Stupid Fee.

[tigergem]

My car insurance company started charging me a $4.00 monthly transaction fee in the second month of my policy. Interestingly enough, my other insurance company had just recently asked me to merge policies under them. So I wrote to Geico and asked them about this new FEE. They tell me my option is to pay the policy in full and avoid the fee or give them my bank account info so they can dip and take when ever they want to. (No thanks. I do NOT do the EFT thing. Ever.)

"We look forward to serving your insurance needs for many years to come."

I wrote back. "Well if you don't stop charging this fee, your dream of servicing my insurance needs for many years to come is going to hit a brick wall."

Got another reply:

"Unfortunately, we will be unable to remove the installment fees. We appreciate your business and delighting you is our highest priority."



I responded: "Obviously delighting me is NOT your highest priority, or you would cease the fee. Rhetoric is not greater than or equal to customer service. Have a nice day." Morons.

So, I guess Monday I will call GMAC and see what kind of a deal they offer me on the truck insurance.

[LimpDisc]

I switched to Geico from American Family for both auto & home insurance. They are about $800 cheaper per year, so I didn't mind the $4 monthly fee.

[tigergem]

Insurance for my truck is not expensive. The fee represents a 10% increase over the policy quote. Kind of defeats the purpose of using my debit card that gives me 1.5% cash back for using it to pay the bill. They didn't charge me the fee - - or disclose it! -- in the first month, or I would have paid the premium in full at that time to avoid the fee. They started tacking it on in the second month, but I didn't notice it until the due date (when I went online to pay it.) I had seen that the bill was slightly higher, but I figured my rate got increased because of my bk or something. No. It was a stupid transaction fee.

[Overmylimit]

I know the fee sucks, i switched to Geico and saved a lot. I had all my cars on one policy so it saved me over 650.00 per month. I asked Geico rep if I could get the fee waved, she said sure just pay the balance for the policy term riiggghhhtttt....

[kvangild]

I know the fee sucks, i switched to Geico and saved a lot. I had all my cars on one policy so it saved me over 650.00 per month. I asked Geico rep if I could get the fee waved, she said sure just pay the balance for the policy term riiggghhhtttt....

$650/month-$7800/year.....How many cars are we talking?

[WhatMoney]

I've never heard of monthly insurance payments, but then I've had State Farm for 50 years. They always bill me for a 6 mos. premium payment which I usually just pay. They do have a 50-50 payment plan, pay 50% now plus $2 fee, and pay the remaining balance in 3 months.

My last car insurance premium for 6 months was $168. Drive older cars!

[fireworks]

My insurance company charges me $1/month for the monthly payments, even though I have it on automatic withdrawal. For some reason they seem to have a hard time with division. Every 6 months the policy renews and it's usually a few dollars up or down. That month's payment is a little higher, the next 4 months are exactly the same, then the 6th month is a little lower. I haven't been able to figure that out. The difference is only a few dollars and they're the cheapest I've been able to find with a company that I trust (I avoid the fly-by-night cheap companies) so I put up with the hassle.

[forgotten]

Got another reply:

"Unfortunately, we will be unable to remove the installment fees. We appreciate your business and delighting you is our highest priority."

They had a typo... here, i'll fix it:

"Unfortunately, we will be unable to remove the installment fees. We like money and mocking you is our highest priority."

[tigergem]

Oh. This is too funny. I just read a thing some guy posted somewhere else. He said:

I bill $25.00 for each time a company tells me they have a billing problem. I do get it. Its the cost of a check to print and send to them. I started doing this back in 96 when MCI said I did not pay the bill and B of A wanted that in some kind of fee (I do not remember what it was called).

As of last year I also charge a $5.00 fee to pay the bill or the fee they charge me to bill me. I get it each time, I do have to fight with them at the start but each time in the end they take off their fee or just send me a check a week after getting my money.

I use their own rules on them.

-----

I'm going to try it. Just for grins to see what happens. hehehe.

[dscurlock]

You guys seem to be lost in the times...Just about every service has some
type of basic fee...use it or dont..you still have some sort of fee...just
look at your utility bills, gas, water, electric, phone...just about every
company has some sort of rip off basic fee...

once upon a time, there were no such fees, until they thought, well,
we can make a lot more money if we start off the fee with a basic
fee surcharge, then go from there...

I bet you anything it starts off with something like this:

To the Gov't: We are not making any money, so we need to
charge more, more, and more...

Of course your govt allows these BS fees, and does
not really care about the taxpayer...

Then you find out about these record massive profits
these utility compaines are having, then the scandals,
sex scandals...

they are having way to much fun at the top at our expense...

[dscurlock]

I switched to Geico from American Family for both auto & home insurance. They are about $800 cheaper per year, so I didn't mind the $4 monthly fee.

always go with a local insur carrier...You get what you pay for...just because they are cheaper, does not mean you are going to come out a winner when you really need them...I have heard that geico is at the bottom of the
insurance chain...you really would not know this until a time you
may have to call on them...when that time comes, then you will
understand why they were so cheap...

You may pay a bit more, but go with a local proven
insur carrier... not with one that advertises a
lizzard on TV...that should make anyone beware...

[tigergem]

Right, dscurlock... you are absolutely correct. "Everyone" is allowed to charge a convenience fee. So why not me?

[dscurlock]

Right, dscurlock... you are absolutely correct. "Everyone" is allowed to charge a convenience fee. So why not me?

why not? when they miss a payment:

lower their limit
and give them a 30% interest rate.

you will be rich in no time...