Dairyland Insurance...really?

This year I switched to Dairyland as I'd heard nothing but good things about them. My experience so far has been less than stellar. First they demanded proof that I was a homeowner and that I had previously been insured or they would cancel my discounts. All of that information was provided at the time I switched to them, a fact I pointed out and they agreed "Oh yes, I see those documents now. Disregard the bill for another $240 that's already been sent."

Today they called to state that my bill is going up $131 because I'm not a member of HOG, and they don't know anything about the MOA. Excuse me? We're the ones who preach safety, who always wear protective gear, who never drink and ride, who recognize that doo rags and loud pipes are not safety devices, who organize spring refresher trainings and practice sessions!

I am utterly unimpressed with Dairyland!

Pete

Sorry to see this. I have had by far the opposite experience to yours. Lowest prices and less hassle than the other two places I used prior. I assume that you have a perfect record with no claims as I do.

I dumped them after they wanted $1000 premium per year, up from $800 last year, so I’m with progressive and my premium is $256 a year!
Same coverage! I did bundle homeowners, two cars and two bikes though....
Haven’t filed a claim in 15 years either..

martyhill said:

Sorry to see this. I have had by far the opposite experience to yours. Lowest prices and less hassle than the other two places I used prior. I assume that you have a perfect record with no claims as I do.

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I got a ticket in 1982 for speeding through a school zone in San Diego on a bicycle. Other than that, no tickets or accidents

As Voni said, try Foremost. I have been with them for many years. Never had a problem. Dairyland is a nightmare.

Pete - I have Foremost as well, thru the USAA desk. PM me if you need contact info.

glenfiddich said:

This year I switched to Dairyland as I'd heard nothing but good things about them. My experience so far has been less than stellar. First they demanded proof that I was a homeowner and that I had previously been insured or they would cancel my discounts. All of that information was provided at the time I switched to them, a fact I pointed out and they agreed "Oh yes, I see those documents now. Disregard the bill for another $240 that's already been sent."

Today they called to state that my bill is going up $131 because I'm not a member of HOG, and they don't know anything about the MOA. Excuse me? We're the ones who preach safety, who always wear protective gear, who never drink and ride, who recognize that doo rags and loud pipes are not safety devices, who organize spring refresher trainings and practice sessions!

I am utterly unimpressed with Dairyland!

Pete

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What did you expect buying insurance from a bunch of cows ?????

Friedle

For your consideration,
The insurance company's really don't mind loosing a long time- claim free customer. Spend 15 claim free years and then move on, for whatever reason, the company wins.
They have a lot of people working the "loss math". I have found an independent agent can make the difference.
YMMV
IN

Omega Man said:

For your consideration,
The insurance company's really don't mind loosing a long time- claim free customer. Spend 15 claim free years and then move on, for whatever reason, the company wins.
They have a lot of people working the "loss math". I have found an independent agent can make the difference.
YMMV
IN

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Consumer Reports did a piece on that topic a couple years ago, which convinced me to shop around and I did, in fact, save hundreds over the "Loyal Customer Since xxxx" price. Two years later I switched again, to Dairyland, which has been a nightmare. In today's mail I received four contradictory letters from them, each revoking or reinstating various discounts for failure to provide proof. Funny thing is my local agent had copies of all the required documents and proof they had in fact been received by Dairyland months ago.

I just cancelled Dairyland and switched companies. Saved $485 per year on coverage for my four bikes. When this policy is up for renewal I'll shop around again.

Pete

Friedle said:

What did you expect buying insurance from a bunch of cows ?????

Friedle

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That was timely. I was started to wonder who was milking who there...

Dairyland can be udderly ridiculous ...

glenfiddich said:

I got a ticket in 1982 for speeding through a school zone in San Diego on a bicycle. Other than that, no tickets or accidents

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Great answer. I do wonder why I've had good luck with them but most have not?

I should add that up until 2 years ago I had 3 bikes with them and it was very inexpensive.

When preparing to purchase a new motorcycle policy this year I knew my credit score would be factored in, as it is for home/auto insurance. But when the company I chose later sent me a pro forma letter informing me based upon my credit, driving record, and claim-free insurance history I had qualified for a low but not their "lowest" premium, because I had applied for a mortgage during the prior year, I considered writing my state insurance commissioner to suggest we need some relief from this nonsense. Then I decided to go out for a run instead. Don Quixote is a charming allegory but not a model for dealing with real life where tilting with bureaucrats, like windmills, is pointless.

Being a 60+ yr-old "returning rider" is a legitimate reason for a higher premium. Retiring, moving to another state, and purchasing a new residence, should not be.

Thinking about forum threads focused upon recruiting and retaining BMW MOA members - consider this: Geographic mobility is a hallmark of the rising millennial generation. An insurance industry gamed to penalize them for this new career paradigm is unfair and unreasonable and will become a disincentive to participating in recreational hobbies requiring insurance.

As for the primary subject of this thread - I passed on the bovine insurance company. Their "come on" premium offer was so far outside the mean I dismissed it as unreliable going forward and likely to be accompanied by inferior policy service, notwithstanding favorable reports to the contrary by some MOA members.

Foremost has covered my bike for 10 years and they've given me good customer service and rates.

E.

Mooo

Well, my opinion of Dairyland and Progressive is different than most have posted here so far. I don't mind the extra documentation asked for, like prior claims (fault determination), club memberships, home ownership, or prior insurance. If it helps weed the chalf from the good seed, all the better as far as I'm concerned. I even get a "winter discount" from Dairyland even though I can ride year round in the Pacific Northwest where it rarely snows, and I told them I ride my RT to Palm Springs and back for 6 months a year and ride there year round as well. Dairyland significantly beats the prices I was paying Progressive for years on 3 motorcycles. The premium I pay on my 2016 RT with full coverage and top liability is $312/yr vs. $800+/yr with Progressive. I've found Dairyland's agents are easy to reach and have helped me with that documentation and quote scenarios just fine.

I have an auto and umbrella policy with Progressive, and the umbrella policy is so bass ackwards they have no presence on the internet and payments have to be sent by check. No online payment service and just last week I received the renewal notice in the postal mail just 7 days before the payment date was due. Terrible service.

YMMV

Rainman48 said:

Well, my opinion of Dairyland and Progressive is different than most have posted here so far. I don't mind the extra documentation asked for, like prior claims (fault determination), club memberships, home ownership, or prior insurance. If it helps weed the chalf from the good seed, all the better as far as I'm concerned.

YMMV

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As I stated before, they already HAD all that documentation and they only recognized HOG, not MOA. They also had my email, phone number and mailing address, but never bothered reaching out unless it was to revoke a discount because they had misplaced documentation previously provided.

Rainman48 said:

Well, my opinion of Dairyland and Progressive is different than most have posted here so far. I don't mind the extra documentation asked for, like prior claims (fault determination), club memberships, home ownership, or prior insurance. If it helps weed the chalf from the good seed, all the better as far as I'm concerned. I even get a "winter discount" from Dairyland even though I can ride year round in the Pacific Northwest where it rarely snows, and I told them I ride my RT to Palm Springs and back for 6 months a year and ride there year round as well. Dairyland significantly beats the prices I was paying Progressive for years on 3 motorcycles. The premium I pay on my 2016 RT with full coverage and top liability is $312/yr vs. $800+/yr with Progressive. I've found Dairyland's agents are easy to reach and have helped me with that documentation and quote scenarios just fine.

I have an auto and umbrella policy with Progressive, and the umbrella policy is so bass ackwards they have no presence on the internet and payments have to be sent by check. No online payment service and just last week I received the renewal notice in the postal mail just 7 days before the payment date was due. Terrible service.

YMMV

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I pay my Progressive policy online....
Doug

dbaliko said:

I pay my Progressive policy online....
Doug

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Me too.

Get the Progressive app. You can do just about any plausable transaction.

Rainman48 said:

Well, my opinion of Dairyland and Progressive is different than most have posted here so far.

YMMV

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Well, somebody has to like them or they wouldn't even be in business.