I just went to their site to get more info and got the following message: Effective August 1, 2005, the American Express Property Casualty companies are Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance. Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance is underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company or IDS Property Casualty Insurance Company, De Pere, WI. Both companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of Ameriprise Financial, Inc., expected to become independent of American Express on or after September 30, 2005. Learn more about this change, other changes to names of certain affiliated companies, and the anticipated separation from American Express Company by clicking on the Corporate Entities and Important Disclosures link at the bottom of this page. All other information on this site remains the same and does not change. I understand that some American Express companies and businesses have changed their names and that, for my convenience, I will see this message only once. Sounds like AmEx insurance isn't going to be AmEx for much longer . . . maybe not a good time to switch. tom418 - As far as AmEx being strict, thats kind of what I'm getting at. If they are so strict when it comes time to file a claim that they are hard to work with, it probably is not worth the switch. I don't have any first hand experience, but I've heard many times that is how AAA is, atleast here in California, even when working with their own policyholders. And you are right earthworm, a lot of times their is a catch to saving money and you do get what you pay for. I like your idea of a fill-in-the-blank form, but I'm sure they'd just laugh and hand it back.

Rates depend on age, driving records,vehicle type, state etc. There are also some policies that seem to be the highest. Single car policies with no support will generally be the highest out there. If you have a home,insure both of them together for multiple policy discounts. Even if you don't own, try a renters policy. Sometimes the savings alone on the auto can pay for the renters policy. Auto insurance is mandatory in most if not all states now. You'd be suprised how many people are going without it though. Just from seeing my cancellation audits done weekly I'd have to agree with the national statistics that 1 of every 6 drivers is going without insurance. Most people couldn't self insure, I know I couldn't.

Do you pay the premiums or does your hubby's retirement plan do so. I think the only way you can get the insurance is join, and I am surprised that a retirement plan would be able to offer such a plan. Please at least check you a local independant agent and/or like one poster said, with Social Security. You have some good suggestion here to help you out. As far as I know AARP does not offer insurance plans, but do offer supplements only, as Medicare, if you have it, is your primary provider. Is your husband's retirement a big company--small etc and what else do they provide (insist) the retires do. We are with Los Angeles County and we can choose anyone we want as our supplements. Please feel free to ask questions as we do have a lot of very knowlegable people here.

Late to the party here but will add my two cents for those looking for auto insurance. I was a PI attorney before retiring, representing plaintiffs, usually. Of all the auto insurance companies I dealt with, GEICO gave their insureds the least amount of problems. So, I also switched to GEICO for auto insurance. They don't directly sell home insurance in my state so can't say anything about that.