USAA car insurance in Hawaii (Hilo: bad credit, loan, live) - (HI) - City-Data Forum

terracore · 03-09-2016, 08:19 PM

We've had USAA car insurance for as long as we can remember. Generally, we've been really happy with it.

Since moving to Hawaii a few years ago the premiums seemed a little high compared to other places we have lived especially considering the little driving that happens on an island.

I plugged our current coverage into the Progressive web site and the savings compared to our current policy were substantial. I understand that USAA has that member discount rebate that gets credited each year but it doesn't come anywhere close to making a dent in the huge price difference.

Can anybody who specifically has had USAA and another car insurance company experience in Hawaii weigh in with their experiences?

thanks!

Arktikos · 03-09-2016, 08:58 PM

It's been 20+ years since I've used anyone other than USAA. It was the Hilo State Farm, and they were much, much more expensive 20 years ago than my current rates.

I have a friend in the Alaska car insurance business, and she says it's practically impossible to beat USAA, in any state.

whtviper1 · 03-09-2016, 09:30 PM

I dropped USAA when I moved to Hawaii- the rates weren't competitive - I believe it is because they use another provider to outsource the business in Hawaii (I think).

When I lived in SF I loved the USAA rates.

ScottStielow · 03-09-2016, 09:54 PM

A friend at work has USAA for his car loan, for the last three years. He originally had another, credit union, (Can't remember name) that was way to high. He switched to USAA and it was Substantially lower.
It was not car insurance but he is happy with USAA.

Ralph_Kirk · 03-09-2016, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terracore

We've had USAA car insurance for as long as we can remember. Generally, we've been really happy with it.

Since moving to Hawaii a few years ago the premiums seemed a little high compared to other places we have lived especially considering the little driving that happens on an island.

I plugged our current coverage into the Progressive web site and the savings compared to our current policy were substantial. I understand that USAA has that member discount rebate that gets credited each year but it doesn't come anywhere close to making a dent in the huge price difference.

Can anybody who specifically has had USAA and another car insurance company experience in Hawaii weigh in with their experiences?

thanks!

Hawaii is a no-fault insurance state. The rates are based on your "exposure," not on your driving record. It's going to be much higher than what you paid for regular insurance.

Mikala43 · 03-10-2016, 05:43 PM

I had USAA (I love that company) and wanted to keep them but the savings was to good with another company.

If I move back to the mainland I will use them again.

hunterseat · 03-10-2016, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

Hawaii is a no-fault insurance state. The rates are based on your "exposure," not on your driving record. It's going to be much higher than what you paid for regular insurance.

We have USAA. Our car was totaled over there - the other guy's fault. I guess no-fault means you can drive into the path of an oncoming car, total their car and cause minor injuries and you aren't found at-fault? We weren't carrying full coverage - it was an island car. Our bad, I guess. Because of that, even though we're on the mainland now, and we drive used vehicles we keep full coverage.

Ralph_Kirk · 03-10-2016, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunterseat

We have USAA. Our car was totaled over there - the other guy's fault. I guess no-fault means you can drive into the path of an oncoming car, total their car and cause minor injuries and you aren't found at-fault? We weren't carrying full coverage - it was an island car. Our bad, I guess. Because of that, even though we're on the mainland now, and we drive used vehicles we keep full coverage.

No-fault means your insurance pays your costs, his insurance pays his costs. Up front, at least. In the background, the insurance companies will attempt to determine if there really was any fault, and one will sue the other to get its money back (called subrogation).

But in the meantime, your insurance goes up even if you were not at fault...because you were out there in traffic when you should have had your car safely in your drive way and your insurance had to pay you. Boo on you.

No-fault was instituted with the idea of eliminating lawsuits--everyone gets paid by his own insurance company, so no need to sue for liability damages. However, the courts then ruled that the legislature could not prevent people from seeking their day in court, so there is now no-fault and still lawsuits. Oh, well.

I spent time in DC and then Hawaii--both no-fault. When I then went to Nebraska, my insurance for the same vehicle dropped to a tenth of what it had been in the no-fault locations.

kauailover · 03-11-2016, 06:48 PM

Geico might be the best deal going for Hawaii, get a quote!

terracore · 03-13-2016, 02:02 PM

I had also read that Hawaii is one of the states where insurance companies aren't allowed to raise your rates if you have bad credit. Rather than having the intended consequence (having bad credit doesn't punish your insurance rate), everybody essentially pays the "bad credit" rate. I guess another way to phrase it is, Hawaii is one of the states where insurance companies aren't allowed to reward you for having good credit.