Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Insurance suggestions
From:David Beierl
Date:Thu, 20 May 2010 12:17:58 -0400

At 11:03 AM 5/20/2010, Don Hanson wrote:
>  But I will say  "due diligence' is called for when you go to get insurance.

Agreed.  That being said, in past years when Consumer Reports has
checked out insurance companies, there's been a strong tendency for
either USAA or State Farm to come out on top, with the other one
second.  Allstate has had miserable ratings.  Last time I looked at
this stuff was probably ten years ago, but the above had been true
for a number of years before.

USAA only sell to people with some present or prior family connection
with the military.  I have been their customer since 1976 and they've
always treated me fairly, including fixing my Westy instead of
totalling it, essentially because I pleaded with them.  Pleaded isn't
the right word, but I made the point as well as I could over the
phone that I simply wanted to be "made whole" and that their
cash-value appraisal of the vehicle wasn't going to do it.  They
essentially said "we'll think about it" and came back a day or two
later with approval to fix the thing (sideswiped by an out-of-control
uninsured sliding down an icy hill -- nothing structural but all the
left-side body panels and the service inlets were ruined).

They also later agreed to insure the thing as an RV even though it
didn't have a fixed toilet.  A bit cheaper and covered all factory
equipment and furniture.

Yours,
David