Had a similar situation with Progressive when my Subaru needed specialized safety repairs after an accident. Rep was friendly but clearly unfamiliar with the specifics... Geico's slower, but if they have reps who actually get niche stuff, that's worth considering.
"Geico's slower, but if they have reps who actually get niche stuff, that's worth considering."
Had a similar issue when my older Audi needed specific OEM parts after a fender-bender. Progressive was quick but kept pushing generic replacements... Geico took longer, but the rep knew exactly what I meant. Worth the wait, imo.
I'm actually in NY too and just went through this whole insurance shopping thing for the first time. From what I've gathered, Progressive tends to be quicker overall, but yeah, they do push aftermarket parts pretty hard. If you're particular about OEM stuff—especially with European cars like Audi or BMW—Geico seems to have a better rep for understanding those specifics. My cousin had a similar experience with his VW Golf; Geico took a bit longer to process everything, but they didn't hassle him about using genuine parts. Progressive might save you some time upfront, but if you're picky about repairs, Geico might be the safer bet. Just my two cents as someone who recently dove into this rabbit hole...
I see your point about Geico being better with OEM parts, especially for European cars. Had a BMW owner recently who insisted on genuine parts, and Progressive gave him a bit of pushback. Curious if anyone's had similar issues with Japanese brands like Lexus or Acura...?
I'm leaning toward Geico myself, mostly because of the OEM parts issue you mentioned. I don't have a Lexus or Acura, but my cousin does drive an Acura TLX and had a minor fender bender last year. He was with Progressive at the time, and they initially pushed aftermarket parts. He had to go back and forth a bit before they finally agreed to OEM. As someone buying insurance for the first time, that kind of hassle makes me cautious... seems like Geico might be less stressful in that regard.
