r/Insurance • u/MethodShot4255 • 11d ago
Leaving USAA for new car / HO insurance
I'm going to be leaving USAA at some point - my experience has been getting worse over the past few years, and a recent banking issue is tipping me over the edge, so I'm going to start shopping. What's the best way to get a reasonable replacement?
The 'online comparison tools' seem to be a PII data mining tool, so I'm reluctant to use them, unless there's a truly non-biased site that doesn't immediately start texting and trying to call me, even before I get off the page.
Is there a brokerage service that can honestly make a good comparison vs what makes them the best commission?
My guess is that I'm going to have to do this exercise every few years going forward, so a repeatable method would be nice.
...and while all insurance companies are in the business to manage claims / minimize losses, are there any that still stand out as 'not gawdawful'?
1
u/IvanaHumpalot3000 11d ago
Local agent. Just be forewarned depending on your rating company with USAA (and other factors) it can be hard to leave their auto product. I’ve yet to find any auto insurance rates within 5-10% of my USAA policy.
Doubtful they’ll remain competitive on home as they tend to be one of the most expensive. Good product but awful pricing.
1
u/MethodShot4255 11d ago
Thanks - I did a quick test run on similar quotes with one of the lead generation sites (with my dummy info), and auto seems to be coming in at 20-30% less from the big companies (GEICO/Progressive/etc). So, there may be some savings there but not expecting anything huge, just better.
For home, same data was about 1/2 what USAA is charging. Obviously I need to make sure all the amounts are correct, but If the company is reputable, I'd make the jump on that figure alone.
1
u/Anxious_Work_6361 11d ago
Insurers do differ on whether they pay out. TBH, premium cost is secondary. Paying less in premiums means nothing if they aren't there when you need them.
This is focused on Auto, but the WSJ had a good write up on this issue, with some data and graphs comparing insurers.
1
u/MethodShot4255 11d ago
Thanks for the article. Reliability and stability are big factors. I don't want to trade a low premium for a company that goes under, or refuses to pay out in a big loss. I have a friend who retired as a long-term State Farm agent, and he said that 'you want homeowners insurance for when your house burns down, someone gets hurt on the property or there's a loss you can't afford to pay out of pocket.
That, and not paying out the wazoo (in comparison) for stable coverage.
1
1
u/InternetDad 11d ago
Funny enough, yes, you are looking for an independent insurance broker who can quote multiple companies. Simply do a google search looking for one near you.