pasotex
2,500+ Posts
Until a little over a month ago, I was insuring three cars and three drivers. I had a 4-Runner, a TL, and an Accord. When my oldest daughter went back to college, her mom (my ex-wife) gave her a G-35. We sold the 4-Runner to my oldest daughter's cousin so I waited a few days after the sale and then called my insurance agent up and told him to drop the 4-Runner and my oldest daughter from my insurance coverage. I figured this would save me around $70-80 a month which is cool considering I have been providing the car, gas, and insurance since my oldest was 16 (she turns 21 in a few months). I really didn't think much about it until I got the revised insurance card which showed three drivers and only two cars. The charge had dropped about $80, but it showed my oldest daughter as the primary driver of my wife's car. I called my insurance agent again and left a message that I wanted my daughter dropped from the policy. I heard nothing.
About three weeks ago, I leased a 2011 Subaru Outback through my firm. Since it was a lease, I had to make one minor modification to the insurance and reduce the deuctible for the Outback from $1,000 to $500. I received the insurance policy Friday before last. My rates went through the roof. It was suddenly costing me just as much to insure two cars as it cost me to insure three. This miracle occurred because the insurance agent made my oldest daughter (under 21 driver) the driver of the Outback. It suddenly cost $880.77 to insure the car for six months or about double what the TL cost.
I called my agent that night and was forwarded to State Farm's after hours service. They were unable to drop my daughter without the acquisence of my agent. I was a little unhappy with this development so decided to get a quote from Progressive. It turns out that I can get 250/500/100 instead of 100/300/50 and a $500 deductible on both cars for $722 for six months (a savings of about $100 a month or $1,200 a year).
So I talk to my insurance agent Monday of last week. He refused to drop my daughter from the insurance and claimed that in the event she gets in an accident that I would be sued and State Farm would be obligated to defend both of us. I ask him under what theory I could be sued if she was driving a car furnished to her and insured by my ex-wife. He then tells me that I can drop her if I get him a copy of the declaration page from my ex-wife's insurance showing my daughter is covered by her insurance. I could get this, but I would rather just switch insurance companies than deal with my ex-wife over this issue. I am also very upset with what I consider very unethical and shady business practices on this issue.
My questions are:
(1) Has anyone ever had an insurance agent refuse to drop an insured from your policy? Isn't this completely my decision?
(2) Under what theory can I or State Farm be brought in to lawsuit for my daughter driving my ex-wife's car in Dallas? The only way you typically get to a parent is through some negligent entrustment claim, right? State Farm does not insure the G-35 (I think they have USAA) and my daugher has never had an accident that was her fault. And probably most importantly, I don't own the G-35 and have no cotrol over it at all.
(3) Should I complain to the State Board of Insurance about this?
I will probably just let it go, but this really made me mad over what I perceive as my agent's unethical attempt to keep my premiums about the same even though I no longer have 3 cars or a young driver.
About three weeks ago, I leased a 2011 Subaru Outback through my firm. Since it was a lease, I had to make one minor modification to the insurance and reduce the deuctible for the Outback from $1,000 to $500. I received the insurance policy Friday before last. My rates went through the roof. It was suddenly costing me just as much to insure two cars as it cost me to insure three. This miracle occurred because the insurance agent made my oldest daughter (under 21 driver) the driver of the Outback. It suddenly cost $880.77 to insure the car for six months or about double what the TL cost.
I called my agent that night and was forwarded to State Farm's after hours service. They were unable to drop my daughter without the acquisence of my agent. I was a little unhappy with this development so decided to get a quote from Progressive. It turns out that I can get 250/500/100 instead of 100/300/50 and a $500 deductible on both cars for $722 for six months (a savings of about $100 a month or $1,200 a year).
So I talk to my insurance agent Monday of last week. He refused to drop my daughter from the insurance and claimed that in the event she gets in an accident that I would be sued and State Farm would be obligated to defend both of us. I ask him under what theory I could be sued if she was driving a car furnished to her and insured by my ex-wife. He then tells me that I can drop her if I get him a copy of the declaration page from my ex-wife's insurance showing my daughter is covered by her insurance. I could get this, but I would rather just switch insurance companies than deal with my ex-wife over this issue. I am also very upset with what I consider very unethical and shady business practices on this issue.
My questions are:
(1) Has anyone ever had an insurance agent refuse to drop an insured from your policy? Isn't this completely my decision?
(2) Under what theory can I or State Farm be brought in to lawsuit for my daughter driving my ex-wife's car in Dallas? The only way you typically get to a parent is through some negligent entrustment claim, right? State Farm does not insure the G-35 (I think they have USAA) and my daugher has never had an accident that was her fault. And probably most importantly, I don't own the G-35 and have no cotrol over it at all.
(3) Should I complain to the State Board of Insurance about this?
I will probably just let it go, but this really made me mad over what I perceive as my agent's unethical attempt to keep my premiums about the same even though I no longer have 3 cars or a young driver.
