Honda - Talk to Insurance companys

Honda,
You need to talk to all the Insurance companys to try & get us a cheeper rate for our Ridgeline trucks.

Hear that !!

Mine went down $15 bucks, 2006 RTS vs 02 Mustang GT Vert.

Safeco

Mine went up over $350 a year. Removed a 2001 Ody & put on the 2006 RL. :eek:

This also will depend on your age, your driving record and where you live. Mine is the same as my wife's Accord.:cool:

Mine's only silghtly higher than my wifes 2005 CR-V and I had a 2003 Pilot I replaced.

This also will depend on your age, your driving record and where you live. Mine is the same as my wife's Accord.:cool:

heres a link to another thread on insurance

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3993

I went from a 94 toyota p/u 4X4 to an 06 Ridgeline and it went up 200.00. I thought that was great considering the value of the Toyota was 5,800 and the Ridge is 34k to replace.

Iwent from 1998 F150 V8 to RL and insurance went down $40. 6 cylander rating made a big difference along with vehicle weight. I didn't even have fire and theft on the F150 policy.

Mine went up over $350 a year. Removed a 2001 Ody & put on the 2006 RL. :eek:

CT
FYI. I traded a 2000 Ody for the Ridge and mine only went up $20

I had a 2002 F150 4x4 supercrew, mine rate went from $350 to $444. I am 57 years old, no tickets & accident free, multicar discounect. When asked why so expensive, all they could say was Honda are so expensive to repair. I think that thats bull crap. With all the safety feature they should be offering lower rates. I am in the process of getting my policys transfered to another State Farm agent, who looked over my policy & stated thety could lower the premium. Comon Honda plead you case with all insurance companys & try & get us abetter rating.

I went from a 94 toyota p/u 4X4 to an 06 Ridgeline and it went up 200.00. I thought that was great considering the value of the Toyota was 5,800 and the Ridge is 34k to replace.

I went from an '04 Tacoma with sticker price of $27,000 to the RL with a sticker price of $35,000. Same $100 deductable for both, and my insurance went from $600 to $660 for 6 months. Just got a rate reduction without asking for being accident free. Now paying LESS than the Taco.......$575 for 6 months. Oh, and because it's leased, my coverage is higher now.

I have been with state farm for 20 years, I am single, no kids, 38 years old.

I'm happy. Or should I say satisfied.:rolleyes:

fins

You can expect the premiums for insurance for the Ridge to vary greatly for several reasons:
1. It is a new model with no crash repair history.
2. It is a new model with no personal injury history.
3. Honda has no history as a truck manufacturer.
4. Independant insurance agents have never sold a previous Ridgeline policy and probably don't anticipate writing another one, so they don't do their homework on rates, just grab the best commision.
5. The unibody 1/2 ton pick-up truck is a new concept.

Each insurance company has a different evaluation of these factors and adjusts their premiums as they see fit.

Also, cars nowadays are becoming increasingly difficult to repair. With all the safety features, many components such as the "crumple zones" aren't even DESIGNED to be repaired. That's one reason for insurance rates being what they are.

Yeah, Its time to go out and shop for a better rate here too.

I did some shopping, and for me, State Farm was BY FAR the cheapest. For reference purposes, I'm a 29 year old single male with no accidents or tickets in the past 5 years and good credit.

Insurance companies factor now factor personal credit into your insurance rates. They claim that people with good credit are less likely to get in an accident and file a claim. I personally think that's a bunch of bull. Anyway, they also pull a CLUE report from ChoicePoint Systems. This company is considered a Credit Reporting Agency, therefore, you are entitled to a free report from them if their report factored into your rate (which it always does). Basically, ChoicePoint goes out and researches driving records, credit information, and accident reports, and compiles all of the information into a database. Insurance companies then request a report from these companies, and factor this information into their rate quote. The problem with ChoicePoint is that they regularly match other peoples claims and accidents with your report. I had a few of my sister's accidents on my CLUE report, as well as her ex-fiance's accident since his first name was also Eric, and he lived in this house at one time. These items were affecting my rates, even though they were not my accidents or claims. I ended up pulling my report and disputing the inaccurate information. ChoicePoint is required to follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and therefore, if you send in a written dispute, they have 30 days to investigate the matter. If they do not complete their investigation, they are REQUIRED to delete the item. In my case, they completed their investigation and found that the items were, in fact, not mine. So, it's pretty easy to do, it just costs a little and takes some time. The same thing can be done with your personal credit. If anyone has any credit blemishes, I recommend reading www.artofcredit.com in it's entirety.

I'm with State Farm and the insurance for my RL has been steadily declining since I got it. Every 6 month renewal it has gone down.

I understand the credit theory, but personally would like to have them put it where the sun never shines! They do the same thing for job's now & would hold credit against you!
Many years back, I had credit issues. My point - What the hell does having a cheating plus bitter ex wife who drags you accross the coal have anything to do with how I drive or work! Perhaps with driving they might think we would drive over our ex, 3 times like that one lady did & with work, maybe the boss is afraid your competition now that your single again:confused:

I understand the credit theory, but personally would like to have them put it where the sun never shines! They do the same thing for job's now & would hold credit against you!
Many years back, I had credit issues. My point - What the hell does having a cheating plus bitter ex wife who drags you accross the coal have anything to do with how I drive or work! Perhaps with driving they might think we would drive over our ex, 3 times like that one lady did & with work, maybe the boss is afraid your competition now that your single again:confused:

I couldn't agree with you more. I wish there was a national movement against the use of your credit for Insurance and Job oppurtunities. I really find it hard to believe that it's legal. I too have a spotty past with my credit. And I would be highly pissed if that was used against me if I were to change jobs.....being as I have been with the same employer for the last 15 years. I will be asking my Insurance company if my credit was a factor in my recent policy change (a decrease).

fins

Thanks for the info Eirc !

We both are clean, married, 38 and pay high insurance for three cars.

I couldn't agree with you more. I wish there was a national movement against the use of your credit for Insurance and Job oppurtunities. I really find it hard to believe that it's legal. I too have a spotty past with my credit. And I would be highly pissed if that was used against me if I were to change jobs.....being as I have been with the same employer for the last 15 years. I will be asking my Insurance company if my credit was a factor in my recent policy change (a decrease).

fins

your insurance company is required by law to send you a letter notifying you that your credit rating was a factor in your higher insurance rates. If they don't, they have violated the law, and it's an easy $1,000. Companies treat people who have bad credit like they have the plague, yet they don't understand that there is usually a legitimate reason for it, such as a divorce, being laid off, having your house destroyed by a hurricane, etc... Yes, there are a good number of people that overextend themselves and cant pay it back. Hey, it happens. The difference though, is doing something to fix it. When I was 18, I was stupid and got every credit card that was offered to me. I didn't know better. 10 years later this crap was still following me around. That was until I found the site I mentioned in a previous post. I learned the laws, and that everything should have been off of my report by now. The problem is that all collection agencies/junk debt buyers violate the laws left and right because they know that for every lawsuit they settled as a result of breaking the law, 99 others rolled over and paid up, or even worse paid a penny or promised to pay on a debt that was beyond the statute of limitations; therefore, bringing it back into the statute of limitations. See, all states have a statute of limitations on debt. In Nebraska, it's 5 years on a contract, 4 years on a credit card. After you haven't paid for that long, there isn't a thing they can do about it. In some states, it's as few as 2 years, or a many as 10. Most are around 4 years. Now, this doesn't mean you should go get a credit card and just not pay it. It doesn't work that way, nor should it. What it does mean, is if you have some stupid 15 year old debt that Bob's Collection Agency is trying to collect on, you can tell them to go pound sand and there isn't a thing they can do about it. I learned the hard way about credit, and I now appreciate it and respect it very much. It took me 18 months and lots of letters to repair my credit, but I raised my score nearly 200 points on all three credit bureaus. I also made some good cash in the process as a result of violations of the law by collection agencies . So if any of you have been in my shoes, I hope this information can help you out. If you've never been in the position I was in, you don't want to be. LOL!

Ok, stepping down off of my soapbox...

Good news, this week I recieved a $25.00 refund on my policy from State Farm. I called my dealer to be sure that they had not continued to screw me. They stated that they had over charged me. I had spoked with Sate Farms head office, and they were also surprised by the cost of the policy. Ask you agent to recheck the cost & explain every detail on you policy. If you do not get any satisfaction or reasonable explanation. Transfer your policy to another agent. I did and my old agent has now lost two auto policys & one for my house.

FWIW when I added the Ridgeline w/full coverage replacing a 95 4runner with liability it went up $154 for next 9 mos. til renewal time. Neither are my primary vehicle, I have an old Crown Vic PI I use for a commute car.
Offhand total insurance bill went to around $750ish a year now for 3 vehicles, the Ridge, CV and a 96 Impala SS, full coverage just on the Honda.
I'm with Wawanesa Insurance, they only take drivers with good records but rates are among the lowest in California.

Just found this thread today. WHOA!

I just got hammered on the addition of my RL to my policy. Last year I bought a new Toyota Sienna and the prices are pretty close. The RL is DOUBLE the 2004 Sienna and my wife and I both have excellent histories.

Agent got a call from me. She kinda gave some, it's got a lotta sheet metal logic. Can't be true for SUVs have more. She was just trying to spin something she didn't understand I'm sure.

You can expect the premiums for insurance for the Ridge to vary greatly for several reasons:
1. It is a new model with no crash repair history.
2. It is a new model with no personal injury history.
3. Honda has no history as a truck manufacturer.
4. Independant insurance agents have never sold a previous Ridgeline policy and probably don't anticipate writing another one, so they don't do their homework on rates, just grab the best commision.
5. The unibody 1/2 ton pick-up truck is a new concept.
Each insurance company has a different evaluation of these factors and adjusts their premiums as they see fit.

Thanks, this is the best thing I've read so far ... makes sense when your vehicle "redefines the traditional understanding of the truck", as reviewers like to say and we like to glaot about. Ugggh, this gloating's expensive. :eek:

Only $10 more a month than my previous 1999 Audi A4 1.8T.....

Not too bad considering that they will have to pay a LOT more to replace the RL!

TL

My agent said my RL was a "19" on their "comprehensive" scale. My 1998 CR-V was only 11, but the 2004 Sienna was only a 6! Sienna and all minivans apparently have less occurrences of theft & crash etc.

All I can say is be sure to keep haggling your agent, I had to change my agent & got a $40.00 reduction. Does not sound like alot but it certainly helps. If I had realized how expensive this truck would be, I would had got something else.

As far as State Farm goes, insurance rates are the same regardless of your agent. This should also be the same with other exclusive agents. The differences you are seeing are in the amount of miles you drive, the coverages you have, your deductibles, whether or not you have emergency roadside coverage, rental car reimbursement, medical payments, etc... Also, State Farm just lowered their rates around August of last year, so that may also be the reason for your drop in rates. Rate changes take place when you renew your policy, not duing the middle of the term. I currently work part time for a State Farm agent, and I am in the process of getting my state license for Property and Casualty, so if any of you have questions, please let me know. Of course, since I do not currently have my Nebraska Property and Casualty license, I cannot give insurance advise, but I can answer general questions with the understanding that it is not advise. Also, while most insurance is the same state-to-state, there is always some state-specific information, therefore, please understand that my area of specific knowledge is in Nebraska. And no, i'm not going to try to sell you insurance! LOL!!

WhiteRTLnav,
I do not mean to be crude, but that should be the case. But you get a bull **** agent who does no set up your policy correctly, you will pay more than you need to. This results ia a bigger commision to the agent. Once you get your your agency, remember the customer pays your salary, do not purposly screw them. Talk with your people & explan the thing that they require to insure their vehicle. There is so much Bull Crap from these agents.

I use Erie Insurance for my Honda Accord and homeowners. I am purchasing my Ridge this Saturday and the insurance will be $557 for the year.

WhiteRTLnav,
I do not mean to be crude, but that should be the case. But you get a bull **** agent who does no set up your policy correctly, you will pay more than you need to. This results ia a bigger commision to the agent. Once you get your your agency, remember the customer pays your salary, do not purposly screw them. Talk with your people & explan the thing that they require to insure their vehicle. There is so much Bull Crap from these agents.

I agree. There are a number of agents out there that are high pressure, and sell people stuff that they don't need. Yes, that might get someone a little more money on commission, but in the end, all it's going to do is COST them money in lost business and upset customers. I just don't understand why people do it in the first place.

WhiteRTLnav,
Thanks for your reply, I have now transfered all my insurance need to another State Farm agent. Who has taken the time to go over my policys and has actually saved me money. Plus I feel that shes in going to do her best for me in the future.

WhiteRTLnav,
Thanks for your reply, I have now transfered all my insurance need to another State Farm agent. Who has taken the time to go over my policys and has actually saved me money. Plus I feel that shes in going to do her best for me in the future.

Well, glad to hear you are no longer regretting the purchase or your RL, RS....or are you? :confused:

I did a lot of comparision shopping for insurance when my insurance came due recently. I have had Progressive for about 3 years now and I thought maybe, just maybe, I could find a better deal. I called around to over 10 different insurance companies and the closest I got to my current Progressive insurance policy, with the exact same amount of coverage, was about $150 higher.

Plus, to top things off, I just got my renewal for the next six months, and my rates have gone down $47 from the previous year. My wife and I are very good drivers, have not had a speeding ticket in over 5 years, have a very good credit rating, and have not had a claim on an insurance policy (Where we were at fault) for over 4 years.

We pay $425 for full coverage on both vehicles (Accord and RL) for 6 months. I guess being careful helps.

cdepuydt,
I am just glad to get some resolve on the insurance problem. I bought the Ridgeline, and for the major part I enjoy the truck. Most of the small problems have been discussed throughout this site. Now I just wish to get many years of trouble free service from my Ridgeline.

Now I just wish to get many years of trouble free service from my Ridgeline.

Right with ya there, RS. Honda has a great reputation for reliablity and I hope it holds true for the RL. This is the first experience I have had with a Honda, as I have owned most GM vehicles for the lionshare of my life, and I hope it's a good one.

I researched long and hard before I plunked down the $$$$ and got a RL. I don't plan on buying another pickup for about 10 more years. I plan on driving my RL until "the wheels fall off". I enjoy the crap outta my RL and I hope to be driving it long after the car payments stop. Personally, I am hoping I can get 200,000 + miles outta my truck. We'll see.....

For the originator of this thread, what exactly do you expect Honda to do for you? Call you insurance company and certify the airbags, and crash test results.? Give me a break. Honda is a car company, not the fairy god mother some seem to think.

My wife works in insurance, and my insurance went up when buying my Ridgeline too, reasons:


I was driving a 2002 Jeep Liberty with 90,000 + miles worth $9,000, I am now driving a 2006 Ridgeline payed $24,700. More money to replace, pretty obvious.

Also trucks are more costly to insure, and operate. My liscence plates are more, etc... Maybe if you were looking for a frugal vehicle a Hyundai, or Kia may have been more your speed..


Other variables also come into insurance rates, where you live, your driving record of course, your age, etc... Maybe a little more research before buying regarding all aspects of ownership would have served you better than to ask Honda to "talk to the insurance companies".... Simple answer, know the operating costs before you make a purchase....

JIm,
The reasons are many that I started this thread. Mainly the bull crap I got from my insurance agent. Why would a Honda Ridgeline be more expeensive to insure than my previous Nissan Armarda, that cost $11,500 more to buy, plus it has the same safty features. That does not make any sense at all to me. I have since changed agents & have got a much better deal. Both vehicles are maufactured in North America, I would expect Honda to have check the insurance rates before they marketed the Ridgeline. After all this is a front drive mid size pickup truck.As for the smart arsed remark about Hundais or Kias, you can push that were the sun does not shine. If you have any further comments sent me a private message.

Im just saying insurance companies obviously make the rules to suit them, its like complaining about the weather, a waste of energy...

chisoxjim,
I agree with you, it appears to me that the insurances companys apper to giving Honda a unfair rating on their products. Because most other manufactures are now also incorporating alot of saftey features now.

i wrote off my insurance increase to a less valuable vehicle. I know the RL has the most safety features of any truck on the market, maybe the insurance folks will see it the same someday.

I confess that I haven't read all the posts to this thread.

But I just wanted to say that my experience with Geico was kindof funny because I keep thinking of a commercial where they say "I just saved $500.00 dollars by switching FROM Geico".

First I should say I've been with Geico for 9 years and I have been very happy with their professionalism and service and everything else. But when it came time to insure my Ridgeline I got quotes from several Insurance companies and Geico's was $500 more for the same insurance. So I felt bad leaving Geico but I work hard for my money. I hope my new insurance company is as good as Geico. And I totally agree with the title of this thread

HONDA, TALK TO INSURANCE COMPANIES and see if they can see the safety factors of the Ridgeline justify a cheaper insurance rate.

.

.

.....But when it came time to insure my Ridgeline I got quotes from several Insurance companies and Geico's was $500 more for the same insurance.

HONDA, TALK TO INSURANCE COMPANIES and see if they can see the safety factors of the Ridgeline justify a cheaper insurance rate.

I had the same kinda luck with Geico, MF. I was calling around, trying to find a lower rate and, when I called Geico, they were about $400 more than Progressive. Even so, the customer service person kept telling me that we got a additional discount, because my wife works for the Federal Gov't. and they get some sorta discount, that we should go with Geico. It didn't seem to matter to her, and she completely ignored the fact that they were still $400 than my current insurance, yet she kept asking me for my information so we could sign up for Geico. I told her to get real and hung up on her.

As far as talking to insurance companies to get a better rate for the RL, since it is so safe....... Insurance companies play by their own friggin' rules and you can talk to them until you are blue in the face, and it won't make any difference. I know, I worked for one for 3 years.

When I bought a '04 Pacifica, which like the RL, is one of the safest vehicles out there and is the SUV least likely to roll over in an accident, I called about 10 places trying to get a low insurance rate. About 1/2 of the companies didn't even have the Pacifica listed on their vehicle lists and quoted me a "standard" quote on a vehicle of the same value of my Pacifica. One place quoted us $1500 every 6 months!!!

So, until the Honda jumps through all the hoops and ALL the safety tests results are in, most RL owners are going to pay higher rates on their RL. Is it Honda's or your fault? No, absolutely not. It's just the way friggin' insurance companies operate. If they think they can screw you outta your last nickle and get away with it, they'll do it.

cdepuydt said:
So, until the Honda jumps through all the hoops and ALL the safety tests results are in, most RL owners are going to pay higher rates on their RL. Is it Honda's or your fault? No, absolutely not. It's just the way friggin' insurance companies operate.

I think you are right. Insurance companies use statistics and until the Ridgeline has been around long enough for them to have a good idea of what it costs to repair the Ridgeline they will give us high quotes. I'm encouraged by some of the posts on this forum where people have said their bumper had minimal damage in an accident and the other car looked much worse.

Keep in mind that Honda has nothing to do with how an insurance company rates a vehicle. Insurance companies come up with their own rating classification for a vehicle, and there is nothing that you can do to change it. The reason State Farm is one of the lowest companies for Ridgeline insurance is because they have a lower rating on that vehicle. When shopping for your insurance, you are better off going to a company that can offer coverage for your home and your auto. Most companies will give you a discount if you have both your auto and homeowners insurance (or renters insurance if you don't own a home). If you do rent a home or apartment, and don't have renters insurance, get it! It's only about $7-15 dollars a month in most places, and the discount you get on your auto insurance pretty much pays for it. Don't be afraid to check around with other companies. If you have a ticket or accident that is about to be 3 years old (minor) or 5 years old (major, ie: DUI), wait until AFTER it has dropped off before you get a quote or switch companies. Geico goes back 10 years on major violations, so watch out for that. With Progressive, a neat thing you can do with them to save money is get quotes from both Progressive Direct and an independent Progressive agent (now called Drive Insurance from Progressive). You will be surprised to see that there is a difference in the rates they quote. If you are currently with either Progressive, and have had your credit score improve since your last 6-month policy, you need to get a quote from the OTHER Progressive as Progressive will only pull a credit report on an existing policyholder once a year. I hope this helps!

If anyone has any questions, please let me know.

'04 Avalanche Z71 loaded to '07 RTL--went up $30 per year thru USAA Insurance (military officer insurance company).

1997 Mazda B4000 4X4 to a 2006 RTL S/R.

Down 166 per year

"02 Ford Tauras to '07 RL - went up $130. Not bad considering the difference in value.

Hi ROCers,
Well I use Farmers for most of my Auto, Home, and Life and use any discount I can come up with. I talk with my Agent at least twice each year. Found out that I can get a 15% discount on at least one of my vehicles (5) cause my wife is an LVN (nurse). And the kids get discounts for being good students (or my rath). My bike is on Progressive it is just way less expensive. Travel well and be safe.:cool:

Your all lucky most insurance companies dont even want to deal with Massachusettts so rates are always bad. State law says all insurance companies must have almost identical rates heck even geico isnt here lol. Im 30 with no accidents or points on my license and my wife has one accident and one ticket. Our insurance on the ridge is 1800 a year and 1000 a year on our 2005 Pacifica. So your state could always be worse!

Another factor to affect insurance rates is how many vehicles are made. The more honda's that are put on the road means, more accidents with honda's. So more chance of being stolen so can be stripped for parts. Thiefs sell parts to bodyshop no questions asked so they both make money. And the rates shoot up from this as well.

I'm with AAA. Bought the Ridge, drove it straight over to him and had him change my file. Traded a '99 Ford Exploder Sport in, kept the deductibles the same and my rate stayed the same. NO Change. At 6 months I got a reduction for accident free status.

I think my rate on my previous vehicle was a bit high based on my age when I purchased it new in 99( age 26).

I know what you mean, my RL was only $200 cheaper per year than my 2003 NSX on the same policy. You would think the RL would be much cheaper than a $90K car!