Before I decided to get the M, I was concerned that my insurance would REALLY jump since the car is considered 'high performance' .. I was paying $1650/year on my Acura CL (lease).

As everyone knows you have to carry full limits on a lease - and it really wasn't a problem.

Well, I live in NJ, so there's problem number ONE - we have the HIGHEST premiums IN THE COUNTRY.

Anyway, when I called my insurance company (Liberty Mutual) they assured me that after I dropped the Acura from the policy when the lease expired that the quote on the M would be around $2200/year .. yes, it was around $600 more than the Acura, but I really wanted the car, so I decided to lease it -- this was back in September .. I sent them a check to cover the difference until my renewal (which is in January of '04) ... The thing that really pisses me off, is that I did all my homework regarding the insurance on this car BEFORE I decided to lease it .. and all the quotes I got were around the same - but Liberty was actually $200 cheaper.

Well, I JUST get my renewal bill and it is $3200 !!! yes, you read that right -- $3200 !!! I was like WTF !!!!!?!?!??! They told me the rate they give you is what is was based on my CURRENT policy and that no one could have even TOLD me what my renewal would have been .. they don't get that information for 30-45 days before a renewal. Also, NJ changed their rates (AGAIN) and this car is in a different 'tier' because it's considered a high performance vehicle. So, now I am basically SCREWED. I've called other companies and some were slightly lower.

What I really don't understand is, I'm 32, married, NO ACCIDENTS/TICKETS in the last 6 years -- so everything should be cool.

Can I get an idea of what you other people in NJ/NY/DC/PA (who have some rather high premiums) are paying ?? And, who your insurance company is ? I gotta do something about this -- that comes out to $270/MONTH just for insurance !!! That is NOT cool at ALL !!

I cannot answer about NJ or those other states you mention, but my rate in Northern California (San Jose) is $1224 per year for the M45. This is through State Farm and I do get about a $200 multi-car discount. FWIW, I am 47, married and both my wife and I have one ticket each in the past 3 years. My wife's 7 year old Acura 2.2CL actually costs a bit more, would you believe, at about $1275 per year. Insurance companies are rip-offs at these things.

Z

Wow...that's total BS about not being able to qoute the price before you buy the car.

I have a friend that kept his mom (here in SC) as a co-owner on his car title when he first moved to NJ just for that reason. He was able to buy his auto insurance here in SC. At one time we were #2 behind NJ but now I think we're in the middle of the pack after some reforms. He kept this up for at least two years. He had a side benefit in the winter - with SC plates everyone stayed out of his way in the snow!

Do you have any relatives in "cheap" insurance states?

If you documented who you talked to about the quote while you were shopping I'd start going up the ladder raising hell until you get a better deal. One interesting fact with principle agency law in most states is that talking to an agent binds the principle (insurance company) to whatever the agent says.

Heath

Damn - I have Lib Mu and have actually been VERY pleased with their rates.

I shop around every 6 months, and Progressive and Geico can't even TOUCH the rate I get thru LibMu....

In KY, I would have paid an addtional $140 to add an M45 to my 94Q's insurance ( I checked)(5 speeding tickets in last 6 years)that including a very substantial "new car discount".Allstate.

Fred..

"One interesting fact with principle agency law in most states is that talking to an agent binds the principle (insurance company) to whatever the agent says." . . .

Won't work here. Most agents have no ability to bind the insurance company to a rate. They can bind coverage, but not the price. What ever you signed -- if you signed anything -- will have the disclaimer all over the back in fine print.

Call Amica if they have an office in NJ. They are a highly respected mutual company that really does little advertising. They are very good on claims and rates (but not rock bottom). I expect that you will get a variety of rate on the M as it is a low production newer car. Thus, there will be very little claim history for underwriters to consider. In that case, the companies will consider weight, HP, door count and price. Becuase the sticker is much more than the purchase price on these, you may be able to get them to knock it down, as "replacement" is not as high as it may appear. Good luck.

$2200? That sounds really high. I pay about $800 less than that for my G35 coupe with State Farm here in Indy.

thanks for the replies guys ...

regarding the situation again - I HAVE gone up the so-called 'corporate ladder' and have even lodged a complaint and spoken to a senior supervisor. It wasn't so much that they didn't stick to the quote - remember, I already WAS a Liberty Mutual customer for 5 years having insured my Honda and Acura with them. And in the past, whenever I had to add a new car and drop the other one, whatever they TOLD me the new premium would be, it was .. or at least was VERY close.

When I told them I would like to ADD the Infiniti, and then drop the Acura when the lease was up, they told me the ANNUAL premium on the M would be $2150. I decided that I would pay the little extra and get the M ... this was back in September when I took delivery of the car .. so, they revise my policy, add the M and I pay them to cover it until my renewal (which is this upcoming January) .. I don't pay by the month - I pay the bill in FULL -- so my Acura was fully paid ($1650) from January of '03 through January of '04 ... the $440 check was to cover the M until the renewal .. THAT's when the problem arises. I'm expecting to get a BILL for the year of $2150 (like they told me) .. and it's now $3200. They said whoever told me (and THREE different phone agents told me that #) it would be $2150 should NOT have, as they have no idea what it would be on a RENEWAL ... SO, I said 'you mean to tell me if I was a NEW customer and called for a quote, it would have been around $2200 but yet, I'm an exisiting customer, and a renewal for me is $3200 ????' ... they had NO answer for me ... how convenient, they don't get the information on the acutal RENEWAL amount until 30-45 days before renewal .. well THANKS FOR TELLING ME THAT !! WTF?

So, here is where I stand .. not sure what else to do at this point .. there are very few companies left who write in NJ ...

I'm going to keep looking !!! They say there's nothing they can do and they CANNOT lower the premiums .. I say BULL !!!

Keep looking, I'm sure you can find something better than that.

You might also call you state's insurance commission (or equivalent regulatory agency) - or at least threaten it.

Heath

They know they got you by the balls in NJ because of the few companies that actually offer car insurance in NJ. The state is trying to lure companies back to NJ but after years of unfriendly business environment towards car insurance companies it will take a while for rates to come down.

Have you tried State Farm?

Ahh man I feel your pain. I'm paying 4800 a year with two cars and 9 points. Today I got a letter that my insurance is cancelled! A holes at MetLife...They never posted my last payment!So now I'm on my fifth back and forth payment error with these clowns and I'm really pissed.Anyways I guess I'll get it straightened out hopefully soon because I'm sure I'm cancelled.Lets face it New Jersey sucks period. Nobody wants to write here cuz most of the people here are hucksters and would stab anybody in the back to make phony claims. Despite the fact that the stolen car rates are immense and most people can't drive...or speak english. Its too easy to get a drivers license.....The best advice I could give is if you have a clear record and you would require it, is to try NJ Cure Insurance. They have a website and have the lowest rates around.Of course even better advice would be to get out of NJ and move to a nice place with good honest people, like the midwest.I wish I lived back in Omaha. It was great there, but unfortunately my job keeps me here.Then my insurance would be 1000 a year like it should be.Good Luck,Pete

NJ definitely BLOWS ... I gotta move out to the midwest .. My cousin lives in RURAL PA and pays like $1200 per YEAR on 2 NEW cars !!! Unreal !

Pete, you're worse off than I am ! I feel for ya man ...

Regarding NJ Cure, I tried them .. and they would not quote me unless I added my wife to the policy and her car -- which I do not want to do .. I only wanted ME on the policy. She still has it registered under her mom in Philly .. don't ask ...

I also own a property in Philly and thought about switching everything there, but it's JUST as expensive -- I have like ZERO Options !!

Someone mentioned State Farm -- I thought they didn't write in NJ anymore ? Do they ?

I have no idea what I'm gonna do .. I got a couple of quote packets coming in the mail from AAA, Amica and IFA ... we'll see.

Also, I COULD drop my coverage to limited threshold instead of verbal, and also raise my deductibles to $1000 and this would drop the premium to around $2500 -- but that's STILL a lot - and I've always had full (verbal) threshold and $500 deductibles in the past ...

How about AIG?

dezm45 wrote:NJ definitely BLOWS

Yes, when it comes to insurance. I have my 95Q with just liability and I just got A 03 BMW 330i. I am paying with Prudential $1840 every 6 months. I have what they call a $100,000/$300,000 coverage, so it's not the minimum. I'm realy considering regestering my car to my other home in the Poconos and see how much I'll save. Another good thing about PA is that, I think, they don't use a front licence plate to ugly up the car. By the way, don't ever be late on your insurance payment. I was late this year and I had my Q and a 94 Accord, witch I just sold, and I was paying about 1000 a year for full coverage. My payment was too late and my policy was canceled. So when I got new insurance, they said that I had a lapse on my policy and I will have to pay more. I took off the full coverage and I was paying the same as when I was fully covered. That sucks!!! Not only that, it takes 3 years to get it off my record. So there you have it, and the other bad thing with NJ is that you have so few choices in NJ of insurance companies. You can't get Gieko or Progresive here.

By the way, allways good to see a fellow New Jerseyan in the Nico forum. What exit on the Turnpike do you live on? I'm exit 18.

louiegz wrote:By the way, allways good to see a fellow New Jerseyan in the Nico forum. What exit on the Turnpike do you live on? I'm exit 18.

Hmmm...That's the way the homeless describe their campgrounds in the western US.

Hope NJ is treating you guys better than that!

maxnix wrote:Hmmm...That's the way the homeless describe their campgrounds in the western US.

Hope NJ is treating you guys better than that!

Yea, I'll live in my Q. Just recline the seat all the way back and that’s my bed. Do the windshield washers qualify as a shower?

Yikes! This is a good scare out of insuring a new car. I have max liability and uninsured motorist only (no collision or comprehensive) on my '92 Q and paying $60/mo. My insurance doesn't seem to find out about speeding tickets, that helps. Only one ticket in last 3 years, though.

louiegz wrote:Yea, I'll live in my Q. Just recline the seat all the way back and that’s my bed. Do the windshield washers qualify as a shower?

That's funny!