Besides the insurance commissioner send a letter to the home office of the insurance company with a copy of the bill and any correspondence from the agency asking for an explanation. Do not mention the previous call and see what happens while you are shopping for a different policy. Depending on the company they will handle the agent better than the insurance commissioner. Depending on the state some commissions only refer agent complaints back to the company. You can also cc the insurance commission in your letter to the insurance company.

Be careful about words, they have specific meanings.

Mistakes? Unauthorized charges? MIsunderstandings? Incompetence? All sound like they're possible. Mostly incompetence, my experience is that the insurance industry doesn't attract the brightest bulbs in our communities.

Fraud? Most unlikely. Really. Contacting your state insurance agency is probably an unwarranted waste of your time. If you tell them the agencies you dealt with were run by stupid idiots, they'll probably agree with you. In most states, the main job is to regulate insurance companies.

Good luck, I hope the process isn't too frustrating to conclude to your satisfaction.

Elmer....if it was a mistake or an error....then they would take it off my bill when i pointed it out to them.....not say, "It doesn't matter." Or the main office, "We didn't advise they bill you more."

I worked as an insurance claims adjuster at one time(trying to find something to do in my retirement years). Yeah...I know what this is.

I'll add updates if anything new transpires.

I've always thought that insurance in general is the largest legal scam there is. Take your money, then when you actually need some of it, refuse because reasons. Oh, but we're required to have it!

Nicole, so you are insured now with the the past referral? (I hope???)

I think the widespread insurance hanky panky can be ultimately cured in only one way, by simply doing what you are doing: reviewing the facts of the situation and in the appropriate venue naming names and the associated quotes. You never have to say more, the figures and added on charges speak for themselves.

Adding on square footage to create a bill? Sounds fishy to me. What gets me about my homeowner's insurance is the "consent to rate surcharge" which adds $153 to my bill.

Lucille.....yes, I'm insured...complete with an umbrella policy.....but I'm waiting to hear if the policies have been transferred to my preferred agents agency. So I'm in a "wait and see" mode.

I understand your frustration at the tacked on charges, nicole, but I gotta say that after this summer's destructive California wildfires, I'm grateful to have any kind of insurance at all. Our homeowners has gone up over the years partly because of where we live, but when I think of the cost of rebuilding, it seems like a small price to pay.

This is from a California Dept. of Insurance press release dated Sept 6:

Data collected by the department shows that the widespread destruction
from the Carr and Mendocino Complex fires resulted in damaging or
destroying more than 8,800 homes, 329 businesses, and more than 800
private autos, commercials vehicles, and other types of property. More
than 10,000 claims have been filed, totaling $845 million in insured
losses.

Edit to add this sentence: Insurance is one of those things we grumble about having to pay for until we need it, but when needed we are so glad to be covered for our losses.

On another note, having worked for several years in the insurance industry, I don't particularly appreciate this comment:

Mostly incompetence, my experience is that the insurance industry doesn't attract the brightest bulbs in our communities.

That is a using a very broad brush to paint a very large group of people, most of whom are of perfectly normal intelligence and competence and do a fine job in their chosen line of work. Every industry or profession is going to include some who are not the best, brightest or most competent including those who go into the accounting field. Incompetence isn't limited exclusively to the insurance industry.

Dawn...an extra thousand dollars is not a small amount to most people. I'd donate it to a charity of my choice before I'd be scammed out of the money.....

Oh, I know, nicole. That is a lot of money and definitely worth checking into to find out what the deal is. No argument there.

I can only imagine how frustrating that must be, I hope you’re able to get things sorted out the way you want it to be. Something does seem “off” so I think I’d also be tempted to contact the Insurance Commissioner.

UGH. So frustrating to read! I hope you get it cleared up and I hope someone can do something about the insurance company being able to add to your square footage! Sounds like fraud to me. : (

My preferred agent called me yesterday, said he hadn't receivde anything. I called the 1-800 customer service number, they sent me an email, stating I'd requested my policies be moved to another agent. I sent back a confirmation...she said it would take 7-10 days. I am keeping in mind that the agent I'm transferring to did not say he could remove the charge or even that he would try to remove it/ $1065. I'm just putting my faith in him until he gives me a reason to go elsewhere. I've gotton the same "lower" amount quoted to me by several insurance companies. I can try another one if I have to.

Are you eligible for insurance through USAA? I've used them since I married my husband over 40 years ago - he'd had it long before that. I've rarely had any problem with them and their rates are always excellent.

I like USAA for some things, mostly banking and sometimes car loans.

I've found their insurance expensive. I think I've related this story before - my longtime house insurance carrier told me they were going to increase my premium 20%. I shopped rates and went with USAA for a 10% cut. The next year, USAA doubled the premium. Really, no exaggeration. I went back to my old company immediately.

USAA auto insurance for our cars is 10-15% higher than State Farm.

If you are in an accident, USAA’s service is excellent.

We're not military...and...as an employee of USAA, they get a 10% discount and it was still higher.

Update: The past company I was with for 3 weeks....that was the increase in sq footage people. That was fraud. Now this company, the owner emailed, said he got my paperwork I sent where the roofer signed off for USAA saying it was a Class 4 Decra roof(hail proof), but they need him to fill out paper work for THIS insurance company and he refuses. So they can call for a roof inspection, free of charge to do this and that will give me the roof discount, get rid of the $1065 bill. But have they....nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! The agent wants me to agree to stay with his agency before he does anything. Nope. Changing agencies and they can order an inspection. It will take several weeks to clear it all up....but it sounds promising! YAY!

Elmer.... YOU were right on THIS one. I was wrong. It was an incompetant agent that just didn't care. She just wanted me to "go away". The 1st agency...well.....that one was fraud.

Nicole, the important thing is that hopefully you'll be able to have what you want for a fair price.

I'm buying a piece of real estate right now and the frustrations are endless in dealing with no-nothing loan officers (with a major bank/mortgage lender), a worthless and inattentive escrow manager, and a seller's agent who's a complete airhead. Maybe you encounter these things too? I just politely nudge them along by suggesting actions or approaches they need to do but don't come up with of their own initiative. Real estate too, like insurance, is an area that too often doesn't attract our communities' best and brightest. No one is overtly dishonest, just too many are lazy and inept.

Good luck.

Elmer....thankfully....no, no loans. The zip code change threw me for a loop with insurance. I had good insurance that dropped me based on the zip code. of the new purchase I rarely buy a new residence. I timed it just right. Four weeks after closing, soft ball sized hail hit and the town was declared a disaster area. It made national news. My home was near here

Yes, it looks like I'll get what I want at a fair price. That is important. Thanks!

I wish you the best on your new purchase as well!

With many companies if you request another agent the compensation stays with the original agent and the requested agent is simply servicing you and generally cleaning things up with no compensation unless the original agent signs off on the compensation. 20 years in the business and I've never seen an agent sign off compensation! My bulb is pretty bright.

two25acres.....that's a good point. So I can move 3 more houses over to THIS agent from "other" not related companies, which was my original intent. Consolidation. Also all 3 vehicles need to be replaced, 200k miles on them ALL. I also buy and sell houses every year....flippers do that, out with the old in with the new. When I sell them that will end the policy with the old agent and start with the new one. It's a WIN WIN really for the new agent as I see it.

My bulb is pretty bright. lol right on...

two25, are you talking about both independent and captive agents?

I recently switched agents- twice - with one insurance company that has captive agents (they carry no other lines besides the one company). With each switch, the sentiment was expressed something to the effective of "I appreciate your business and I will give you great service to earn my commissions". Are you saying this isn't the case, or maybe this company is an exception?

This is in a populated quasi urban/suburban area where agents for this insurance company seem to be found every mile or so on every major street.

Elmer, my company as well...I checked and my new agent of choice "will" be getting the commission. That's why I've had such a hard time getting the old/bad agency to answer the phone when I call.

But....just saying....if the client....me....buys and sells a lot....like I do...the new agent under two25's assessment, WOULD ALWAYS come out ahead.

I would be doing a disservice to any customer that requested us if I explained to them that I would not be getting compensated for any work I did for them, that is also against the company rules. I work for captive, I cannot speak for independents.

As for buying and selling - new business. Depends on the company, if there are auto and primary home policies in existence, the requested agent may only be compensated and agent of record for the new business which can be lucrative. Just depends on the company and we (agents) cannot share that with the insured.