Buyer Beware - Purchasing Insurance Online... Trick or Treat?

Happy Halloween everyone, I love this time of year! Don’t listen to anyone that says “you are too old for Halloween”. If you think dressing up for Halloween at the age of 31 is wrong, then I don’t want to be right, I think Luther Ingram said that. [tap on the shoulder, he said if loving you is wrong] well whatever you know what I mean! My wife and I are going to be a hot couple (per usual) but this time we get to be…wait for it

Hot Right!?! That is Ragnar and Lagitha from Vikings on History, great show…Where are you going with this Colby? Don’t rush me I am staring at Ragnar..>Wait What?

OK on to the real reason I started this blog, thanks for putting up with my…I mean look at him just evokes power…[ok, youre creeping me out] I received an email from the MAIA, (Massachusetts Associations of Insurance Agents) they send weekly updates of what is going on in the state, a newsletter of sorts. This particular email had to deal with a lawsuit that is currenly pending in Massachusetts

Last week, the U.S. District Court, District Court of Massachusetts handed down a

Memorandum and Order on Motions for Summary Judgment made by Progressive

Direct Insurance Company in lawsuits brought by Wanda Estrada, Walter Estrada,

J.E., Natalie Estrada, Carmen Badillo, and Jose Burgos, individually and on behalf of

all other persons similarly situated, alleging unfair and deceptive practices in the

online sale of automobile insurance policies. The plaintiffs purchased automobile

insurance from Progressive Direct Insurance Company and claim they were denied

personal injury protection (PIP) benefits after they were involved in automobile

accidents because they purchased insurance policies with an $8,000 PIP

deductible. The plaintiffs brought suit against Progressive, contending that they

only purchased policies with a deductible because of Progressive‘s unfair and

deceptive practices. The complaint alleges violations of M.G.L. c. 93A, 176D, and

175. If you want to read the whole Lawsuit here is the link www.massagent.com/info/maoctober302014.pdf#1

This post is not about bashing Progressive (we sell Progressive they are a great company), this is about buying something online when you haven’t done your research or asked a professional. Why would you buy something online if you don’t know everything about it? Especially something as important as Insurance (of any kind). In this particular case they purchased the insurance online, the PIP coverage had a limit of $8000 with a  deductible of $8000. That coverage probably cost $13, (trick or treat?) Its a trick because they didn’t have any coverage for the $13 they spent! Here is the full definition of PIP coverage (starts on page five) http://www.prac.com/public/Plymouthrock/staticfiles/PDF/8thEdition-sm.pdf

If you are buying online to save money, you will lose service. Never sacrifice one for the other. Call me or call another local agent, we are trained to make sure you are getting the right coverage at the right price. Now if you will excuse me I have to go make my costume. Sing it Luther!

Author: Colby Barrows

Welcome to My Blog - First and Last Propaganda Piece

Thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Colby Barrows, I work for Barrows Insurance Agency in Mansfield MA. The business was started by my Grandmother Janice Barrows over 30 years ago. She started the business out of her home with the simple concept of – Providing customers the insurance coverage they needed while giving them the service they wanted.   We provide insurance coverage for anything from daily commuter cars to exotic collectables, starter homes to mansions, lemonade stands to corporations. We have a rate for anything you wish to insure, well almost anything. With that being said, I need to say, I didn’t create this blog to sell you anything. I created this blog to teach you about the insurance industry from the perspective of an agent. I have been an agent for over 10 years, I try to learn something new everyday with the goal of providing my clients with the best advice I can give them.  My hope is to educate the public about the in’s and outs of insurance and how it impacts your daily life. In my 10 years I have probably heard most questions twice but insurance is all encompassing so I know with out a doubt I haven’t heard it all, I doubt anyone has. So ends my propaganda piece…

Someone once said a story without conflict is just propaganda. So every commercial you see on TV hear on the Radio or read on the Internet is just propaganda. Of course it is, why would anyone advertise their product that way? Marketers want to  portray their product as being the end all be all greatest out there, that’s marketing 101, first day stuff…So I ask where does that leave you?

I’ll tell you where, right where you are. Sitting in your underwear scouring the internet reading reviews to make sure the BS they are pedaling is the actual truth; will that Rogaine really grow your hair back to the way it was at junior prom? probably not, but why not check out what people who have used it are saying? The internet is full of crash test dummies that buy everything huge companies are feeding them. We the public then get to go online and read what these people have to say. Its like going to the zoo and watching the zoo keeper feed the monkeys.  If companies told you the good and bad about their product you wouldn’t have to research it. That’s what I am here to do, tell you about the good and bad. I deal with insurance everyday and unless you sell it too then I think it is safe to say I hate it more than you do. Lets face it, insurance sucks no one likes it. Flo is lying to you when she says she loves it. She just loves that you need it and they have (Progressive) a large enough marketing budget to cram it down your throat.

That’s all I have for now, but check back later. Maybe my next post will be about the insurance lawyer who made my life a living hell for a week or maybe I will explain what accident forgiveness really is. You never know, what you should know is I tell it how it is and wont pull any punches. Thanks for reading!

Colby Barrows