they're loathe to admit it, I think they "redline", meaning that where you park your car at night determines some part of your rate. It's illegal, but I have friends in other neighborhoods with similar credit, accident history, etc., and their rates are up/down for no other apparent reason.
I shop around so I'm pretty sure Allstate is my best deal. It's lower than the advertised low people like Geico and Progressive. I like being with an established company with a history of being there when needed.
That being said, years ago I had an accident and my agent was nowhere to be found. I promptly changed agents and have had excellent service since. When someone hit me, she was ready, available, and on the job right away. She also is active in keeping telephone spam out of my life. I got a few calls here and there with spam and I called her and she stopped it. I have not, and will not, provide my agent with an email address. Seems like they always want to sell you something but my agent is spot on in defeating her own companies attempts to annoy customers.
Like all companies, they charge in 6 month increments. You can pay monthly if you want but I am annoyed by their $3.50 fee for each monthly payment. Best to save up and pay 6 months at a time or face a $42/yr increase in your rate. I find this fee to be predatory on those who don't have $400-500 available every 6 months.
Other than that, I don't really have any beefs with Allstate and I'm a huge complainer. Much of my satisfaction is due to my agent. I never hear from her because I don't want to. I do hear from her when I can save money. I like that.
Much depends on the agent, so shop around and test your agent. Is the phone answered promptly? Are your questions answered intelligently? Are you on hold a lot? Is he/she there at least 9-5?
Claims can be a problem but I don't think more so than any other company. If your agent is good, he/she will fight for you and advise you on an accident what to expect so you won't need a lawyer to beat up the company to pay a fair claim.
Your car is often "totalled" if it's 5 years old or more as it's so much easier for them to give you the value of the car then what it's actually worth to you. That can be upsetting. You get $3000 for your 5 year old car but have to spend $11,000 to get an equivalent one. Nasty as that is, I don't think it's different anywhere else.
One of the other nice things I like is my coverages. I have never felt "oversold". The minimums are probably OK for people who don't have assets and when I had nothing, not even a home, they sold me the minimum, saying that, well, since I had nothing, there was nothing to sue for.
As I got older, they upped my coverage to ensure that my home and family would never be at risk. Yet I don't have million dollar coverage. I have what I think is right and my agent recommended that without my telling her the coverages I thought would be right.
In short, I'm getting low rates at a proven company. They leave me alone most of time and seem to keep up with what's best for me. I think so much depends on the agent as I had Allstate years ago and dumped an agent and suddenly found I had much better and more professional service from another.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mistsy
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Location: Austin, TX
Reviews written: 125
Trusted by: 40 members
About Me:
Old, cranky, but still, umm, trying to be hip (if it hasn't been replaced yet.)
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