Auto Premium Hikes Due to Unrelated Claim Filed By Excluded Driver

[Ryan Winters]

Hello,

I currently hold a Progressive policy that I pay premiums for every 6 months. My renewal notice just informed me that my 6-month premiums went from $1300 to nearly $2000. I initially had no idea why because I've had zero traffic infractions myself in the last 6 months. But I did some digging and found out that an "excluded driver" on my policy (my dad, who himself has no coverage with Progressive nor has ever stepped foot inside my car) filed a claim on one of his own cars thru American Family back in September due to a not-at-fault hit and run accident. Upon calling Progressive, they said they got a report from CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) that referenced this claim, which is the reason for my rate hike.

This is quite confusing to me. Why would a not-at-fault claim to a completely separate insurer from a person who isn't even insured by my insurance company have any bearing on the rates that I pay personally? Is this something I can dispute?

Appreciate any help I can get here!

 

[fed up]

Does Dad live in your house?

 

[adjusterjack]

Why would a not-at-fault claim to a completely separate insurer from a person who isn't even insured by my insurance company have any bearing on the rates that I pay personally?

It shouldn't. Even if your Dad and you live in the same household it shouldn't.

Unfortunately, my own recent experience with Progressive is that Progressive lures you in with low rates and then uses any excuse to raise them on renewal.

Is this something I can dispute?

You aren't likely to get very far with customer service.

The following webpage lists corporate executives and their email addresses. You might try rattling one of their cages. You're inquiry will be assigned to a lackey but, at least, it will be a corporate lackey who has the authority to make adjustments if appropriate.

Progressive Customer Service Contacts - Elliott Advocacy

Meantime, I'd be looking for another insurance company.

 

[scagnt83]

It shouldn't. Even if your Dad and you live in the same household it shouldn't.

Unfortunately, my own recent experience with Progressive is that Progressive lures you in with low rates and then uses any excuse to raise them on renewal.

Same here. Switched to MetLife, but their customer service was lacking... and webportal was in the darkages. Now Im with Allstate and have been very happy so far. Pricing beat both Met and Progressive.

 

[adjusterjack]

Don't completely abandon Met Life:

he Farmers Insurance Group® has acquired the MetLife Auto & Home business from MetLife, Inc. MetLife Auto & Home is no longer affiliated with MetLife, Inc. and its affiliates. The Farmers Insurance Group is now responsible for MetLife Auto & Home’s activities and is happy to assist you with your policy going forward.

 

[scagnt83]

Don't completely abandon Met Life:

he Farmers Insurance Group® has acquired the MetLife Auto & Home business from MetLife, Inc. MetLife Auto & Home is no longer affiliated with MetLife, Inc. and its affiliates. The Farmers Insurance Group is now responsible for MetLife Auto & Home’s activities and is happy to assist you with your policy going forward.

Good to know. Might give them a second chance in the future.

What finally drove me away from them was an unexpected premium increase. I opened a store credit card for a special financing offer on a large purchase. At renewal, Met claimed I had "excessive credit cards for my credit profile & history". I had 3 normal credit cards, all around a 15% utilization rate. With the new card, my total utilization rate was around 20%. How that is excessive, I have no clue, credit score was over 700. But that combined with a horrendous website and very long wait times for customer service, was enough for me. It felt like just an excuse to raise rates and not a decent reason.

 

[Allen Trent]

What state? Some states, especially no fault have an order of priority of who is responsible in a claim for medical injuries & court cases have forced carriers to pay for claims for excluded drivers
Some states laws don't allow the carrier to exclude mandatory coverages like medical, property damage & bodily injury.

So, let's say your dad is riding in or even driving another person's car or walking in the street or riding a bike & is hit by a car. It might look to his own policy 1st, if any active policy. Then look to at fault party, if insured & didn't flee scene. Then look to owner of the vehicle if insured. Then look to who he lives in house with. In Michigan for many years, even after all those situations, they would just hand the claim of medical bills to the next insurance company in line to pay the claim under the Assigned claims facility. In other bizarre situations, like if you gave your mom permission to drive your car, she can later allow him drive by her giving him permission to him to drive & the carrier get stuck paying claims

I know, I know some won't believe me, but here is a link where carrier had to pay the claims of people specifically excluded from policies. Here is one article (and refers to 2 others) where an excluded driver was driving & receiving oral sex from the girlfriend that was a permissive driver. Even though the father who owned the car testified for the insurer as did the injured son, the court ruled in favor of the hospital to get paid by the auto insurer for the medical bills related to the injuries sustained from oral sex at time of crash. Can't make this stuff up:. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2012/07/joyriding_crash_pits_spectrum.html