SnIpEz

iTrader: (4)

Hey guys I was posting in another thread in here and an issue with my insurance came to mind and I haven't done much about it since this issue first arose at the very end of December, but maybe one of you will know how to fix this?


Somehow I used to pay $99 a month (liability only on my 98 v6 bird), then someone backed into my headlight cover in July when I wasn't around, I chose not to file a claim due to liability only, mentioned it in passing one day while on the phone with my company, the woman I spoke with was a SUPERVISOR and told me my policy might still cover and that I should file a claim anyways. Me being young and dumb listened, found out a few days later I was right, my policy DOESN'T cover that, so now there's a claim on my record they encouraged me to do and that somehow more than doubled my rates

The only things on my record are an incident January 3rd 2010 when a lady hit me when I was turning into a middle lane. It was night time and I couldnt see well to the right due to a UHaul truck parked on the curb impairing a lot of my vision. It was long struggle but I was found to be at fault for written law. I had been on my parents policy at the time. I got my own 2 months later and that's when it was $99, with the accident on record. Then a guy in a Silverado backed into me March 27th last year when I was parked. He was found at fault, no change to my rates. Then that headlight incident happened and I had cancelled my insurance right before I filed the claim because I was living on my own in CA and couldnt afford the expense

I came back to Texas almost two months ago and my mom and I looked to put me on her policy and it was $200+ a month!!! WTF

In September I got a pretty bad speeding ticket that I had posted about getting out of, earlier this month. Im not sure if it was on my record at the time and THAT was why it was so high, but the case was thrown out and not on my record. I had another ticket but it was taken care of and also not on my record. So what's the deal? Anyone have any ideas? Is it possible to do something to get that filed headlight claim off my record? I'm really pissed at myself for doing that and not trusting my instincts, but what's a teenage guy living on his own to think when a supervisor at his insurance company (Was Progressive) tells him he could actually be covered for that damage? *sigh*

Thanks for any input ahead of time btw!

ultradriver10000

iTrader: (13)

Switch insurance companies, look around and check prices. Most quotes are also based on your credit, so if that is bad plan on paying more.

SnIpEz

iTrader: (4)

All gave me similar quotes though IIRC. And I have no established credit either so it cant be that

my99blue

I work with an insurance agent, so first being that you haven't established credit still affects you, plus you would be known as a high risk customer. I don't know why your rate doubled, but they should have not put a claim for the headlight. Second, even if your tkt's got dismissed or taken care of they sometimes stay on your record until they are finally cleared (long process which sucks). Another thing is if you are under the age of 25 the rate will be high. 3rd Insurance companies are raising rates throughout Texas. You can thank Perry on that. Like the others said keep looking around until you find one you can afford and is reputable.

LeadfootDuramax

iTrader: (6)

Insurance companies will document any mention of a claim (even if you don't file) and this goes into the calculation of rates. I found this out years ago and have been extrememly careful about mentioning anything to my ins company until I am certain I will file a claim.

SnIpEz

iTrader: (4)

Wow that is actually really good info to know, thanks man! How did you find that out? I'll definitely keep that in mind

Anniversary "Z"

iTrader: (26)

Good advice right there!!

I explain this over and over to my customers to call me to file a claim not the 800 number. That way we can discuss anything and everything that could be affected prior to "officially" turning in the claim.

Find yourself an insurance broker who can search multiple companies for you and place you with a company that might not look so poorly upon your situation.

Are you saying it doubled with Progressive or doubled when you tried getting back on your mom's? Progressive should not raise anything on you until your renewal and even then it might be the loss of a discount, they shouldn't be surcharging you for 1) a claim resulting in no payout and 2) a non fault incident.

Good Luck and worst case you can take it as a learning experience

SnIpEz

iTrader: (4)

Well the weird thing was, when progressive wanted to renew, it was like 110 instead. I asked why and they said it was because of a state wide insurance raise thing (Seemd kinda BS to me but I wasnt sure. Can only believe them)

Since then I hadnt checked on rates. When I did with my mom, BAM, $200+

I can't figure it out

Anniversary "Z"

iTrader: (26)

To be completely honest and this may vary from state to state obviously, but anyone with a lapse in coverage is going to get the best deal with Progressive. I'd say 90% of the people who come to me without current insurance end up there through my independant agency. I'd suggest getting back with them for at least 6-12 months of continuous coverage and then go find yourself a company with dedicated agents

The saying holds true "You get what you pay for!"

VinR1

iTrader: (17)

most insurance companies will allow the agent to remove certain items from consideration when quoting ...Progressive being one of them. For example a 'claim' showing when no money was actually paid out

I'd suggest Progressive for six months then have a good brokerage (that deals with several companies) requote you with multiple companies

PM me if you want a good agent here in TX

ROCNDAV

iTrader: (100)

The only thing I'd add is if you weren't continuously covered, your rate is higher when you try to get insurance again.

caramaro

yeah it's because you didn't have continuous coverage and progressive is a high risk company anyway. pay a little extra for a while and it will go down if you stay clean. insurance companies don't want a customer that has had no insurance. for all they know the previous company cancelled you,hence high risk....

SnIpEz

iTrader: (4)

Bummer, I think I'm starting to see where this problem might have been coming with. I wish I had known some of this before I shelled out $1200 for six months of insurance with Allstate

Anniversary "Z"

iTrader: (26)

pm sent

retardedpenguin

iTrader: (2)

Mines gone up $35 a month without one speeding ticket or wreck, bout to call up there and see wtf is going on.

Chrismikeb

iTrader: (2)

This is the only bad thing about being young...charged out the *** for insurance, even though no wrecks and paying WAY ahead on my car..

Anniversary "Z"

iTrader: (26)

Call your agent, ask if there are any discounts available you might be missing. Don't hesitate to call around for quotes, insurance is a VERY competitive market

VinR1

iTrader: (17)

typically, the only time an auto insurance company runs your driving record is when it first issues the policy and every 2-3 years depending on which risk category you fall into. If you get a ticket in some podunk county, take defensive driving, and send the dd cert to your insurance company, I guaran-f'kin-tee they'll run your record and will see that ticket before podunk county can inform the state that they need to remove that ticket off your record

ever notice that when you get a ticket, they give you something like 90 days to take defensive driving ... THEN, they tell you to mail a copy of the cert to the court and they'll have the ticket removed within 30 days. At the same time, your insurance company says they'll honor a defensive driving course discount if you've taken dd within the past 30 days or the cert cant be older than 30 days. They're trying to stay within that window of time they can still pull your record and see that ticket before it gets removed


I dont know how many customers of mine would walk in all butt-hurt, "I thought I got a discount for taking defensive driving but my rates went up!?"

"well no chit, you just admitted to your AUTO INSURANCE company that you got a ticket and provided them with proof"

yeah, you may get a tiny 5% discount... but it hardly covers the 50% increase you just got because you're now a high-risk driver

Vexzer

iTrader: (1)

OK. Time to learn about companies who use the words "trust" and "choice" and "disclosure" and "Nexis" and "we help protect consumers' privacy" in their marketing. Here are some random findings.
Like my drill instructor used to say "Take it for what it's worth!"
Welcome to C.L.U.E Inc. https://personalreports.lexisnexis.com/ Ordering a report on a property that is not your primary residence? [CLUE consumer file disclosureclue-order-by-mail.pdf] Types of non-primary properties include: • Rental property • Vacation home After you have completed your form, please return it to the address below: C.L.U.E. Inc. Consumer Disclosure Center P.O. Box 105295 Atlanta, GA 30348
Choicetrust CLUE Reports:https://www.choicetrust.com
Order your own Employment History Report: Order your FREE report now by calling, toll free: 8663128075 Monday - Saturday: Available all day
For information on how to get your free claims history or CLUE report from ChoicePoint, see www.choicepoint.com/factact.html or call (866) 312-8076. ChoicePoint® is now a LexisNexis® Company.
For information on how to order your free A-Plus Report from ISO, see www.iso.com/products/2500/prod2562.html or call (800) 627-3487

Information you can verify about others: [fee $26-$50] Review Credentials of Healthcare Professionals: Doctor, nurse or chiropractor finder and disciplinary reports Nursing Home Report: Verify nursing home credentials
Run a Family Security Background Check: Nanny and caregivers, house cleaners, contractors and more Check for Lawsuits, Liens and Judgments: Daycare, contractors, mechanics/garages, dry cleaners and more

Choicepoint Consumer Files: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are ChoicePoint consumer files? ChoicePoint consumer files contain a compilation of various information about individuals that we maintain in our consumer reporting databases. This information is used to create consumer reports for employment screening, resident screening, insurance underwriting, and volunteer background checks.
2. What is a ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure? A ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure is made at the request of the consumer (or his/her authorized representative) and includes the consumer's consumer file and a Public Records Search.
3. What information will I receive in my ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure? The following is a description of the information that will be included in the ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure packet that you receive:
Two C.L.U.E.® (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) reports (one for personal auto insurance and one for personal property/homeowners insurance), each of which summarizes insurance loss history information about you provided to ChoicePoint by participating insurance companies. This information is used when you apply for auto or homeowners insurance coverage. Also included will be a 'How To Read' guide, which explains the information in the report.
dumTwo Current Carrier® reports (one for personal auto insurance and one for personal property/homeowners insurance), each of which provides summaries of your historical personal automobile or homeowner coverage that has been reported to us by contributing insurance companies. This information is used to confirm that you currently have personal auto and/or homeowner's insurance coverage as well as indicate any gaps in insurance coverage. Also included will be a 'How To Read' guide, which explains the information in the report.
dumA pre-employment background check. You will receive this report only if you have applied for a position with a company that used ChoicePoint to create a background report as part of the hiring process. This report may also include your personal credit information and/or your state driving record if the employer requested this information as part of the background check. This information is used in the hiring process.
A copy of an Esteem® report, which lists circumstances in which you have admitted to, or have been convicted of, theft while visiting or working at a retail company. This information is used by certain retail companies in their hiring process.
dumA copy of a ScreenNow® report, which displays the results of a national criminal records search of your name and personal information. This information is used in the hiring and volunteer application process.
dumA copy of a Resident Data® resident history report, which includes your personal credit information as well as a search of criminal records. As part of the report, your name is also checked against a national eviction file. This information is used by many apartment communities in resident screening. You will only receive a Resident Data report if you have applied for residence with a company that used ChoicePoint to create a background report about you as part of the resident screening process.
dumA Public Records Search that shows government records and public information about you such as real estate ownership records, bankruptcies, professional licenses and historical addresses that ChoicePoint maintains or has access to. This information is used by companies as part of an effort to verify the assets, addresses, identity and credentials of a person as part of an account set-up process or anti-fraud tool. Government agencies also use this information as part of an investigation of a known or suspected crime.
4. ChoicePoint offers consumers their Full File Disclosure free of charge once per year. Charges may apply for additional requests.
5. ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure results are available to consumers only by mail. Since the information that comprises the file is obtained from numerous sources within ChoicePoint, and due to the volume of information provided, coordination and mailing of hard-copy documents is the most secure and efficient way to make the information available to consumers.
6. ChoicePoint is not a credit reporting agency and does not create credit reports. We are a reseller of credit information that is compiled and maintained by the three national credit reporting agencies mentioned above. With respect to your Full File Disclosure, we will provide personal credit information obtained from Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion as part of an employment history report or Resident Data report if it was received by the company where you applied for a job or an apartment lease.
7. ChoicePoint maintains no healthcare or medical information about you, no banking records, nor any information about the goods and services you purchase with credit cards.
8. ChoicePoint is a consumer reporting agency that provides reports to businesses and government for employment screening, volunteer screening, and insurance underwriting. Our role in this process is to compile the appropriate information based on the request, create the reports, and forward them to the inquiring company or government agency.
9. ChoicePoint operates pursuant to various state and federal laws, which allow us to collect and disseminate information for insurance underwriting and other permissible purposes. The reports we provide through our consumer reporting business are called consumer reports, and are governed by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA addresses consumer privacy issues, and is very explicit regarding the conditions under which consumer reports can be ordered. Businesses and government agencies with legitimate purposes are entitled to order these reports for the business-related activities they conduct.
10. Why Should I Request My ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure? ChoicePoint encourages consumers to review on a regular basis, at least once per year, information about them that is stored with consumer reporting agencies, credit reporting agencies, in county courthouse and other government records, etc. Doing so enables consumers to detect inaccuracies that might result in the denial of financial or other benefits, or that might indicate the presence of fraud or other misuse of their information.
11. How Do I Correct Information in My Full File Disclosure? If information reflected within your ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure is inaccurate, you may initiate a dispute of the information by contacting us as shown below:
Employment Reports: (Pre-employment, background checks,Esteem, ScreenNow) ChoicePoint Consumer Center PO Box 105108 Atlanta, GA 30348 888-497-0011, option 3
Insurance Reports: (C.L.U.E. and Current Carrier) ChoicePoint Consumer Center PO Box 105108 Atlanta, GA 30348 888-497-0011, option 2
Credit Reports: ChoicePoint Consumer Center PO Box105289 Atlanta, GA 30348 866-323-0932
Resident Data Reports: (Resident history reports) Resident Data - A ChoicePoint Service PO Box 850126 Dallas, TX 75085 800-487-3246
Public Records: (Public records search) ChoicePoint Consumer Center PO Box 105108 Atlanta, GA 30348 866-623-0994

Vexzer

iTrader: (1)

12. Visit our web site Privacy at ChoicePoint to see how we help protect consumers' privacy and their personally identifiable information.
13. Credit files are maintained by the credit reporting agencies that provide credit reports, not by ChoicePoint. As a reseller of consumer credit information, we do not have the authority to order a credit report to include in a Full File Disclosure unless the report has previously been provided as part of a pre-employment background check or in connection with a resident history report.
14. As a consumer, you may have the right to request a state specific security freeze for certain ChoicePoint consumer reports, and subsequently release or lift the freeze at some later date. Depending on state laws, these actions may include a fee. Please visit our web site www.choicetrust.com for more information on specific security freezes available in your state for ChoicePoint's consumer reports. Please note that any security freeze that you request for your ChoicePoint consumer file will apply to only those information products that are created and maintained by ChoicePoint. We do not have the ability to add a fraud alert or a security freeze to your credit report.
15. A Full File Disclosure is available only to a consumer that requests his or her own file, when the request is submitted with proper identity authentication. Businesses and government agencies cannot order your ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure, but please note that they are entitled, with legitimate purposes, to order some of the reports that comprise your ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure for the business-related activities they conduct. For more information please refer to question #9.

To add an alert or freeze to your credit report, you will need to contact the individual credit reporting agencies. The three national credit reporting agencies are:
Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374 800-525-6285 www.equifax.com
Experian P.O. Box 9532 Allen, TX 75013 888-397-3742 www.experian.com
TransUnion P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834 800-680-7289 www.tuc.com

Medical Information Bureau. If you have applied for individual life, health, long-term care or disability insurance in the last seven years, information about any major medical condition may be in a database maintained by the Medical Information Bureau (MIB). About 20 percent of individuals have an MIB report. Insurance companies usually review your medical records when you apply for insurance as an individual (but not when part of a group insurance plan). They get your consent to obtain your medical files from your healthcare providers. If the records indicate that you have a significant health condition, they report it to the MIB. If an individual has high blood pressure, for example, the MIB report would include a 3-digit code for that condition. By law, the report does not include information that is older than seven years. If you are going to apply for any type of health or life insurance as an individual, we recommend that you first check out your MIB report (and not everyone has such a report). You will want to make sure that any data about you is accurate and not out of date. Visit MIB's website to learn how to order your free report, www.mib.com/html/request_your_record.html. Or call (866) 692-6901.

Bank account history. Your history regarding bank accounts may be in the ChexSystems database. ChexSystems is a nationwide specialty consumer reporting agency that collects and maintains information from member financial institutions such as banks and credit unions. If a bank closes your checking account because of, say, insufficient funds, it will make a report to ChexSystems that other banks will check when you apply for new accounts. A negative report from ChexSystems will prevent you from opening a checking account at another bank. To order your ChexSystems report call (800) 428-9623 or visit their website at www.consumerdebit.com.