Putting a Dent in Your Auto Insurance Bill: Many Boston Area Consumers Can Save Hundreds by Changing Auto Insurance

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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Who Rates Best (& Worst) in the Boston Area? Now You'll Know.

Automobiles--Insurance

	When it comes to auto insurance, carelessness can cost big money and big trouble. Carelessness, that is, about your choice of company and coverage. Now that the state is allowing insurance companies some leeway in setting their own rates, we've found that many Boston area consumers will save hundreds of dollars-and avoid second-rate service-by simply choosing the right auto insurance company. We break down your options, with ratings of insurers for price and service, and also advise you on which coverage options are and aren't worth the cost. From Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK Magazine
	Read our article and findings (available exclusively to CHECKBOOK subscribers)	Back to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK Table of Contents.


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	Name	Number of ratings	Checkbook's top rating for quality ()	What percent of customers rated firm "adequate" or "superior" on our survey for "Not unreasonably raising premium as a result of claim(s)"	What percent of customers rated firm "adequate" or "superior" on our survey for "Not unreasonably cutting coverage as a result of claim(s)"
1.	Amica Mutual	205 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
2.	Arbella	72 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
3.	Citizen's/Hanover	43 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
4.	Commerce	343 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
5.	Electric	20 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
6.	Encompass	11 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
7.	Liberty Mutual	165 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
8.	Metropolitan	74 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
9.	Norfolk & Dedham		Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
10.	OneBeacon/White Mountains	30 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
11.	Plymouth Rock	56 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
12.	Progressive		Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
13.	Quincy Mutual	15 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
14.	Safety	108 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
15.	Travelers/Premier	53 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
16.	USAA	110 ratings	Available exclusively to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK subscribers Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.

Subscriber Comments/Reviews

CHECKBOOK provides subscriber comments on their experiences with the firms they use. Please remember that individual subscriber comments are informal. Subscriber comments may give you insight into the types of features and problems that exist in a service field, but are not the best basis for selecting or rejecting a specific firm. To assess the quality of a firm's performance, we recommend that you give more weight to the percentages of favorable ratings. Those percentages are generally based on much larger numbers of consumers' ratings (the number of consumer ratings is noted above).

Subscriber from ANDOVER, MA wrote about LIBERTY MUTUAL, , on 09/09/09: Seems to have improved customer since the previous claim.......

Subscriber from WEYMOUTH, MA wrote about COMMERCE, , on 09/08/09: quick and easy.......

Subscriber from HAVERHILL, MA wrote about LIBERTY MUTUAL, , on 08/24/09: Really appreciate accident forgiveness policy........

Subscriber from WESTFORD, MA wrote about METROPOLITAN, , on 08/24/09: Metropolitan told me that if I submit a claim that my rates would rise -..........

Subscriber from ACTON, MA wrote about COMMERCE, , on 08/19/09: Claim representative responded very reasonably when confronted with an opposing view, i.e. I was able..........

Subscriber from MEDFORD, MA wrote about COMMERCE, , on 08/13/09: Consistently been an excellent performer from complex near total collision to simple broken glass........

Subscriber from MEDFORD, MA wrote about PLYMOUTH ROCK, , on 08/11/09: Plymouth Rock is balking at coming out to photograph my car since it has been..........

Subscriber from CHELMSFORD, MA wrote about PLYMOUTH ROCK, , on 07/19/09: They were the carrier for the person who rear-ended my car. They handled the claim..........

Subscriber from BURLINGTON, MA wrote about ONEBEACON/WHITE MOUNTAINS, , on 07/07/09: Experienced vindictiveness from an employee after responding to a customer service questionnaire regarding service.......

Subscriber from NATICK, MA wrote about ARBELLA MUTUAL, , on 09/05/08: Am getting runaround between car insurer, health insurer and claimants. They all claim it's the..........

Subscriber from ASHLAND, MA wrote about LIBERTY MUTUAL, , on 08/30/08: very satisfied with my treatment.......

Subscriber from LEXINGTON, MA wrote about TRAVELERS/PREMIER, , on 08/11/08: especially liked their Concierge evaluations in Woburn, a drive-in claim center........

Subscriber from SHERBORN, MA wrote about USAA, , on 08/06/08: I have insured with USAA for 51 years. I would not do business with any..........

Subscriber from ARLINGTON, MA wrote about LIBERTY MUTUAL, , on 08/01/08: my car was hit twice in one month and liberty mutual was great both times!.......

Subscriber from NEWTON, MA wrote about LIBERTY MUTUAL, , on 10/18/07: Too eager to total my low mileage car, rather than pay to fix it, as..........

Subscriber from BOSTON, MA wrote about AMICA MUTUAL, , on 09/29/07: We have been with AMICA for over 30 years and have always received great service........

Subscriber from NEEDHAM, MA wrote about AMICA MUTUAL, , on 09/18/07: It is always a pleasure to deal with AMICA........

Subscriber from WAYLAND, MA wrote about USAA, , on 09/12/07: Have been happy customers for 37 years. Car was severely damaged in collision; appraiser thought..........

Subscriber from CAMBRIDGE, MA wrote about SAFETY INSURANCE, , on 09/12/07: Good support systems in place; web access to current claims information; good back-up if something..........

Subscriber from NORTH ANDOVER, MA wrote about AMICA MUTUAL, , on 08/01/07: 2 out of 4 claims that we have filed with Amica have been denied. We..........

Subscriber from WATERTOWN, MA wrote about ONE BEACON, , on 05/25/07: Would not pay me and would not subrogate against party that damaged my car. Actually..........

Subscriber from MAYNARD, MA wrote about SAFETY INSURANCE, , on 04/05/07: I mainly interacted with my insurance agency, Thomas A. Cocco Insurance (Maynard). I attribute the..........

Subscriber from NATICK, MA wrote about AMICA MUTUAL, , on 10/19/06: Staff are all patient and friendly with good service - and mostly helpful explanations about..........

Subscriber from WALTHAM, MA wrote about TRAVELERS/PREMIER, , on 10/16/06: The other driver was at fault, so cannot judge premium increases. Very fast and professional..........

Subscriber from WESTFORD, MA wrote about TRAVELERS/PREMIER, , on 10/11/06: Argumentative, sarcastic, unresponsive and unreasonable........

See more comments at Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK.

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