Ahhhhh....deep breath. Thank you all for your wisdom and replies! I'm going to look into the companies you suggested as we still have time to change before our old coverage expires. Now that I'm calmer (!), I think I wouldn't have hit the ceiling if yesterday's email from Esurance had included a statement like: "Please note: if this vehicle was purchased within the past XX days, please confirm that the registration has been updated to reflect your ownership" or something to that effect. I simply opened the email and was blasted with the notice that they'd found something that we'd apparently hid from them, and my interpretation of that was that it was slamming our ethics. I'm not saying that very well, but you get my drift. I also find it terribly creepy that they put the full name of a stranger in our email. When we purchased the truck last week from a long-standing reputable dealer, never in any paperwork was the previous owner's name listed. Frankly, we're buying a used truck, and the previous owner's name is none of our business. So that email on top of the previous one that claimed we'd provided inaccurate information about a gap in our coverage on top of our current insurance agent's genial incompetence on several occasions (not that his incompetence had anything to do with Esurance!) was enough to send me around the bend. We have excellent credit and a clean driving record other than a deer hit at the end of 2009 (the deer hit last fall didn't count against us since no insurance was paid out) so this should be SO simple. Thank you all again. I'm off to do some internet research! You guys are the best!

The beauty of having a good insurance agent is that they can do all the 'leg work' for you. Ours found us a great insurance company (one I'd never heard of--they aren't big, they don't advertise a lot) that was very reasonable. They only insure drivers with impeccable records. We've been with them for many years now. Over that time, I've checked some of those companies that advertise that they'll save you money, their rates are the cheapest--not once have I been able to find ANYone who can compare to our company--they're hundreds less than any other insurance company. But we've never have found them on our own. A few years ago, dd was a little strapped for cash, and asked the agent if she could find her something cheaper (than OUR company). Believe it or not--yes, the agent was able to put dd into a company that was an even better buy for her. So when our insurance came up for renewal, I got a quote from that company--nope--due to the differences in our needs, THEY were more expensive for us, than our original company. Not only does an agent help you find the best deal for you, but they represent you if and when you need to make a claim. It's not worth it to me to pay more for insurance from a big company who is just interested in selling their product, and not caring for their customers after they get their money.

I've sold for 15 years for the same big Illinois company. Many things get factored into the rates. Experience ratings of both the vehicles and the drivers. Unfortuneately as we get older - 70 and above - rates increase. Your not going to see rate decreases unless you've lost a driving discount in the past and it is restored. Just because a car gets older doesn't mean diddly. That assumes if there is a loss that it will be a total loss and you will recieve a check for the cars value. Cars today don't get totaled that often, instead they are repaired and the cost for parts, labor etc. don't decrease so therefore they are passed on to us, the consumer. Cars that are 10 years old or more, the parts become a bit more difficult to find. Insurance companies don't want customers shopping every year or two and they certainly don't want stand alone policy holders. There's a lot of initial cost to setting up a policy, there's my time, the cost of running CLUE reports, credit and MVR's. Those are not free. Odds are a stand alone policy holder will file a claim while they are there, leave and the insurance company has lost money. Your Geico's, Nationwide and Progressive companies tolerate the "shoppers" until the claims hit them then they increase the rates to make up for it. They bring in the new blood which today is really your single under 30 drivers or those who only want liability insurance. Longevity does pay off with a company, it may not feel like it but it will. Having an agent to bounce things off of can be very beneficial. I have customers that I've worked with for 10 - 15 years, we both know they could probably go elsewhere and pay a little less but they won't get the service I give them. I'm licensed to sell insurance, I 've gone on websites to get quotes so that I can see what the average consumer is faced with when they do an online quote. How would you know what coverage is adequate and why you should have it unless you can talk to someone about it. If you do leave your company, don't immediately cancel your current carrier, big mistake. Cancel the automatic withdrawal and go to direct bill but wait until you have your new policy, the coverage's are what you wanted and the premiums are what you were expecting. Alot of companies underwrite after they bind you, pull the reports and guess what, there's a change in premiums. To keep the business, perhaps a deductible is increased or a coverage lost. Most companies can back date a termination as long as you provide proof that you are covered elsewhere. As for deductibles, in my experience the best way to go is a minimum of $1,000.00 on your home and $500.00 collsion deductible with a $100.00 comprehensive deductible. As for your homeowner's renewals, watch them closely. Many companies are going actual cash value for roofs and siding. Depending on the age of your roof, that can be a costly oversite. They will also offer you the renewal with a different deductible. I've seen the same company renewals come out with a 1% deductible. That is not 1% of a loss, that is 1% of your dwelling coverage. In this area our average dwelling coverage hovers right around $300,000 making the deductible $3,000.00. I could go on but I'll stop here. Just remember, insurance is one of those things we love to hate, it's not tangible but most of us today could not afford to self insure and that's what it's there for. Use it for the big stuff, forget about the small claims, they will cost you triple in the long run.

Sometimes brokers, not being tied to one company, can shop around and find better rates than one can get from a tied agent ... and one can check the offerings of the tied agents, as well, (e.g. Allstate, State Farm, etc., I think). Read the contracts carefully, as the coverage may vary substantially, as well. Also, the costs aren't the only consideration ... good idea to ask around among friends to learn what kind of experience one has with various carriers when one makes a claim. Ask friends also about their premium rates - and coverage. Check my Christmas gift. If you could afford to replace your car if it were totalled, you might choose to carry no coverage in case of collision (i.e., that'll fix your car in case of an accident where no one else at fault). My car is 22 years old and I haven't had collision insurance on it for my 2 year ownership ... or on the '93 Taurus that I got about 4 years ago and was totalled within a couple of years (I have "no fault" insurance, so, the reason for the accident having been adjudged to be not my fault, my company paid their evaluated value of that make, model and year of vehicle) or the '90 Dodge Colt that I had for about 7 years ('98 - '05) before that. Have you checked Consumer Reports? Some people swear by their gradings (and I think that some swear at them). Maybe buy a/some share(s) of Berkshire Hathaway "A" or "B": the B shares, 1/30th of the value of the original "A" shares, sell for about $3,300. Then buy your insurance from Geico ... and let some of your premium return to you as profit. Since Berk Hath doesn't pay dividends, you won't have any ongoing income on which you'll need to pay tax (but the share values have grown nicely, over the years: the "A" shares, now selling for around $100,000. could have been bought for about $12.00 in '65, when Warren Buffett took over) and they last paid a dividend of about a dime a share in 1967. Do you have a financial calculator? I figure that that investment of about $35.00 is one of the best investments that we all, as managers of our own private money, should make. When I enter "present value" as "$12" and enter the period of investment as "44 years", then enter "future value" as "$100,000", then ask for the rate of interest/growth involved ... it tells me that the average compound rate of growth has been >22% (if you figure 45 years to next year, it being now so close ... still >22%). To calculate that figure on your regular calculator, enter "1.22 X 12 =" and it will show that after 1 year your value has grown to $14.64. Press "=" again and it will show that after 2 years to $17.86; press "=" again and after 3 years to $21.79. After 11 years - $106.939; after 19 years $524.829; after 23 years $1,162.67; after 31 years $5,706.05; after 34 years $10,361.32 ... ... and after 44 years ... sorry, it appears that I goofed, as it shows a result of only $75.685.637 ... and it makes only $92,336.477 after 45 years, not the $100,000. - but it grows to $112,650.50 after 46 years. So - to grow to $100,000. after 44 years means that the percentage rate was a bit higher than 22%! Not something that you'd complain about, I'll bet! Caution: growth rates of stocks are not smooth: sometimes they grow quickly for a short while, sometimes take a large drop (e.g. over 30% for many during the past year) ... and sometimes drag along for substantial periods with little change. However - you can see what the cost may be of delaying starting an investment program for just one year - as the chop-off is one year shorter, at the end. Unless you added more from time to time as you went along. And how much tax have you been required to pay over those years? Since 1967 - nothing! What's the most important component in building wealth? For most of us, in most circumstances ... time! ole joyful P.S. I used Berkshire Hathaway by way of illustration: I'm not suggesting that that company's shares might be a good investment for your program. And future rates of growth (or loss) may vary substantially from past results. o j