Invasive Insurance Questions

[midgetwaiter]

I bought a Jeep recently and have had to change my insurance over. As the rep asked his million and one questions the fact that the girlfriend and I now live together came up and he got all shirty with me because she's not listed on the policy. I told him that she doesn't need to be as she has her own vehicle and there is no way she'd even try to drive the jeep anyway, she's half afraid of it. He says fine but the only way we can do that is if I provide him with her licence number and the policy number for the insurance on her car, which is through another company. How the hell is that any of their business?

 

I figured there may be somebody in this business that can explain. Can I refuse them this information? If she's not on the policy why does it matter?

 

 

[Simpson]

Seems like you are not happy with this company in general? do you have a good record? If so call around plenty of competition in this racket..and I mean racket. You might even save some money. I shop it every two years..saved $1200 annually a few years ago when I switched. My company at that time did not want to reward me for a good record.. See ya!

 

In answer to your original question on your girlfriends info, IMO none of there business!

 

Cheers

 

James

[robert]

I don't know if the rules have been changed or not but...

 

unfortunately, they are making your girlfriend your business... Legally, they can underwrite everyone in your household that has a drivers license. Scary thought when you have a 16 year old licensed driver or a room mate with a pile of accidents/tickets under your belt. And yep, your insurance rates will be rated accordingly cause they have access to your car.

 

If your girlfriend has a bad driving record, you're going to pay the price for it.

 

 

Can you legally not tell them? don't know.

[fishinglibin]

Insurance is like WCB in my mind, they have a license to rape. Cant live without them, and screwed if you do. I pay big time with a great driving record, and insure my home well with only a couple of claims over many years. I would like to tell them to take a flying f--- at a rolling donut, but you piss them off and they can drop you like a hot potato. I do suggest though to shop around, and when you find a co. that is half assed good stay with them, as after a while you get long term, no claim, and seniors discounts. A broker is a good agent to call as they will shop it around. Dont lie to ins as they can put it to you if they find out, and if you are flagged, you will pay in the long run. I go with Inta--. You can figure that one out. Good Luck I have to say, I know a lot of nice peop;e in the industry, but the rules they work under are not so nice.

[danhunt]

If she is really never, and I mean NEVER, going to drive your jeep ask about adding an SEF 28a to your policy to exclude her as a driver. If you do go this route make sure your agent or broker goes over the endorsement and you know what you`re getting in to before you sign it.

[midgetwaiter]

Dan are you in the insurance industry?

 

My issue is them demanding a this kind of personal information more than it is any concern about my rate changing. I know not everyone would agree that this is any kind of concern but it bothers me when I get the feeling they are asking this kind of thing just because the think they can. Most people don't seem to care but I'm a computer / network guy and I have a somewhat different perspective, as do many of my peers. This bothers us because we understand how it can be correlated and abused, or at least we see it a bit more.

 

So my question is do they need her policy number for a legit reason or are they fishing?

[Ricinus]

Contact the Alberta Insurance Council and raise your concerns with them. I believe they are the Regulatory Board for Alberta.

 

Mike

[midgetwaiter]

I just got off the phone with a broker for Intact Insurance, 350 a year less and they don't need the GF's policy info unless it becomes relevant due to an accident or something.

 

Dear RBC: GTFO

 

Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

 

 

[WesG]

I had the exact same issue with RBC, and then when they decided to raise my rates for no reason when they should have been coming down, I started to shop around and found insurance for $1800 (yes thats 2 zero's) less then then they were. See ya later RBC

[Simpson]

It is funny, in my original post RBC was the company that saved me a pile of money. Ran a claim through them for vandalism, they were great. Even got my deductable back because they caught and prosecuted the little jerks.

 

I think the bottom line on cost anyway is shop your insurance every few years. We payout a lot for this service through our lives and there is money to be saved. I will be shopping them again next year.

 

Glad you found someone you are more confortable with. I have the tendency too to take my money else where in situation like this.

 

Cheers

 

James

[danhunt]

Dan are you in the insurance industry?

 

My issue is them demanding a this kind of personal information more than it is any concern about my rate changing. I know not everyone would agree that this is any kind of concern but it bothers me when I get the feeling they are asking this kind of thing just because the think they can. Most people don't seem to care but I'm a computer / network guy and I have a somewhat different perspective, as do many of my peers. This bothers us because we understand how it can be correlated and abused, or at least we see it a bit more.

 

So my question is do they need her policy number for a legit reason or are they fishing?

 

 

I am in the insurance industry, but I haven`t worked in that end of the business in a few years.

 

Robert pretty well said it. There are a couple of reasons they ask for the information on all the drivers in the house hold, but it mostly has to do with the rating. As you gathered, if there are two people in a house hold driving a vehicle they generally want both drivers listed on the policy, and if one`s record is worse than the other they will generally want the one with the worst record listed as the principle operator. By asking for her DL and Insurance information they are looking for confirmination of her driving record and to confirm that she is being rated as the PO of a vehicle with another carrier. If they can confirm that, then generally they show her as an additional operator and nothing else happens. For what it is worth, what the insurer can ask, how they can use it and even what they can charge you all goes through the Government Rate Board for approval, and it is all subject to the Privacy Act on top of that.