Dear Travelers Insurance: SCREW YOU!

[SSSnail]

I'm afraid this is the end of the road for us in our relationship.

I'm sure you're very good at reimbursing people that has renter's insurance with you, and I'm sure your service is superb, and that you're prompt, and punctual, and possess all the great qualities that an insurer should have.

May be I've never noticed it before, and despite all your good qualities, there was one thing that made me question your ethics, and underlying values.

I recently took a gander at my annual bill, and noticed a $6.00 "service" charge on the statement. My curiosity got the better of me, and I started looking through my bill a bit more carefully (since I've always trusted you, and paid you without hesitation, in full, annually) and notice that the service charge was for you to send me the bill, so that I can pay you. Really? REALLY? $6.00 (a month unless pay in full)? For you to mail my bill to me? So that I can pay you? As I investigate a bit more, it seems that there is not an option for me to pay you, in any form, that would avoid a "service" charge of at least $1.00. You're charging me, to send me the bill, so that I can pay you?

It may not be you, but you are influenced by that pin head MBA in finance who thinks by nickle and dime your customer, it would improves your bottom line. Well, guess what? Sssnail is no longer a part of it.

If you really have to re-evaluate where this relationship has gone wrong, it's that - that you're charging me to send me my bill, so that I can pay you... If you only take a moment to think about it, it's beyond absurd.

So, screw you.

Sincerely.
p.s. I have until 4/19 to find another willing participant in my rebound insurance shopping escapade. You were good, but you're not the only fish in the sea darling.



TL;DR: $6.00 service charge for Travelers to send me the bill. Sssnail canceled policy.

 

[FoBoT]

no worries, there are other providers, shop around

 

[lxskllr]

I hope you actually told them why. Let them know their dickery was noted, and it negatively affected their bottom line.

 

[Lifted]

 

[darkxshade]

Enjoy paying the $600 termination fee.

 

[BrokenVisage]

 

[Pardus]

I'm afraid this is the end of the road for us in our relationship.

I'm sure you're very good at reimbursing people that has renter's insurance with you, and I'm sure your service is superb, and that you're prompt, and punctual, and possess all the great qualities that an insurer should have.

May be I've never noticed it before, and despite all your good qualities, there was one thing that made me question your ethics, and underlying values.

I recently took a gander at my annual bill, and noticed a $6.00 "service" charge on the statement. My curiosity got the better of me, and I started looking through my bill a bit more carefully (since I've always trusted you, and paid you without hesitation, in full, annually) and notice that the service charge was for you to send me the bill, so that I can pay you. Really? REALLY? $6.00 (a month unless pay in full)? For you to mail my bill to me? So that I can pay you? As I investigate a bit more, it seems that there is not an option for me to pay you, in any form, that would avoid a "service" charge of at least $1.00. You're charging me, to send me the bill, so that I can pay you?

It may not be you, but you are influenced by that pin head MBA in finance who thinks by nickle and dime your customer, it would improves your bottom line. Well, guess what? Sssnail is no longer a part of it.

If you really have to re-evaluate where this relationship has gone wrong, it's that - that you're charging me to send me my bill, so that I can pay you... If you only take a moment to think about it, it's beyond absurd.

So, screw you.

Sincerely.
p.s. I have until 4/19 to find another willing participant in my rebound insurance shopping escapade. You were good, but you're not the only fish in the sea darling.



TL;DR: $6.00 service charge for Travelers to send me the bill. Sssnail canceled policy.

Most auto insurance companies charge a service fee if you choose to pay in installments. It costs them money to keep track of your balance, print and mail you a bill. Pay your insurance upfront and in full, no service fees.

I been with Travelers for 6-years now and they are the best auto insurance company in my opinion. I'm paying less now for auto and renters than i ever did.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Most auto insurance companies charge a service fee if you choose to pay in installments. It costs them money to keep track of your balance, print and mail you a bill. Pay your insurance upfront and in full, no service fees.

This is true of many insurance companies and many companies in general, but according to the OP, he'd be charged a service fee no matter what, even if he did pay in full.

That's also becoming increasingly common, and it's annoying.

 

[alkemyst]

lol at free credit desire.

 

[lothar]

Most auto insurance companies charge a service fee if you choose to pay in installments. It costs them money to keep track of your balance, print and mail you a bill. Pay your insurance upfront and in full, no service fees.

I been with Travelers for 6-years now and they are the best auto insurance company in my opinion. I'm paying less now for auto and renters than i ever did.

How about them coming to the year 2011 and allowing electronic statements like most other companies already do or allow enrolling in monthly automatic deductions?

 

[lothar]

This is true of many insurance companies and many companies in general, but according to the OP, he'd be charged a service fee no matter what, even if he did pay in full.

That's also becoming increasingly common, and it's annoying.

If you pay in full, you won't be charged a service fee.
-Travelers customer that currently prefers to pay in full and avoid their $60/year in service fees.

 

[JPerk]

Monthly automatic EFT is the $1.00 charge the OP was referring to. If you pay in full with Travelers though, you don't pay the $6.00 fee.

$6.00 is about middle of the road in terms of fees. There are some that are $10-12/mo in billing fees. There are a handful that have $0 in fees if you do automatic payments, however, almost all have $0 in fees if you pay in full.

 

[lothar]

Monthly automatic EFT is the $1.00 charge the OP was referring to. If you pay in full with Travelers though, you don't pay the $6.00 fee.

$6.00 is about middle of the road in terms of fees. There are some that are $10-12/mo in billing fees. There are a handful that have $0 in fees if you do automatic payments, however, almost all have $0 in fees if you pay in full.

No, that's not what the OP is referring to.
If Travelers sends you a monthly paper bill in the mail, there's a $5(Maybe they increased it to $6 now?) service fee. It doesn't matter how you pay for it.

 

[Pray To Jesus]

LOL OP owned?

 

[mcmilljb]

I just wish all insurers would cut the nickle and dime game with hiding fees to disguise their true cost. Say what it costs and then offer a discount for paying in full. That actually seems more honest and just plain simple.

 

[Jeff7]

Either it's purely a money-grab, or else it's selective itemization of the bill.

Like the "documentation fee" crap that car dealerships try to get: "It's to pay the people here who prepare all the documents for the vehicles." Uh huh. There's also money going into lighting and sewage for the dealership. Where are the line items for that stuff? That's the kind of thing that's normally called a "cost of doing business."
The fuel surcharge for UPS/FedEx type deliveries is the same thing. That showed up when fuel prices started creeping up, even though fuel wasn't free prior to that. They just wanted to increase their prices due to higher cost, but didn't want to call it a price increase.

 

[CZroe]

I recently signed up for Travelers and found that it was the same price whether I paid in full or monthly. The price difference comes exclusively from the service charge, so the only way out is to pay in full. You can't complain because it is WAY more straight-forward than having a yearly, bi-yearly, and monthly rate.

OP: You complain too much.

 

[Pardus]

This is true of many insurance companies and many companies in general, but according to the OP, he'd be charged a service fee no matter what, even if he did pay in full.

That's also becoming increasingly common, and it's annoying.

Checked my auto and renters declarations policies. The only service fee listed is if you choose to make payments and you can pay online. No idea what the op is referring to.

 

[Doppel]

I know geico does this. I ran the numbers and paying installments works out to a fairly high interest rate so I just pay all at once. I guess traveller's does the same thing.

You're not asking for free credit, though. You would be if you were getting all your insurance at once, but you don't. Your desire is to pay over time. Think of it another way: you get a discount if you pay up front all at once.

 

[lothar]

Checked my auto and renters declarations policies. The only service fee listed is if you choose to make payments and you can pay online. No idea what the op is referring to.

Read my post for what the OP is referring to.
The OP unwinded in an unnecessary long rant.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Bill for two vehicles was over 1000 for 6 months. Paying in full with first two weeks was now 800

 

[EagleKeeper]

Lesson for SSSnail:

Pay for convienence of monthly payments. Save money with payment in full.

 

[SSSnail]

I'm sorry, I'm poor, unlike most of you. I don't make near $250K a year, and I have 6 wives and 68 kids to feed. Plus, hookers and blow aren't going to pay for themselves.

I just don't think it would cost them $6 to send out my bills, or they should charge me in any ways for the privilege of paying them money. Any other debtors that I have to pay, none of them charge me for "service" or "convenient" fees (although, I don't owe anything other than monthly living expenses).

Maybe my values and yours are different, and that you're used to pay for unnecessary shits, because you're rich. But, I just think I shouldn't have to pay for things that I shouldn't have to pay for.

 

[CPA]

I recently signed up for Travelers and found that it was the same price whether I paid in full or monthly. The price difference comes exclusively from the service charge, so the only way out is to pay in full. You can't complain because it is WAY more straight-forward than having a yearly, bi-yearly, and monthly rate.

OP: You complain too much.

Yep, they could charge interest instead. No law says they have to provide you interest free financing of your annual premium, but they do but instead hit you with a small service fee instead.

 

[CPA]

I'm sorry, I'm poor, unlike most of you. I don't make near $250K a year, and I have 6 wives and 68 kids to feed. Plus, hookers and blow aren't going to pay for themselves.

I just don't think it would cost them $6 to send out my bills, or they should charge me in any ways for the privilege of paying them money. Any other debtors that I have to pay, none of them charge me for "service" or "convenient" fees (although, I don't owe anything other than monthly living expenses).

Maybe my values and yours are different, and that you're used to pay for unnecessary shits, because you're rich. But, I just think I shouldn't have to pay for things that I shouldn't have to pay for.

I can almost guarantee you the cost of the paper, the printing, the employee to handle the statement processes, the banking fees to collect the payments, the processing the of the payments by company personnel, the accounting of the payments and the customer support for customers who have made payments comes close to $6.

It costs my company almost $3 just to send out one AP check.

Your other debtors charge you interest, insurance doesn't.