HMTZ, I was completely satisfied with the 75 mile for 11 years. But it was time to extend my coverage to the 125 mile coverage so I could visit the Bahamas and thus the issue.
USAA/PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE
- Thread starter Rasselas36
- Start date
I would send a letter to the president of Progressive. I recently had a dispute with a claims adjuster (and supervisor) on a first party auto insurance claim. The office of the president responded and basically gave me everything that I had asked for from the adjuster.
As an aside in my dealings with the first contacts at Progressive they seem to be very driven by their "procedures manual"; if it's not in the book no matter had logical the request is they will not budge from what the book says.
As an aside in my dealings with the first contacts at Progressive they seem to be very driven by their "procedures manual"; if it's not in the book no matter had logical the request is they will not budge from what the book says.
Progressive has always worked on "new customers"....as evidenced by their adverts - ask what they do for current customers.??
When my son had them for motorcycle insurance, they constantly flipped between VA laws - where THEY wrote the policy and NJ policy (where the bike was involved) to THEIR advantage, not the customers. I could write a book on that one, alone.
Their founder/previous CEO could care less about letters, as long as he is getting 25% more new customers than old ones, he has his money and his political views and that explains their process. Google Peter Lewis.
Boat US teaming with Geico is about as bad....
When my son had them for motorcycle insurance, they constantly flipped between VA laws - where THEY wrote the policy and NJ policy (where the bike was involved) to THEIR advantage, not the customers. I could write a book on that one, alone.
Their founder/previous CEO could care less about letters, as long as he is getting 25% more new customers than old ones, he has his money and his political views and that explains their process. Google Peter Lewis.
Boat US teaming with Geico is about as bad....
Not sure that's the case. Looked to me he was looking for clarification that identifies a sail boat with an internal engine as meeting the identified standard specified for the 125 mile limit rider. Sounded like a advertising statement of insurance conditions that the underwriters did not want the risk.
RE this is a true condition. I attribute it to the lack of critical thinking in our education system. The system has been generating young adults that conform. As employers face the risk of these educated new employees taking action on the job they create manuals to follow then threaten the employees to follow the letter, no thinking, failure to follow this rule means getting fired.
It makes asking a question that seems simple and logical a problem. Not having a copy of the rules manual puts you at a disadvantage.
This is hurting my brain. I think I need to zone out and go sailing.
This has much less to do with the educational system than the corporate structure. The underwriters determine what risks they want to underwrite and then simply develop a flow chart for making the decision. The guy answering the phone in the call center doesn't have the authority to make decisions, only to count the boxes checked and report the findings. They aren't paid to make decisions, they are paid to simply collect information and (probably) upsell the insurance policy.
The complaint here is really about Progressive advertising something that they really don't sell, i.e., 125 mile coverage for a sailboat.
I've had USAA for 16 years, 11 as an active duty Naval Officer. Can't complain about the rates on my auto/home. I used to ride a Harley for several years (I had 2) and they insured those in the years leading up to the Progressive partnership. I waited until age 30 to buy a Ducati superbike, no way I was paying $300 a month to insure a bike like that at a younger age. I got quoted by USAA/Progressive, they wanted $198/month for full coverage. I went with AAA because I have a perfect driving record, $80/mo for full coverage. Also have State Farm for my West Coast Chopper.
When it comes to anything but regular autos, USAA/Progressive is horrible. Their 'experts' are no experts at all, they are lowest wage possible employees who get all the information they have from click-through guided computer software. USAA teamed with Progressive to diversify their risk, only wanting to deal with autos and just collect a commission on anything else that Progressive underwrites.
If you do some reading about USAA you'll find they are no special saviors for the military or military families. Its a simple business model, offer an insurance product to a group of people who are statistically low risk (Military Officers and NCOs at first), and it goes on from there. I personally see them as a discriminatory and predatory business model, the only thing that saves them is that for many things they offer very competitive pricing (but not everything). They get away with it because they are 'serving the military'. They are in no way associated with or endorsed by the US DoD and I (certainly hope) don't think they get any kind of special incentives or tax breaks for 'serving the military'. Just like 'Navy Federal' has NOTHING to do with the US Navy.
Seriously folks, you can get the same great auto insurance coverage from State Farm or AAA... shop around. For boats (and Yachts), go to someone who doesn't need a computer to give them all the answers.
When it comes to anything but regular autos, USAA/Progressive is horrible. Their 'experts' are no experts at all, they are lowest wage possible employees who get all the information they have from click-through guided computer software. USAA teamed with Progressive to diversify their risk, only wanting to deal with autos and just collect a commission on anything else that Progressive underwrites.
If you do some reading about USAA you'll find they are no special saviors for the military or military families. Its a simple business model, offer an insurance product to a group of people who are statistically low risk (Military Officers and NCOs at first), and it goes on from there. I personally see them as a discriminatory and predatory business model, the only thing that saves them is that for many things they offer very competitive pricing (but not everything). They get away with it because they are 'serving the military'. They are in no way associated with or endorsed by the US DoD and I (certainly hope) don't think they get any kind of special incentives or tax breaks for 'serving the military'. Just like 'Navy Federal' has NOTHING to do with the US Navy.
Seriously folks, you can get the same great auto insurance coverage from State Farm or AAA... shop around. For boats (and Yachts), go to someone who doesn't need a computer to give them all the answers.
I forwarded this question/concern to our Insurance agent for our boat-we have Progressive and have never had a problem- Here is her response in Entirety +
Hi there!
I went in and did a Progressive quote for myself using the information that Rasselas36 included in the posting. I was able to successfully complete the quote without any issue, selecting the 125 mile.
As far as the 125 mile limitation, policies have territories stated within them. Auto policies cover you in the US, Canada, and US Territories. When I first started in insurance, it also included 50 miles into Mexico. That got removed from the policy when every American got hijacked when they went to Tijuana. I think it was the ISO 2000 contract that updated the territories. So I don’t have a problem with their being a limit, for this reasonable price. If you need a broader territory, then there are specialty markets available (like Markel) that we can have quoted, but they have a much more substantial premium. This is the actual wording from our Boat Product Guide, as it defines coastal navigation:
COASTAL NAVIGATION
The Coastal Navigation coverage limit of 75 nautical miles is included on all
policies. We’ll provide coverage for navigation of all inland lakes, rivers and
navigable waterways of the continental U.S. and Canada, including ocean waters
75 nautical miles or less from the coast of either the U.S. or Canada. This
does not include the territory or territorial waters of other countries.
An optional Coastal Navigation limit of 125 nautical miles is available for
an additional premium. It extends coverage from the coast of the U.S.
and Canada, and includes certain territories and territorial waters of the
Commonwealth of the Bahamas that extend no further north than 27
degrees 30 minutes north latitude (27o 30˙N); no further east than 75
degrees 30 minutes west longitude (75o 30˙W); and no further south
than 24 degrees north latitude (24o N). This limit is available for powered
boats at least 26 feet in hull length with two primary engines, and
sailboats at least 26 feet in hull length with at least one inboard engine.
The actual wording within the policy is such:
PART VIII - GENERAL PROVISIONS
POLICY PERIOD AND TERRITORY
This policy applies only to accidents and losses occurring during the policy period shown on the declarations page and which occur within:
1. a state, territory, or possession of the United States of America, or a province or territory of Canada, including their in-land lakes, rivers, and navigable waterways;
2. the Great Lakes; or
3. ocean waters 75 nautical miles or less from the coast of either the United States or Canada, but not including the territory or territorial waters of any country other than the United States or Canada.
Under the physical damage portion of the contract it states that you may purchase comp & collision coverage for Mexico & 75 miles from their coast, but that the policy does not meet the requirements put forth by Mexican law & that liability coverage MUST be purchased from a Mexican Insurance agent.
As far as the response from the “Progressive Specialist” I don’t know if that was from a licensed insurance agent or someone with Progressive. I don’t know what state that person was licensed in, but as far as the state of Ohio, the response does not match our product guide or contract. I do know that we talk about things here in the office, talk through issues, and bounce responses off one another with contractual support of our responses. If this person lives in Ohio, feel free to refer them my way!
People think “they’ll just go out and become an insurance agent”, they’ll get their friends & family to purchase from them; think they can sell anything to anybody. However it is inquiries like this that cause me to pause and be thankful for my “engineering background”. I want to be detail oriented…can’t help it…I’ve read my contracts, and know that I have to refer back to my Product Guides and Contracts for answers specific to each company. When I worked with office furniture salespeople, I knew the details of the product lines that we sold…the same is true for the insurance policies that we sell. I am no expert, but I have access to tools and am not afraid to challenge the companies to explain coverages rather than spit out an answer.
Hope you had a great Christmas and a healthy & happy New Year! …and thanx for sharing!
Cindy
_____________________________________
Cindy Stienecker
The Trojan Insurance Agency
937 339-2674
Fax: 937 335-5623
PERSONAL SERVICE – YOU deserve it!
She has always done a great job for us and is very credible and goes above and beyond for us.
Hope it helps.
Hi there!
I went in and did a Progressive quote for myself using the information that Rasselas36 included in the posting. I was able to successfully complete the quote without any issue, selecting the 125 mile.
As far as the 125 mile limitation, policies have territories stated within them. Auto policies cover you in the US, Canada, and US Territories. When I first started in insurance, it also included 50 miles into Mexico. That got removed from the policy when every American got hijacked when they went to Tijuana. I think it was the ISO 2000 contract that updated the territories. So I don’t have a problem with their being a limit, for this reasonable price. If you need a broader territory, then there are specialty markets available (like Markel) that we can have quoted, but they have a much more substantial premium. This is the actual wording from our Boat Product Guide, as it defines coastal navigation:
COASTAL NAVIGATION
The Coastal Navigation coverage limit of 75 nautical miles is included on all
policies. We’ll provide coverage for navigation of all inland lakes, rivers and
navigable waterways of the continental U.S. and Canada, including ocean waters
75 nautical miles or less from the coast of either the U.S. or Canada. This
does not include the territory or territorial waters of other countries.
An optional Coastal Navigation limit of 125 nautical miles is available for
an additional premium. It extends coverage from the coast of the U.S.
and Canada, and includes certain territories and territorial waters of the
Commonwealth of the Bahamas that extend no further north than 27
degrees 30 minutes north latitude (27o 30˙N); no further east than 75
degrees 30 minutes west longitude (75o 30˙W); and no further south
than 24 degrees north latitude (24o N). This limit is available for powered
boats at least 26 feet in hull length with two primary engines, and
sailboats at least 26 feet in hull length with at least one inboard engine.
The actual wording within the policy is such:
PART VIII - GENERAL PROVISIONS
POLICY PERIOD AND TERRITORY
This policy applies only to accidents and losses occurring during the policy period shown on the declarations page and which occur within:
1. a state, territory, or possession of the United States of America, or a province or territory of Canada, including their in-land lakes, rivers, and navigable waterways;
2. the Great Lakes; or
3. ocean waters 75 nautical miles or less from the coast of either the United States or Canada, but not including the territory or territorial waters of any country other than the United States or Canada.
Under the physical damage portion of the contract it states that you may purchase comp & collision coverage for Mexico & 75 miles from their coast, but that the policy does not meet the requirements put forth by Mexican law & that liability coverage MUST be purchased from a Mexican Insurance agent.
As far as the response from the “Progressive Specialist” I don’t know if that was from a licensed insurance agent or someone with Progressive. I don’t know what state that person was licensed in, but as far as the state of Ohio, the response does not match our product guide or contract. I do know that we talk about things here in the office, talk through issues, and bounce responses off one another with contractual support of our responses. If this person lives in Ohio, feel free to refer them my way!
People think “they’ll just go out and become an insurance agent”, they’ll get their friends & family to purchase from them; think they can sell anything to anybody. However it is inquiries like this that cause me to pause and be thankful for my “engineering background”. I want to be detail oriented…can’t help it…I’ve read my contracts, and know that I have to refer back to my Product Guides and Contracts for answers specific to each company. When I worked with office furniture salespeople, I knew the details of the product lines that we sold…the same is true for the insurance policies that we sell. I am no expert, but I have access to tools and am not afraid to challenge the companies to explain coverages rather than spit out an answer.
Hope you had a great Christmas and a healthy & happy New Year! …and thanx for sharing!
Cindy
_____________________________________
Cindy Stienecker
The Trojan Insurance Agency
937 339-2674
Fax: 937 335-5623
PERSONAL SERVICE – YOU deserve it!
She has always done a great job for us and is very credible and goes above and beyond for us.
Hope it helps.
I also have USAA/Progressive. I called them two years ago and said I was taking our O'Day 37, to the Bahamas. They said: no problem we will add a rider that covers you. What the agent wrote to you about sail/engine incompatibility is totally stupid. They are letting the grayed out blocks on their computer grayout their brain cells.
WOW! WOW! What I would have given 24 hours ago to find your Cindy. My blood pressure would have remained normal and I would not have been jumping through my a_ _ to find a new insurance company.
I said earlier that USAA is not as good as it once was but I have checked with other insurance companys on rates but with my record and years with USAA no insurance company can compete. I get several hundred dollars back each year with subscriber rebates and years with company rebate. Again, I only use them for automobile insurance. Chief
I hope that after you find a new company, you forward this thread to the presidents of USAA and Progressive, with the name of the "professional" that you dealt with. This should not be allowed to happen again.
I'm really surprised this has gotten NO responses on CF.
As a 40 plus year member and other things to be mentioned should get the CEO' s attention. You are correct about Progressive but the agents should have told you up front that offshore insurance is not viable as that is not their area of expertise and would adversely affect the rates supplied to USAA members on the boats insured by them immediately referring you to other suggested carriers who offer offshore insurance. Communicating this to you at the offset vs. management would have resolved this as the number of boaters insured far out weigh those who go off shore. I know when folks called my dealership, if I did not have what they were looking for, they referred to others and often I pulled a chair around and we searched the internet. I wonder why many were referred to me
I actually have 50 years in Jan. or Feb. 2017. What seems to be overlooked here is the members own USAA, so Progressive owns nothing except a cooperative agreement between companys. I still own my member share of USAA. Chief
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If USAA's complacent, geographically dispersed membership were to organize a member opposition to Progressives involvement it is likely the company cooperation could be terminated. Members have long allowed the management staff to control USAA and that is part of the problem!
Leaving for winter trip in Arizona in a couple hours, so, I have said my piece! My best, Chief
Leaving for winter trip in Arizona in a couple hours, so, I have said my piece! My best, Chief
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