nboyd

Geico have just increased our insurance by $516, because they have reduced the safety rating of the C230 Coupe.

Geico say this is effects all Geico drives so I assume I am not the only one to have similar hikes in my insurance? I live in the Bay area, but apparently this is not a region thing?

Experiences appreciated.

Nathan

session

Geico wanted three times what I pay for insurance with State Farm. No thanks.

KWiK

I don't have Geico , but my insurance didn't go up.

Buellwinkle

Are you kidding, what scammers. Go to www.HwySafety.org This is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's website. It shows the 2001-2003 C-Class as having the absolute highest safety rating of Good and even gets a "Best Pick" which means it exceeded their expectations and is only given to the safest cars. If I were you I would shop for another carrier, try AAA, they have good rates.

20FHK02

I'm with Allstate. It lowered my payment by 20% for the 2nd 6-month period.

vadim

I am also with Geico, but haven't heard from them (yet?). If they do decide to pull this trick on me, it's a good-bye kiss... Multi-car policy+home insurance will find another shelter.

nboyd

I am going to call around for another insurance.

My wife is the primary driver and has never had an accident, she is a university prof with 14 years continues insurance, of which 8 is uninterrupted with Geico. This is the second large increase within six months that they have given us.

Within 6 months our yearly cost has increased by 50% on the same car. The last one which was 6 months ago was because of a "California state wide insurance hike", no one else at work got an insurance hike.

They are Rip off merchants.

Nathan

Lockbuster

I have State Farm Ins and my rates are lower out here in California than Oklahoma. I also get better insurance coverage. I am just glad to be home....

nboyd

California has an insurance law requiring drivers to have been driving for 3 years or you get classed the same as a 17 year old boy racer. Geico was Susan's insurance carrier and did not charge us too much to use them.

State Farm or AAA will not insure Susan with me as I have not been driving long enough. I've only lived in the US for 2 1/2 years and have had an American licence for 1 1/2.

Does anyone else have any california insurance recommendations?

C230K

Try Electric Insurance, had them for years and they beat State Farm and Geico. Work for me.

Clownburner

If you're in California (or Oregon, now), try Wawanesa insurance. They are by _far_ the cheapest, and they have great customer service and pay promptly. I had $12,000 worth of damage to my BMW Z3 less than three months after I signed on with them (this was years ago), and not only did they pay without flinching, they also only increased my rate $50/yr even though the CHP said it was my fault (it was a solo spinout, so I suppose they had no one else to blame). They now insure both my Mercedes and my Porsche for a combined cost of about 60% less than any other quote I've ever gotten (including 21st century, mercury, geico, and AAA). Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: Not affiliated in any way, just a happy customer.

http://www.wawanesageneral.com/

nboyd

Thanks for the advice so far, I looked in to these but they all require the "good driver discount" which you can not get until 3 years of driving.

It get's worse, I am going to need a second car and therefore will have to be a primary driver. Geico quoted $8,000 dollars a year on a used saab or volvo that would cost $4000 dollars to buy.

I can't believe new drivers are paying this kind of money, otherwise no one would ever start to drive. I don't understand why it is so much, if you lose you good driver discount do you have to all pay this much?

Cheers,

Nathan

20FHK02

$8000/year???????? Unbelievable!!
Do you need a contact at Farmers? When my old neighbor added his daughter 2 years ago (she was 18 and just got her lincense), Farmers quoted her $500/6 months, which was not bad for a new kid. I think he found the agent in Oakland Chinatown, and they usually deal at lower prices. Let me know!

nboyd

I would really appreciate any help, I feel like I am out of some kind of insurance loop or missing something really obvious.

Cheers,

Nathan

falagic

$8000!!!!! is this for real. Move man move.

20FHK02

PM me and I'll send you the contact tonight, worth a try!

C230 Sport Coup

Yeh thats nuts!

Here's a link from crash tests saying the C class is the safest car they've ever tested!
"Extra points awarded for the way that the C-class reminds its passengers to buckle their seat belts have now made it the second car ever to gain a five-star crash protection rating"

http://www.euroncap.com/results.htm

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/crashes.html

20FHK02

Check your PM

taylor192

Pretty much, with the post 9/11 insurance rate hikes, things have gotten more expensive. My roommate has a 1990 Mustang (KBB value $800) and a Tercel (KBB value $1000), but pays $350/month CND cause of his bad driving record. That's $4200/year for 2 cars worth a combined $1800.

I am 24 with a 7 year clean driving record, and still paying $2100/year.

Age, driving experience/record, car body type/classification, car crash rating, car theft rating, even car colour all affect your premiums.

viper

Yes but car insurance rates in Canada are totally ridiculous.

Mike T.

Yeah, ridiculously cheap, depending on where you live.

In BC, my daily driver 405 costs me $800 CDN per year to insure. work >15 km, 2 million liability, fire/theft/glass $100 deductible, no collision. No traffic violations since 1990, age 42. No collisions since 1981. No collision insurance is necessary because the car is worth less than the premium would be They'd write it off for a door ding.

My Dad insures our C 230 K and it costs him $1200 CDN for full insurance: pleasure only (he's retired), 2 million liability, fire/theft/glass $100 deductible, $100 collision, new car replacement insurance for 3 years. No traffic violations since 1998 in Manitoba (caught going 145 km/h in a 100 zone in my Peugeot 405), age 77. No collisions since 1974.

Basic insurance is through Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), optional coverages through private insurers. Maybe socialised car insurance is not that bad, eh?

vyse

... and insurance is ridiculously expensive anywhere else in Canada! I pay $7000 year! Dont' even think about getting a BMW, I've seen my friends pay more than $10000 a year if you drive something like a 330CI.