Germania Insurance

B

bradford702

100+ Posts
Looking at switching my homeowners and automobile insurance to Germania and I am looking for some comments from those who had used their services before. Would you or would you not recommend them? I have been with State Farm since I was 16 and later when I bought a house. Claims have always been handled quickly and without a problem.
 
I had them for homeowners for a while, and some people I work with currently have them for their insurance. I switched to Texas Farm Bureau for both H.O. and auto. Germania's H.O. has probably the best rates in my area, SE Texas of any carriers . During Ike they paid the two guy's claims without hassle. It took a little longer for them to get their money than it did me, mainly because Ike was pretty devasting and Germania doesn't have near the support staff of Texas Farm Bureau.

I switched to Texas Farm Bureau because the discount on auto insurance for having a companion policy was greater. I will make a plug for Farm Bureau, they pay quick. After Rita they paid me within 7 days for a new fence and after Ike they paid me 1000.00 dollars for living expenses ( no electricity)within 10 days.
 
While Snake Farm is an evil company at least they use standard forms. From what I can tell, Germia is a farm mutual and farm mutuals generally write their own policies that DO NOT provide the same coverages as normal insurance companies. Some have burglary forms that won't pay unless the thief actually broke something getting in. If they pick a lock or find an unlocked door or window, they won't pay. If they don't cut a chain to get your tractor or generatopr, they won't pay. They usually have VERY reduced water damage provisions and they often sell only a named peril policy, not the standard All-risk policy. There is a reason why they are cheaper other than that they are a "mutual" company in most cases.

Adjustors from these types of companies are usually not very bright. While not usually evil, they also don't understand the legal effects of their own forms and will stubbornly insist they cover only that which they have been told they cover as opposed to what their contract with you says they cover. Sometimes this can work in your favor, but usually not.
 
I had Germania because they seemed solid. I didn't have to claim one thing then they decided to up my homeowner's rate by about 400 in one year. Broke up with them and got back together with USAA. Hopefully not a frying pan into fire type thing but their rates were significantly cheaper.

I love how building cost stay static or decrease, home values decrease and I make no claims but my rates go up. And I don't live anywhere near the coast.
 
Germania is comprised of a small group of Texas companies located in Brenham.

They wrote about $165M premium in their Farm Mutual company in 2008, which is exempt from rate and form regulation.

In 2008 they also wrote $70M in personal auto through Germania Select I.C., $29M in Homeowners and Commercial P&C through Germania I.C. and $14M in Personal auto and homeowners through Germania Fire & Casualty. 2009 numbers not reported yet. The policy forms for these companies are reviewed by and approved by the Department of Insurance. Rates are File and Use.

For 2007 through 2009, they've had a total of 16 justified consumer complaints for all companies, so they're doing something right.

For the record, I was insured by Germania for homeowners and auto insurance for most of the '80s with great service and excellant claims handling (1 auto and 1 HO claim).

For more info check the companies at: https://apps.tdi.state.tx.us/pcci/pcci_search.jsp

For help shopping for insurance: The Link
 
I would just echo Nick's caution to make sure you know what you're purchasing. Back in the days of standard HO-B forms, you could pretty much price shop without any worry that you were screwing yourself. Now, it's almost impossible for a layperson to know if they're comparing apples to apples when comparing policies. If you go through an agent, make sure they explain the coverage to you in detail.

There's a long list of things I don't like about the insurance department, but getting away from standard policies has screwed the public more than anything else the department's done, and that's saying a lot.
 
"Now, it's almost impossible for a layperson to know if they're comparing apples to apples when comparing policies."

Not so. Link off of helpinsure to OPIC's policy comparison function: The Link

"There's a long list of things I don't like about the insurance department, but getting away from standard policies has screwed the public more than anything else the department's done, and that's saying a lot."

Not so. The Legislature enacted the statutes permitting insurers to use their own policies/policy forms, beginning on a limited basis for residential property insurance in 1991, subject to the commissioner of insurance's approval.
 
"Most Auto portions of a company are profitable. Most Fire(HO) portions aren't."

Not really. Prior to Ike HO loss ratios were probably at their lowest in a decade. Many co's LRs in the 30s and 40s.
 
From now on, anybody making assertions or claims should send a pm to you know who before posting. Just saying.
 
From a roofing contractor's perspective, I'm not really much of a fan of Germania (or Hochheim Prairie, for that matter).

Under pay the claims in comparison to 90% of the other insurers, don't include all the same components evenly, won't negotiate on a whole lotta much & generally don't care about the estimates a customer gets unless it's a figure below their estimate.

YMMV, but I don't care for them much.

PS: Never had a problem with either co's speed to make payments either for the initial claim, depreciation or approved supplementals.

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