I had a similar thought when I switched to a local insurer for my Audi. Everything was great until a deer jumped in front of me one night—pretty messy claim. Surprisingly, they handled it smoothly, no hassles or delays... definitely changed my perspective on smaller insurers.
Interesting experience, makes me reconsider my initial hesitation about smaller insurers. I've just bought my first policy (also NC-based), and I went with a bigger name thinking it'd mean fewer headaches down the road. But now I'm not so sure... My cousin had a similar deer incident last year and faced tons of delays even with a major insurer. Seems like it's less about company size and more about reputation and customer service quality. Maybe I'll explore local options next renewal.
Yeah, I had similar thoughts when I bought my first policy recently. Went with a big insurer thinking it'd be smoother if something happened, but now I'm hearing mixed stories. My coworker had a minor fender-bender last month and said dealing with his big-name insurer was a nightmare—long hold times, confusing paperwork, the whole deal. Makes me wonder if smaller companies might actually try harder to keep customers happy since they're competing against the big guys. Still skeptical about switching though... feels risky somehow. Guess I'll wait and see how things go this year before making any moves.
I've been through a similar dilemma myself. Initially, I stuck with a big insurer thinking reliability would outweigh potential savings, but after a minor claim last year, it felt like I was just another number in their system. Smaller companies might indeed offer more personalized service, but my concern is their financial stability—can they reliably cover claims if something major happens? Curious if anyone's had experience dealing with smaller insurers during significant claims situations... did they measure up?
I've been tempted by smaller insurers myself, especially when I see those lower premiums. Had a coworker who switched to a local company after getting fed up with the big guys. He had a pretty serious accident last winter—car totaled, whole nine yards—and surprisingly, they handled it smoothly. But I still wonder... was he just lucky, or do smaller insurers generally step up when things get messy? Hard to know if it's worth the gamble.
