American National Insurance

[ARG]

Just wanted to pass on some info on American National Insurance. I have recently performed windshield repairs on customers who they insure.

They will waive the deductible, however if the insured files zero claims for 3 years their premium is then reduced by 25%. This appears to be quite an incentive for the insured to pay for repairs. Anyone know of any other companies like this? I would hate to mess someone up on their discount.

ARG

[desertstars]

Arg.

You post another interesting question and I know that you are passing on information which is appreciated.

Fortunately, I've never heard of American National Insurance and backtracking with the &$%%#*@ network I don't see them as a participant. Doesn't mean they aren't.

But, that's not the point of course. You are posing an ethical question with a real regard to your customer's interests.

I see that.

What is happening here?

We are paying for insurance and the insurance companies kick up our premiums every year REGARDLESS of whether or not we turn in a claim.

When we turn in a claim the insurance company still kicks up our premiums. Only more so.

Is there a difference between how MUCH they increase the premium if you replace the windshield as opposed to repairing it?

In other words, ARG, if I decide to have two or three repairs in a year rather than one or two replacements, do I suffer the same rate increase?

Is the increase in premium based on how many claims or dollar volumn of the claims?

Afterall, I saved the insurance company a lot of money by repairing rather than replacing, didn't I?

On the other hand, the insurance company doesn't look at it that way.

They don't absorb the losses. They simply pass their losses on in the form of increased premiums to all of us.

If we ran our businesses that way, we would only need to be concerned about profit because we could pass on our bad decisions and our losses to our customers.

But that is the nature of that beast.

Personally, I don't consider those variables simply because there are too many of them among the insurance companies.

If the customer asks me whether or not their premium will increase, I tell them that the insurance company would rather pay $60 for a repair rather than $150 plus for a replacement.

But. If they want to play it safe, pay me cash for the invoice and then thrash it out themselves with their agent as to whether or not it will kick up their premiun.

What a world we live in. I remember when insurance companies were honest and straightforward instead of the untrustworthy, duplicitous, contractual nit-pickers they are today.

[glassdoctor]

I carry American National for my auto Ins. I may not have all the facts straight, but I don't believe a windshield repair hurts a policyholder.

The 25% discount is a cash back bonus of 3 years claim free, if you have both auto and homeowners insurance with them.

Actually, a bigger issue is that American National has a built-in automatic "discount" of 30% on each vehicle that you "lose" if you have a claim with that vehicle.

They only issue that matters here is whether or not a $50 windshield repair counts as a "claim" against these discount incesntives.

I will check with my agent, but I think windshield repair will not take away the discounts. I had one car I lost the 30% after hitting a deer. I did a repair one another car and nothing happened as far as I know. I admit I haven't really checked into it. I will now.

[ARG]

Glassdoctor:

Thanks for the info, according to one agent here it does count against the discount.

ARG