The AARP and you!

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  • Last Post 28 October 2015
joeb33050 posted this 18 October 2015

My auto insurance experience was in Massachusetts, where rates are set by the state-no price competition.In Florida, auto insurance is incomprehensable, 6 month policies?, stacked? The AARP advertised “AARP-The Hartford” for auto insurance, so in 2001 I signed up. Costly, but Florida. Lotsa old folks running into each other. In the spring of 2015 I was buying home owners insurance at a local-Marathon FL-agency, mentioned the high cost of AARP-The Hartford, the nice lady called them as I sat there and got me a $125 refund because we drive less than 10,000 miles per year. The nice lady and the agency had nothing to do with my auto insurance, just a favor.I had a vague memory of having to report mileage on the car, years ago. I called AARP-The Hartford, Laura told me that it was my responsibility to ask for the lower-mileage-rate, and that nobody got money back for prior years. Me included. They got it, they keep it. Anyhow, with the $125 reduction, my annual premium plummeted from $1697 to $1552. I know, it's the new math. We moved to Lady Lake, I called Laura, the address was changed and I got another $66 back, the premium fell to $1351. This all for the year Oct 24, 2014-Oct. 24, 2015.

A couple of weeks ago I got my new offer of insurance-the bill- from AARP-The Hartford. Oct. 24 2015 to Oct 24, 2016. The cost was $1389. I bought home owners insurance from a local agency when we moved up here to Lady Lake, so I took the offer/bill and went to the agency to see if I was buying too much insurance. The agency sells insurance from The Hartford. The nice man looked at the offer/bill and told me that I had about the right insurance coverage, and I asked him if he would sell me the auto insurance, thinking that he would get a commission on the sale. It's all The Hartford, right?

He attacked the computer, mumbled amazed, keyed in some more, and sold me the same coverage, from The Hartford, for $705. $1389 or $705, same policy, same company, AARP helping out the elderly.  We sat there and compared everything-it's the same. Yesterday I got the policy in the mail, compared again, it's the same. So, for 14 years both the AARP and The Hartford have been screwing me on auto insurance. Not a little, a lot.

What's in your glove compartment?

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billglaze posted this 18 October 2015

oh, yeah. It gets better. I was insured with them for years, and when I inquired about their rate without AARP membership, I was told it was the same as with membership--I was just curious at first, because I had already gotten out of AARP; their views no longer were congruent with mine. I got away from Hartford when they wouldn't insure my motorcycles; went with Liberty Mutual, stayed with them until I got price from Nationwide, nearly $700 cheaper. My brother in my home town (Las Vegas) got prices from half-a-dozen companies; the highest? Geico. We're definitely being held hostage, IMHO.

Bill

In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. My fate is not entirely in Gods hands, if I have a weapon in mine.

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R. Dupraz posted this 19 October 2015

Both of you have  found out what AARP really is. Nothing more that a legalized scam that has made and is making a few people very wealthy on the backs of the so called elderly. All one has to do is to take a close look at the organization and how it operates.      All one has to do to realize all their great benefits is do your own negotiating and  some shopping. And without paying extra for the privilege. Where do you suppose that “extra” goes? Along with some other things.    They will never get a single penny from me.     

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LWesthoff posted this 19 October 2015

I decided I didn't want any part of AARP long ago, because of their anti-gun position. I don't believe they've changed their position since, and I haven't changed mine, either.

Wes

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John Alexander posted this 19 October 2015

It ain't just AARP. I have had a similar experience to Joe's because I trusted my car insurance to a local agent.  He assured that as my agent he was searching to get me the best policy for the money as your agent is ethically bound to do.  I believe he was.  When he retired I stayed with the same agency and after several premium raises checked the competition and found I could save about 40%.

Their view of being the customer's agent was to maximize their profit like an ordinary open market vendor.  Their view of “agent” was similar to Arthur Anderson's view of their responsibility to the public and the shareholders and employees of Enron.

My car dealer always finds $200 to $500 dollars worth of stuff that “should be” fixed every time I get my oil changed. They have a very serious face but I don't do anything without a second opinion and it's usually BS.  The last time they found an engine oil leak that they could fixed for under $600.  I have never seen one drop of oil on the garage floor and I go 15 - 20,000 miles between oil changes and never need a quart. The car has 180,00 miles on it and is running great with great mileage. I'm sure this unethical tactic works with many car owners and is a big share of their profits.  Is there another word than theft?

After several instances with banks, credit cards, insurance companies and others I have reluctantly concluded the business plan of many business is to defraud the customer if possible. Business ethics seems to be an oxymoron to many business. John

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Tom Acheson posted this 19 October 2015

If I remember correctly, the Barry's take over of our “health care” was supported by the AARP.

Tom

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gpidaho posted this 19 October 2015

I started getting their junk mail before I was fifty. Any group that puppy dog anxious to sell something has to be a scam. AARP mail hits the trash can on the way to the house. Gp

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John Carlson posted this 19 October 2015

Tom Acheson wrote: If I remember correctly, the Barry's take over of our “health care” was supported by the AARP.

TomI believe they actually opposed the law until it was changed to allow them to sell supplemental insurance resulting in a few billion in potential profits.:dude:

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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Brodie posted this 19 October 2015

John, that sounds more like the AARP. “We are there for you and your money!” Should be their slogan.

B.E.Brickey

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oscarflytyer posted this 20 October 2015

No interest in AARP at all. Nothing for me. Started getting the propaganda crap from them at 50 (now 53). Only positive in the household is that the kids (5 boys) get a kick out of it and rib me. I tell them to be careful as I still know a lot of dirty tricks to whip their a$$! Usually quiets them down. Guess AARP does give me a bennie!

PS: USAA insurance for 30 years. All my boys and DILs love it too!

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 20 October 2015

YUP. USAA since 1972. Two thumbs up.

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mike44 posted this 20 October 2015

Not just AARP is right! If you have Allstate ask your agent if you are rated through Allstate indemnity or Allstate fire and casualty. There is a difference in premium for the same coverage. Joes experience with aarp was similar to mine with Allstate's nonsense.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 20 October 2015

in an earlier life i wuz in the insurance ” business ” ... i left when 2 showers a day just wasn't enough ...

the best coverage will be found from LOCAL mutuals ... shop around because some are not quite as mutual as others ... what the heck is a nation-wide mutual ? ” question everything ” ...

i believe many of these scams live on because they take advantage of we older folks from the 50's and 60's .... a time when you could ....usually .... trust a promise and a handshake ...

also ... when we were working, since we like cars, my wife and i had 5 or 8 cars ... the insurance folks never explained why each car needed full coverage ... since at most only 2 cars were on the road at a time ..... it did affirm their attitude i guess ...

ken

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tturner53 posted this 20 October 2015

John, sounds like a good car. What is it if you don't mind me asking?

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gnoahhh posted this 20 October 2015

"The only difference between The Church, insurance companies, and dope dealers, is two of 'ems legal and one of 'em ain't."

I'm paying a bit less than $1000/year, and I shop around every year at bill time. I just can't seem to get a break- but that's ok, I'm not complaining.

One time, years ago, our new local Erie insurance agent cold-called on us at home late one night. Very weird. His visit was beneficial though. He had noticed we were insuring eight cars we had registered for the road (my then wife and I had a little bit of a problem with a British roadster addiction), and suggested we let him put us into a Fleet Rate which saved us many hundreds of dollars per year. The only time I ever knew an insurance man to go out of his way to help me get a better deal.

As for AARP, bleh. They may have started out with good intentions years ago, but now...

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Mustafa Curtess posted this 21 October 2015

I just naturally take offense at lowering the status of dope-dealers down to that of churches and insurance companies. AARP seemed like a good deal, at first - until I saw them coming down real heavily against senior-citizen drivers - which exposed them as nothing more than another insurance sales organization. But my experience with Hartford Auto Insurance differs dramatically from the comments above. When I discovered the (astonishing!) advantages of switching from a big-name commercial bank - to a regionally-oriented credit-union, I also looked into its insurance affiliation. I merely gave them my existing (Wells-Fargo) auto insurance policy and asked them if they could do better. The agent said that only by a few cents. But just as I was leaving, the person said “just a moment! - This appears to be only a 6 month policy, and this is the rate that Hartford issues for 12 months. My age and accident-free record placed me in a “highly-targeted” category - which cut my premiums by exactly one-half. When my new policy was actually written - it turned out that there are a couple of very valuable accessory benefits. So, from the above observations, I can only conclude that whoever one buys insurance from, is vastly more important than the name of the company on the policy. Geez! I have really “premium” liability AND comprehensive auto insurance from a Hartford affiliate for $800 per year for two vehicles. Plus, it has been explained to me that if certain idiotic State mandates could be repealed -it would be even cheaper. This was so dramatic, that it inspired me to look a bit further into the effect that state political involvement has actually had on auto insurance costs.

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2coldhere posted this 23 October 2015

AARP sends me a membership application every couple of months or so. I like the membership cards for smoothing wet epoxy on my cedar strip boats.

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John Alexander posted this 23 October 2015

tturner53 wrote: John, sounds like a good car. What is it if you don't mind me asking? The car is a Toyota Corolla although I have had a similar experience other Toyotas and with a Honda Civic.  I can't believe it but the oil looks new and clean after 15,000 miles and still near the top dipstick mark.  Maybe it's from only changing it every 15 -20,000 miles instead of every 3,000 as my local mechanic says I should. 

I don't know what they have done to piston rings since I used to change them after 60-70,000 miles and the oil would be black at the end of the first 200 miles after an oil and filter change. Whatever it is the results are like magic. John

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 23 October 2015

my 1988 toyota 4 runner ( deer plow ) has 225,000 miles on it ...in this rust belt not much left but the frame and windshield ( g ) but like an old family dog i can't bear to put it down ....

. i change mobil 1 every 10-12000 miles, and filter each 3000 miles .... oil always looks clean .

all without AARP membership !!

i carry only liability ... about $25 a month here in iowa ...

ken

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Bob 11B50 posted this 24 October 2015

Years ago, 1986, I read in The Rifleman, I think, that AARP was anti gun.  I checked it somewhere and they were.  I never had anything to do with them.  Still got their c..p in the mail and returned it to them writing on the envelop that the mail was refused.  Their adverts didn't stop until I returned their mail with rocks included.  Finally they stopped sending their junk to me.   I carry my auto and homeowners with USAA and have been insured by them since the '60s.  They have been good to us. Bob 11B50 

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M3 Mitch posted this 28 October 2015

John Alexander wrote: It ain't just AARP. I have had a similar experience to Joe's because I trusted my car insurance to a local agent.  He assured that as my agent he was searching to get me the best policy for the money as your agent is ethically bound to do.  I believe he was.  When he retired I stayed with the same agency and after several premium raises checked the competition and found I could save about 40%.

Their view of being the customer's agent was to maximize their profit like an ordinary open market vendor.  Their view of “agent” was similar to Arthur Anderson's view of their responsibility to the public and the shareholders and employees of Enron.

My car dealer always finds $200 to $500 dollars worth of stuff that “should be” fixed every time I get my oil changed. They have a very serious face but I don't do anything without a second opinion and it's usually BS.  The last time they found an engine oil leak that they could fixed for under $600.  I have never seen one drop of oil on the garage floor and I go 15 - 20,000 miles between oil changes and never need a quart. The car has 180,00 miles on it and is running great with great mileage. I'm sure this unethical tactic works with many car owners and is a big share of their profits.  Is there another word than theft?

After several instances with banks, credit cards, insurance companies and others I have reluctantly concluded the business plan of many business is to defraud the customer if possible. Business ethics seems to be an oxymoron to many business. John

I have an old 87 Camry, 3S-FE engine, 2 liter.  Due to a previous owner's or his mechanic's incompetence, had oil leaking into the coolant so pulled the head to change head gasket.  This at 160K miles.  The cylinder bores looked completely new, I scratched around with a fingernail trying to find any hint of a ridge near the top of ring travel, no ridge at all.  This one also goes about 2K miles before the oil even starts to turn dark.  Using Castrol High Mileage oil in this one, it's a reasonably priced oil (the distributor seal leaks, couple of other minor oil leaks so I don't spring for Redline) so I do change oil at about 7500 miles. 

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