[slovcan]

Hi folks,

I just had a disturbing phone call from Allstate. She said something about Allstate can't insure my V-Strom even though they renewed the insurance on it on Saturday and confirmed it with an email and temporary liability card. I think she may have said something about it being a sport bike, but I don't know because the line went dead (bad mobile service in Nova Scotia).

If what she said is true, I will need a new insurance company for both bikes, car, truck and house. I need recommendations from your experiences, please.

Thank you,
Glenn

 

[slovcan]

Maybe try a local broker and they will shop around and find the best for your situation and area?

Yeah, that is a thought. Why don't I ever think of that? Thanks man.

 

[slovcan]

I use Echelon for the bikes (have to get to them through a broker, I use NFP) and TD for the house and cars. Td is a bit more expensive than I'd like, but I've had 2 claims in the past 3 years (one at fault when my son totalled my Kia Soul, and one not when someone hit me while I was stopped at a red light). Both were handled flawlessly, promptly, and I was well compensated for my losses both times.

Thank you. Echelon, hmmm, that's a new one on me. I guess I should start broker shopping.

 

[slovcan]

Thank you, guys! All great information. Talk to a broker. Aviva and Intact I've heard of. I'm a CAA member and had travel insurance through them before. I'm also a Costco member and had travel insurance through them before at lower cost than CAA. So, I'll check with both of them, as well. And yes, I will get all insurance with the same outfit. That's what I did with Allstate. I will give them one chance to fix whatever is wrong today. Then, if they don't fix it, they lose everything. Like someone said, though, they won't care if they lose a $2,000/year client.

 

[slovcan]

Well, good folks, here's today's update. After emailing my local insurance agent (calling just goes to a call center), they worked on it all day. Their underwriter dept said I had to sign a form acknowledging that they wouldn't pay more than $12,307 if my bike got written off. I asked why because I don't have collision coverage and the bike is 20 years old and worth about a third of that (worth every penny to me!). They are trying to get an answer, but agree it is stupid. Now, last night's agent that phoned wrote to say it was a glitch because she didn't realize they had insured the bike before. A mistake, not a glitch. Anyway, it's over. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

 

[slovcan]

Still might be worth your time to shop around and see what else may be out there.

Absolutely. No time at the moment unless forced into it. House shopping right now and failing miserably. Bloody infuriating.

 

[slovcan]

Time to move and be with your family, did I mentioned we only have one tax...no HST

And the cheapest fuel in Canada.

 

[slovcan]

I'm in the Halifax area. I have an '83 Honda Shadow that I'm 'rebuilding' (not too successfully!) but found my insurer, RBC (they're owned by Aviva now) refused to insure it because, while I've had a bike license since I was 16, I have never insured a motorcycle ever. Haven't really ridden since I was that age, really. Now, when I was married in my early thirties, RBC offered rates that noone else could even TOUCH. Not even TD with a company discount. I had previously been with Wawanessa and Primum through brokers, going up and down like a yo-yo. I told my broker that if he could come within $400/yr of RBC's rate, I'd have stayed with them. They couldn't even come close to THAT. Now, RBC offered me a good rate on the SV650 I just bought, but I got similar rates through a company here in Dartmouth, I think it was MacLeod Lorway? Oddly enough, they offered a fair rate for my Shadow... through Aviva! Go figure...

Good LUCK with the house thing. I found it hard to get into a place years back. Couldn't even imagine it now. I went with a mini-home for the affordability, but I wouldn't if I had to do over again. For instance, the only reason RBC/Aviva insures me on it is because I HAD insurance on it with them, so I'm grandfathered in. But that could be revoked at any time. Everything is 'in limbo' with the mini-homes, because they're not considered a house, but they're also not a trailer...

When we were looking for a house in Atlantic Canada 6 years ago, we ruled out New Brunswick. They had low house prices, but the was a reason. The insurance companies raised their rates so high that home owners couldn't afford to have insurance. When the bank holding the mortgage found out the house had no insurance they foreclosed and a bunch of people lost their homes. Then these houses getting auctioned off for balance owing and down came the prices of houses in general in NB.

Houses are getting sold down here in the Valley now almost as soon as they are listed and have multiple offers sometimes a hundred thousand over asking. Same story closer to the city.