allstate v. Liberty Mutual, insurance help!

[cjnix29]

Ok, so I've spent the past week agonizing over insurance. Not sure I have spent this much time in my life agonizing over insurance like this! Here's my dilemma....we are moving to michigan, and will need new home and auto insurance. After about 7 quotes, I have narrowed it down to Allstate and Liberty Mutual. We are currently allstate customers.

Homeowners: Allstate: 784 Liberty Mutual 590. If I dropped the water/sewer backup with allstate, it would come to 684. But I really think I want this coverage. It is included in the Liberty Mutual quote.

Auto: Allstate: 1444 Liberty: 1398. This is where I get in trouble. The Allstate quote allows for new car replacement on our current vehicles. This is really important to us, as if something happened, I'm certain we would be upside down if our car was totalled. With Liberty, I can't get it on our current cars, since we weren't liberty mutual customers when we bought our cars. Actually, I think the allstate price is a little higher, since they charge me 113 a year to pay monthly, which I think is ridiculous! In Ohio, they don't! crazy, same company!! Even having it automatically deducted from my bank account!

I have to get them both together, since the mutipolicy discount is really pretty steep. Any thoughts? I wish I could get Allstate's coverage at Liberty's price! Both agents have the other's quotes, and have been trying to beat them.

Oh, guess I should add....with allstate, since we have been customers for so long, we do get a deductible reward, which by now, probably takes it down to about 100.

 

[dfchelbay]

Ok, so I've spent the past week agonizing over insurance. Not sure I have spent this much time in my life agonizing over insurance like this! Here's my dilemma....we are moving to michigan, and will need new home and auto insurance. After about 7 quotes, I have narrowed it down to Allstate and Liberty Mutual. We are currently allstate customers.

Homeowners: Allstate: 784 Liberty Mutual 590. If I dropped the water/sewer backup with allstate, it would come to 684. But I really think I want this coverage. It is included in the Liberty Mutual quote.

Auto: Allstate: 1444 Liberty: 1398. This is where I get in trouble. The Allstate quote allows for new car replacement on our current vehicles. This is really important to us, as if something happened, I'm certain we would be upside down if our car was totalled. With Liberty, I can't get it on our current cars, since we weren't liberty mutual customers when we bought our cars. Actually, I think the allstate price is a little higher, since they charge me 113 a year to pay monthly, which I think is ridiculous! In Ohio, they don't! crazy, same company!! Even having it automatically deducted from my bank account!

I have to get them both together, since the mutipolicy discount is really pretty steep. Any thoughts? I wish I could get Allstate's coverage at Liberty's price! Both agents have the other's quotes, and have been trying to beat them.

Oh, guess I should add....with allstate, since we have been customers for so long, we do get a deductible reward, which by now, probably takes it down to about 100.

Sorry to throw a wrench into your current situation, but I have a home and three autos in Michigan. I've called all insurance companies to find the best rate. I am currently with GMAC for auto, home and umbrella policies. When my rate went up a little after DH got a speeding ticket last year, I shopped around at renewal time this past June. Even with the increased rate from the ticket, GMAC was still lower for auto, home and umbrella. If you have any GM cars you get further discounts. If you have anything financed with GMAC, like autos or homes, more discounts. I get a low mileage discount, multi line discount, Good Sam Discount, KOA discount. What I'm saying is they discount for lots of things, in addition to their low rates. I also found when researching that GMAC gave he much higher coverages too, and the lower premium. Call GMAC, maybe you can beat Liberty Mutual and Allstate. Also, we used to be with Liberty Mutual before switching over.

 

[cjnix29]

That's one I haven't tried. I got quotes from allstate, Lib Mut, Nationwide, Farm Bureau, State Farm, and allied. Maybe I will check into that. We don't have anything else with them, so not sure how many discounts we would qualify for. Did you go through an agent or call the 800 number?

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I have no advice. I am just curious....that home insurance rate, is that for the entire year?

 

[dfchelbay]

That's one I haven't tried. I got quotes from allstate, Lib Mut, Nationwide, Farm Bureau, State Farm, and allied. Maybe I will check into that. We don't have anything else with them, so not sure how many discounts we would qualify for. Did you go through an agent or call the 800 number?

I call the 800 number for GMAC.

 

[cjnix29]

I have no advice. I am just curious....that home insurance rate, is that for the entire year?

It was for the entire year. auto was for the year too. And just tried the 800 number. Seems they wouldn't even quote it without some sort of affiliation! Guess I am out of luck on that one!

 

[Bribrittmom]

I think I would go with Allstate for the peace of mind replacement coverage.Have you tried Geico?They are by far the cheapest for us with multi cars.We live in Ohio and they don't charge a fee for monthly deductions,

 

[cjnix29]

I haven't tried Geico, because I want my home/auto at the same place. Plus, I REALLY can't stand their commercials!

 

[dd50]

Do you belong to a credit union because some have affiliations with them and you can get a bigger discount as you get a group rate.

I hate Allstate so I wouldn't go with them for free.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

It was for the entire year. auto was for the year too. And just tried the 800 number. Seems they wouldn't even quote it without some sort of affiliation! Guess I am out of luck on that one!

I really don't have any advice for you. Those prices seem extremely low to me! My home insurance (+ flood) is just shy of $3,000/year and my car insurance on one car is in the ballpark of your quotes.

One thought I have is that if you are used to prices for one state and you're moving to another, it's possible the rates are higher to you, but good for the locality to which you're moving. (My rates are pretty good/average for where I am, but clearly they'd be price gouging for where you are! )

With the information you gave, I'd probably go with Allstate, including the sewer backup coverage. I would, however, try very hard to pay the auto in an increment that would not require an extra fee.

 

[bumbershoot]

I haven't tried Geico, because I want my home/auto at the same place.

Interesting. I was confused by this, since they have homeowners, but I put a Michigan zipcode into their website, and found out that "GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. has partnered with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company to provide homeowners insurance products."

It's all so different from state to state.


LM doesn't have "gap" insurance? We were getting that through Allstate by having their "gold" program (until we weren't upside down on the car anymore). LM doesn't have it?

 

[cjnix29]

LM does have gap, but because we already have the cars, and would be a new policyholder, it wouldn't apply. I understood that our rates would probably go up from Ohio, as we pay about 590 for HO and about 990 for auto for two cars currently. I was stunned at how much the companies vary. Nationwide, for example, quoted me 1900 for HO and 2800 for auto!!! I about fell out of my chair! I am just really struggling with the water backup coverage...we will be on a well and septic, is it necessary? Does it cover sump pump overflow? I may end up biting the bullet for the extra expense of the allstate coverage. But I hate paying so much! I understand that people have different opinions, but we had a HO claim once, and they took really good care of us, unlike some of our neighbors with other companies. Such a variation!

 

[tar heel]

We've had Liberty Mutual for a long time and they have outstanding service. We have filed some auto claims and had a homeowners a couple years ago --roof damaged by hail and they paid over $10,000 without batting an eye. We don't pay anything for monthly billing on the auto insurance as long as it's deduced automatically. Our homeowners insurance is a LOT higher than your quote, though.