Beware - Re: The moral of the story...(long) (archive)

I don't know about CA, but in Louisiana, I tell you what they can do. I had my deductable at $0.00 for years. I had a run of bad luck - two broken windows, one to steal my radar detector and one to steal the cigarette lighter (my take on this below), a broken window (with stolen radio) plus two "incidents (what my insurance co called them) where people hit me from the rear when stopped (one where I stopped for a red light and the fool behind me, who was going to run it, thought I was also going to run it and slammed into me, and another where someone was just wasn't paying attention) - during a five year period (actually from first to last was about 4.5 years). The three claims were all paid in full by my insurance co, however, just before my next insurance period, I got a cancellation notice. No tickets, no accidents my (or drivers of my car's) fault and I was looking at my rates doubling. I was told I was a "nuisance" customer. If you don't believe the rates will double, try inquiring about insurance and tell them you were cancelled. At the suggestion of a friend who was an insurance agent, I asked my insurance co if they would they continue to provide me with insurance if I cancelled comprehensive and only carried liability, since my claims were comprehensive. My agent submitted the request to the underwritter, who suprisingly agreed. I had to pay off my car (comprehensive was required by the loan) and live without comprehensive for a year and a half until they agreed to carry it again. I do not believe that my rates went up (on the portion of insurance I carried - the overall rate went down) , but it was 10 years ago and I am not sure on that. I now carry $500 deductable and will not make a claim unless it is for significant money.

Regarding the breaking of a window to steal the cigarette lighter (a $150 claim on a Honda CRX Si). This was four days after the radar detector was stolen. I had the detector hard wired and the wiring was not taken. I believe it was young kids who took the radar detector and of course, they could not use it without a cord. They (conjecture here) were told that it plugged into the cigarette lighter, so they broke into the car again and stole that. That was the fifth claim and the one that got my insurance co to decide to cancel.

Just thought I would let you know my experience with $0.00 deductable.

Hugh "Rosty" Manson

Keep your comprehensive deductible low. Mine is $o.oo. Only cost me a dollar or two more a month. Anything happens to the car (rock hits window, paint chip in hood, keyed, rims get nicked up) and I file a claim. In CA, insurance cannot raise your premiums for things that weren't your fault. Few people realize that insurance does more for you than just help in traffic accidents. This is completely legal.

I keep my collision at $500

and it's just a beige mitsu galant. some people are in just desperate need of removal from the gene pool. i'd say mandatory castration so that such mental defects are not propagated.

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