Return-Path: Received: from nl.cs.cmu.edu by K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa00354; 9 Aug 89 14:20:47 EDT Date: Wed, 9 Aug 89 14:18:25 EDT From: Eric.Nyberg@NL.CS.CMU.EDU To: bovik@K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: auto insurance Harry, I have summarized replies I received to a request for information on auto insurers, in particular ones who quote fair rates to those who have not had a policy in PA recently (my special problem). I actually used none of these people, I ended up with Jack Driscoll (an independent agent who uses several companies, depending on what rates they can give for the particular person he is trying to insure). I was quite happy with him. 882-2200. A friend of mine (Ted Gibson, eafg@cad) recommended John Miceli of Erie Insurance (828-4111). He was able to insure Ted, who is Canadian and never owned a car or had an insurance policy, for a great price. I didn't have to use him because Jack turned out to be good for me. Replies from the community follow. -ehn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffrey James Bryan Carpenter Subject: auto insurance Try Sue Haschke with Prudential Insurance. Her phone number is 731-4430 or 856-4988. She was able to do very good for me. jeff ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dean.Rubine@K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: insurance Peter Velonkojia just had the same problem and ended up with Dick Pine (of Pine and Madden). They're in Mt Lebanon (don't have the phone no offhand) but they gave him a much better rate than anyone else, and he called about 10 places. Dean ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Yolanda.Gil@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: auto insurance? Eric, After TWO bad experiences with insurance agents that tell you a rate and send you a bill for much more money a couple of weeks later, I am staying forever with Grace Robinson (682-7383). Her secretaries are kind of nasty, so I would recommend you to talk to her in person: she will give you the best insurance for your situation. Give it a try, she is extremely cheap too! Yolanda.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Aviad.Zlotnick@MAPS.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: insurance I got my insurance through Angelo DiNardo, Liberty Mutual. He managed to arange the insurance for much cheaper than any other agent I called. When I just came to th USA it was $780 while others started at $1200, and continued to be better for the next two years (now I'm leaving). His number: (412) 787-7375. Aviad ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert.Frederking@NL.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: auto insurance As I told the other guy: >Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1989 10:25-EDT From: Robert.Frederking@NL.CS.CMU.EDU To: Lian.L.Dong@RFB.DANTE.RI.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: Auto Insrance for new driver Call AAA (the American Automobile Assoc.). The local one is West Penn AAA. They have auto insurance, specifically to help people with the stupid insurance situation. It's also a good idea to join, since they have a road rescue service (if you have a break-down, they will pay for a AAA-associated garage to come get you), a trip planning service, and will transfer your car title for you when you buy a car. Bob ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hank.Walker@taurus.ece.cmu.edu Subject: Re: auto insurance? I had Farmers Insurance in CA, moved to PA and got State Farm (about the same price, but then CA insurance is high), and recently switched to Erie since it was cheaper. But there aren't any generalizations. Rates vary wildly depending on your situation (married, age, where you live, type of car, etc.). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Harry.Printz@IUS1.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: auto insurance? I recommend Erie Insurance. My agent is Jerome Smith. You can find him in the Yellow Pages. Harry ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Alicia.Perez@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Insurance Eric, I am a new driver planning to buy a car.I'd appreciate if you can pass the information you receive about insurances. Some people have given me these names as the cheapest they could find. I think both are representatives of State Farm: Grace Robinson Phone # 682 7383 (Oakland area) Craig Evans (Squirrel Hill area) Thanks, Alicia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ASTER::GEVINS Subject: re: auto insurance? The info I got was that Erie is the cheapest, with State Farm coming in a close second. I use Liberty Mutual. I had used them before coming to PA, and it seemed the easiest way to keep insured. Their rates aren't bad, but you have to be in a good group to get a good rate, ie. a married female over 29 living outside of city limits. Actually, a male of the same standing should be given the same rates according to the new state law (which in essence says to raise all women's rates a lot, and lower the men's rates a little till they're on an equal scale). The only way an insurance company won't take you is if you're a high risk-- an accident in the past 3 years (or 5 depending on the company), or a few tickets (I'm not sure of the exact number), and I guess also if you're a new driver. Good luck. -Jody ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Marek J. Druzdzel" Subject: Re: auto insurance? Eric, I would like to suggest you calling the following person (he sells Travellers insurance): Arthur D. Tripp, jr 346 Bower Hill Road Pittsburgh, PA 15228 Phone: (412) 341-7527 I don't know if he will be able to insure you and how much it will cost you, but when I was looking for an insurance in Pennsylvania, after having moved here from New York, he was the cheapest I could find. My situation may be very different than yours, but I ended up paying half as much as what other companies, including AAA, suggested. I am still insured with him (disclaimer: this is my only relation with him and his business). Give him a call and ask him what he can offer you (you are free to tell him that you got his name from me). Greetings, Marek ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Todd.Kaufmann@NL.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: auto insurance? Some of the info I gleaned through numerous phone calls is in /../madrid/usr/toad/insurance.summary, although it's missing a few additional notes which I have on hardcopy. Soon I'll have them entered too and mailed off to Bovik. I don't know how much they'll help, since all figures were for the dart. If the car you plan to buy is less than 10 (some, 15) years old, expect much lower prices and probably a non- state assigned risk policy. These are mostly places recommended by bovik originally, when Pete scanned them; the originals are in /../ml/usr/pshell/car/insure.hg (the last message is garbled). Or, you can try running hg yourself on the bovik files. There are a couple other places that I either saw on my jaunts about or chose randomly from the phone book, but after a dozen calls or so I realized I would probably be stuck with the 'assigned risk' (the state picks a random company for you) policy, so I quite calling. AAA seemed reputable & nearby, plus they could handle the title transfer and all the other paperwork. I'm paying something like 750/yr through AAA West Penn; the place out (Tom Donahue) towards greensburg quoted me ~570, but it would've meant a wait of 3 weeks for the application to go through (if it did). Your mileage may vary. -todd ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Eric.Nyberg@NL.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: auto insurance? I just bought insurance for the first time in PA. I was formerly insured in North Carolina. Do you have insurance in another state? My experience was that I was OK and companies would sell insurance to me because I had a current policy in another state. They said that it would have been difficult if I was buying insurance in PA for the first time with no history of insurance in another state. I found the rates at AAA much higher than other companies. The lowest rates I saw were with State Farm and Nationwide. I ended up buying insurance with Kevin Donohue (a State Farm agent) in Bloomfield, and I have no complaints at this point. The principal reasons my policy cost as much as it did (astronomical by North Carolina Standards) are that I am 24 years old and that I am unmarried. Good Luck. I appreciate the difficulty you may experience. I thought I would go crazy before I found insurance that I could afford in this state. -dave white ----------------------------------------------------------------------