Man, I totally get the pain with those mystery scratches—my car’s basically a canvas at this point. I’m still on my parents’ Geico policy since I just started driving, and even then, the rates are wild in NY. My mom freaked when she saw how much it jumped after I got my permit. She keeps saying it’s like we’re being punished for just existing on the road.
I tried to convince her to check out Progressive because their app looks slick, but she’s not into the whole “random fees popping up” thing either. She hates calling customer service, and honestly, who has time for that? The only thing that’s helped us is raising our deductible a bit, but then you’re just rolling the dice if something actually happens.
At this point, I’m just hoping my parallel parking doesn’t add another scratch and that insurance doesn’t eat up all my summer job money. Not sure there’s a perfect answer, but yeah, I feel your frustration.
Honestly, I feel like Geico and Progressive both have their quirks. I switched to State Farm after my BMW got keyed twice in a month—NYC street parking is savage. Their rates weren’t magic, but at least the claims process didn’t make me want to throw my phone. Sometimes the “big names” just aren’t worth the headache, even if their apps look shiny.
Totally get what you mean about the “big names” not always being the smoothest ride. I’ve seen folks get lured in by those slick apps and catchy commercials, but when it’s time to actually use the insurance… well, let’s just say the hold music gets a lot of play. Claims service is where the rubber really meets the road, especially in NYC where, yeah, your car is basically a moving target. Sometimes paying a bit more for sanity is worth it.
I hear you on the “big names” thing. I’ve bounced between Geico and Progressive over the years (NYC driver, lots of points, not proud). Honestly, they both have their headaches. Geico’s app is slick, but when I had a fender bender in Queens, it took forever to get a real person on the phone. Progressive was a little better with customer service, but my rates jumped after one not-even-my-fault accident.
At this point, I just expect to pay more because of my record, but I’d rather deal with someone who actually picks up the phone than save $10 a month and get ghosted when I need help. Maybe it’s just NYC, but it feels like you’re paying for the privilege of being ignored half the time. Still, I guess it beats driving uninsured... barely.
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from. I’ve seen folks get stuck in endless phone loops with both companies, especially after a minor accident. Sometimes it feels like the “big names” just mean bigger call queues. Honestly, in NYC, even the smaller insurers can be hit or miss—one guy I worked with swore by a local broker, but then his rates shot up after a parking lot scrape. It’s rough out there. At least you’re not rolling the dice without coverage... that’s a headache nobody needs.
