CNJ - Insurance agent recommendation needed (Somerville: car insurance, home, buying)

[qwerty14]

We are moving to NJ in a few weeks and so need recommendations for insurance agencies for purchasing home, car and umbrella insurance. Thanks in advance

[Retriever]

I think you should consider NJM, which is a mutual insurance company that has no agents, and with which you deal directly. Whenever Consumer Reports rates insurance companies, NJM is always rated either #1 or #2 in the nation, even though they only write policies in NJ, PA, and CT.*

Before I got all of my coverage from NJM, my agent was LaFontaine & Budd, located in Somerville. I found their service to be excellent, but they couldn't compete on price with NJM.

https://lafontaineandbudd.com/

https://www.njm.com/about



Edited to add:
*They just added Ohio, this year, but they are still one of the smaller insurance companies in the US.

[ieee488]

I switched to NJM from Amica about 6 years ago.


My mother uses Geico because for her NJM's rates are higher.


.

[masssachoicetts]

State farm?

[DecayingAngel]

Originally Posted by ieee488

I switched to NJM from Amica about 6 years ago.


My mother uses Geico because for her NJM's rates are higher.


.

I keep getting solicitations in the mail from Amica. I have NJM and their rates are about 15 to 25 percent higher than others I've compared them too. Never heard of Amica before. Was there a problem with Amica? All these companies are very confusing.

[HudsonCoNJ]

I use GEICO for car insurance and now also for homeowner’s insurance. Their rates are very good and their customer service is excellent. I’ve had to file a couple of claims over the years and I’ve never had a problem being compensated quickly.

[DecayingAngel]

Thank you. I will put them on my checklist.

[DannyHobkins]

Whenever you go to an agent youre going to pay more to cover their franchise and additional overheads. Just call and visit webaites of the top insurance companies for quotes. My car insurance was 50% cheaper with Geico than anywhere else. Home insurance I received quotes between $400-2,200 for insurance and wound up going with Travellers.

[DecayingAngel]

Wow, that's quite a difference. My brother switched to Geico and is very pleased with them.

[rummage]

According to Consumer Reports, the most important thing is how they handle claims. I think too often people recommend insurance companies because they like their friendly agents. But those agents have no control over how claims are processed and paid. If it takes 4 months for them to pay a homeowners claim and you continue to get these delays, that's not a good insurance company.

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...uide/index.htm