Open Thread (6/2/2008)

Posted June 2nd, 2008 at 04:33 AM by IlliniPundit
in

Monday, June 2, 2008.

I expect to be able to resume a more normal blogging routine this week.  Thanks for your patience and participation in my absence.  While my break was longer than I anticipated, I think I needed it.

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curious's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 09:57 AM, curious said:

property tax payment #1 is due today

On June 2nd, 2008 at 10:12 AM, purplelady said:

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2008/06/02/presiding_judge_sends_jurors_home

More ammunition for the anti Denny Inman crowd.

 

AnF's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 10:34 AM, AnF said:

I think we could all agree that money is a little tighter now than it has been in quite a while.

I had an insurance agency here in town provide a quote for me, to see how it would compare to the coverage that I've had with another firm for 5 years now.  This is for home and auto coverage.

The new quote came in at over $300 a year less, for what is substantially the same coverage.

Here's the question.  Do I present the quote to my current provider and give them the chance to come down in price (with the understanding that if they can't do better, I'm gone).... or just cancel my current policies and go with the new provider?

$300 a year doesn't sound like a whole lot.... but that savings will pay for my garbage hauling for an entire year.

D. Boon's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 10:48 AM, D. Boon said:

property tax payment #1 is due today

Does anyone know the penalty for late payments?

$300 a year doesn't sound like a whole lot.... but that savings will pay for my garbage hauling for an entire year.

No doubt.  $300 is a lot of money.  Cancel your insurance.  My wife and I just bought a new house and brought all of our insurance (auto, home, etc.) under one company and we're saving like $500 a year.  I didn't even think twice about giving my old company the chance to change the premium.  Screw them.

Politicalchemy's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 11:04 AM, Politicalchemy said:

"I didn't even think twice about giving my old company the chance to change the premium.  Screw them."

I strongly disagree.  Especially if you are otherwise happy with your current home and auto insurance provider, it only benefits you to give your current agent a chance.  The only drawback I could foresee is in dealing with your current agent if he or she is the hard sell type and you don't want to deal with that.

AnF's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 11:14 AM, AnF said:

I really have mixed emotions on this. 

I'd like to give my current insurance provider a second chance, but I'm a little peeved that I have to ask them for a better deal.  I feel that I should be getting a good deal from them already.

Both companies are well known.  Current insurance is with Country Companies, quote is from MetLife.

So, I'll pose a second question.  Anyone have experience with MetLife Home and Auto?

And yes, I'm big on having all my insurance coverage with ONE insurance company.  I've had the house and car with one insurance company, and the motorcycle with a different company in the past, and it is more work to keep it all straight.

redstatewannabe's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 12:02 PM, redstatewannabe said:

One interesting insurance note - a commercial experience.  Our company experienced a big loss, and we were very pleased with the claims performance of our carrier at the time.  We were prepared to take a surcharge on renewal, but felt we kind of owed them after the job they had done.  They dropped us.

Conclusion - there might be some loyalties at the agent level, but at corporate underwriting I don't think anyone really cares if you have been a loyal customer or not.

On June 2nd, 2008 at 01:28 PM, bobloblaw said:

Does anyone know the penalty for late payments?

1.5% per month until the tax sale.

Bob Loblaw

On June 2nd, 2008 at 01:30 PM, bobloblaw said:

Anyone have experience with MetLife Home and Auto?

Yes, I'm happy with them.  Towing claim got reimbursed within a week, premiums have not increased dramatically in the three years we've had them, except when we added the 16 year old driver.  Switching to them from Ohio Casualty saved us over $300 per year as well.

Bob Loblaw

On June 2nd, 2008 at 02:53 PM, Dane said:

save $300 a year? Sounds like you do need to shop around. I pay $514 a year to insure a 202K house and all of the contents at full replacment value. I have 3 vehicles insured with the same company. Farmers Insurance: two claims in about 10 years--a totaled motorcycle for17K and no rate increase (hit a deer so not my fault), and one minor car claim that was my fault. Rates recently went  up a few inflationary bucks, but not complaining.

curious's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 03:00 PM, curious said:

"You might want to get a quote for your garbage hauling too.  Mine just went up this month due to gasoline prices, but is still only $210 per year and there is no limit on what or how much they take!"

who do you have for garbage hauling?  mine is going up to $280/yr.

IlliniPundit's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 03:07 PM, IlliniPundit said:

I'm a bit surprised by how much some of you are paying for garbage collection. 

I pay $13.50 per month for one can per week to ABC Sanitary, in Champaign.  I use them because they pick up my recycling on the same day, and I'm too stupid to remember to put things out on two different days of the week.

On June 2nd, 2008 at 03:17 PM, wayward said:

I'm a bit surprised by how much some of you are paying for garbage collection. 

I pay $13.50 per month for one can per week to ABC Sanitary, in Champaign.  I use them because they pick up my recycling on the same day, and I'm too stupid to remember to put things out on two different days of the week.

Me too.

Arvid's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 03:44 PM, Arvid said:

We decided to start sharing trash service with our next-door neighbor, so instead of each of us paying $13.50/month, we pay a combined $13.50/month ($6.75/each) or something like that to ABC. Between all of us (4 people) and all the recycling we do, we rarely fill one can, so it seemed rather stupid to pay them twice as much to pick up two half-full cans of trash.

Of course, we recycle like crazy, so I'm sure our mileage varies significantly from most of yours, because it's a well-known fact that unless there is a profit to be made, most conservatives abhor recycling and hate the environment :)

redstatewannabe's picture
On June 2nd, 2008 at 04:06 PM, redstatewannabe said:

Of course, we recycle like crazy, so I'm sure our mileage varies significantly from most of yours, because it's a well-known fact that unless there is a profit to be made, most conservatives abhor recycling

Unless you are throwing all your recycled material in your car and trucking it to a drop-off site, it sounds like you are actually getting an economic benefit from recycling - just like a good conservative should. :-)