Had a similar run-in with “hidden” exclusions myself—thought my truck was covered for everything, but turns out off-roading wasn’t included. That was a fun surprise. I get the appeal of the big names for transparency, but sometimes those local folks can dig up coverage you’d never find on your own. Still, I’m with you—reading the fine print is a must, no matter who you go with.
Funny you mention those exclusions—had a similar moment with my policy when I realized “track days” weren’t covered, even though I’d asked about “performance use.” Makes me wonder how many other little traps are buried in there. Do the local agents really have more flexibility, or is it just that they’ll actually sit down and explain things? I get nervous trusting anyone with something as expensive as my car, but the big names can feel just as opaque sometimes. Has anyone managed to get truly comprehensive coverage, or is it always a compromise?
I used to think going local would mean more wiggle room, but honestly, I haven’t found them to be any more flexible than the big chains. The main difference for me was that the local folks actually sat down and walked me through all the fine print, which helped me spot a few weird exclusions before they bit me. Still, when I asked about adding coverage for stuff like autocross or even just road trips out of state, it was always “well, we can try, but probably not.”
One time I tried to get coverage for a cross-country trip with my old Miata—nothing wild, just wanted to make sure I was covered if something happened far from home. Turns out, there were all these little exceptions for “non-standard use” that basically meant I’d have to fight tooth and nail if anything went wrong. At the end of the day, I feel like it’s always a compromise. Maybe you get better service with a local agent, but the policies themselves are still written by the same underwriters. Just gotta read every line and hope you don’t miss anything...
Maybe you get better service with a local agent, but the policies themselves are still written by the same underwriters.
That’s pretty much spot on. I’ve seen folks assume a local office can just “bend the rules,” but honestly, the underwriter’s guidelines are what they are—whether you’re sitting in a Main Street office or calling a national hotline. I remember a guy who wanted to cover his classic truck for a rally out of state. Local agent tried every angle, but in the end, the policy language just wouldn’t budge. The best you can do is ask *every* question you can think of before you sign, even if it feels nitpicky. Sometimes it’s those tiny details that make all the difference when you actually need to file a claim.
The best you can do is ask *every* question you can think of before you sign, even if it feels nitpicky.
Couldn’t agree more there. I once spent 30 minutes grilling my agent about whether my kayak rack was “permanently attached” or not—felt ridiculous at the time, but when a tree branch took it out, I was glad I’d asked. It’s wild how much those little details matter. Local folks might hold your hand through the forms, but they can’t rewrite the fine print.
