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bhall's avatar
bhall
Explorer
Jul 31, 2014

Another early cancellation fee......

Signed up with Good Sam Insurance back in March of 2012. One of the first questions I asked was:
"Do you have an early cancellation fee?"
The answer was a prompt "No".

Through the last couple of years really no complaints except their website sucks and of course the name change to National General Insurance after the change to CWI Insurance. Lower premiums would be nice but that's a given. I received no literature, but just an email regarding the last change to NGI.

My policy term is 4/1/2014-10/1/2014 which of course is paid in full.

A brand new truck purchase and a new to us 5th Wheel purchase 2 weeks ago prompted insurance shopping since my then current carrier jacked my premium up $1k for the year for the new truck. With that being said, I was able to bundle my auto/home/RV insurance with the new carrier for more coverage with cheaper premiums all around. That became effective on 7/28. Tonight, I call NGI and inform them that I would like to cancel my current policy with them as I now have coverage with another company. I get the usual "sorry to see you leave. Why are you leaving?" questions and then they tell me that my premium is paid up to date. Duh! She said she was checking to see if any refunds were due to me or early cancellation fees are due? I said, "Whaaaaaaaaat?"

She comes back on the line and if I understood her correctly she said that as of today, I would have to pay a $50 early cancellation fee and no refunds of the premium are due to me. I told her I'm not paying that as that is ridiculous and I did not receive any literature in the mail telling me otherwise. I then asked her what would happen if I just said nevermind and leave it go. She said to just call them a few days before 10/1/2014 and tell them I will not be renewing. Now I fear they'll try to charge me a few for not renewing.

Then funny thing is the coverage with them is for my Dutchmen TT which is technically not mine anymore. I signed the paperwork over a couple of weeks ago and we were just waiting for my new truck to hit 500 miles so I could tow and then drive the TT up there to have the 5th Wheel hitch installed and bring the new to us 5th home. We will be doing that this coming Saturday, August 2nd. So, technically, I have 2 policies active on this Dutchmen TT, and after 8/2 it will still be insured sitting on their lot or possibly someone else's driveway before October. I don't like this, but I'm not paying this fee out of principle.
  • Send a complaint to the insurance commissioner in the state of your residence.
  • TinyoneRV wrote:
    Just a thought: If the early cancellation fee is not specifically stated somewhere in your policy or billing papers, this should be reported to the insurance commissioner of your state. Similarly, if you've paid in full and are not going to use the insurance for the remainder of the period, a prorated refund is due.

    Regarding automatic renewal, my auto and household policies automatically renew. I like that option because it prevents cancellation if a payment is missed.


    My thoughts exactly this is a highly regulated industry and it has to be in the policy
  • Just a thought: If the early cancellation fee is not specifically stated somewhere in your policy or billing papers, this should be reported to the insurance commissioner of your state. Similarly, if you've paid in full and are not going to use the insurance for the remainder of the period, a prorated refund is due.

    Regarding automatic renewal, my auto and household policies automatically renew. I like that option because it prevents cancellation if a payment is missed.
  • GMAC changed to National General Insurance. Camping World Insurance (WI) is just a brokerage firm. They underwrite under several different Insurance companies. CWI pushes National General (formerly GMA) because they pay the highest commissions. If you don't ask to be quoted under a different carrier, then they will automatically go through National General (GMAC) which we have found to be twice as high as some others.
  • I left out a couple of details.

    I did not inform NGI the TT is being traded in. I just left it at I have a new company providing coverage. My new Insurance carrier is insuring it until Noon on August 2nd. After noon, my coverage is moving over to the 5th wheel. The new company has already set that up.

    Another part I left out typing because this part infuriated me at that moment that my post would've been more incoherent than it was. I told her the main reason I switched was cost and at the moment I could not spare the cancellation fee. (That's not true, but in the past 2 weeks, I put out a lot of cash for down payments on the 5th wheel, then the new truck. The next my wife's car broke down severely which cost $2800 in repairs (that prompted the comment: "we traded in the wrong vehicle"), then this past Friday, one of our animals started to fall ill, Friday night, the 5yr old Central Air system broke down (Warranty Expired in June) and the inside temp of my house reached 89 degrees which made the animal worse and about knocked her out. Monday, took her to the vet and had to put her down so there was a few more hundred. The Central Air is still broken but waiting on some electrical parts. But I digress.
    After I told her I couldn't pay the fee. She said they would send a bill for it. After 30 days, it would go delinquent and a reminder would be sent. After 60 days another reminder would be sent and after 90 days it would be sent to a collection agency and reported on my credit. That moment is where I forcefully kept my calm and just asked her what would happen if I just said nevermind and leave it go. She said to just call them a few days before 10/1/2014 and tell them I will not be renewing.

    As for the renewal part, they have always automatically renewed and sent a notice by email. Most of the time I don't see the notices because it gets filtered as spam. This year on 2/24/14 they sent out the policy renewal to my email. I didn't see it initially so I didn't pay it at that exact moment.
    So, on 3/12/2014 I get a notice of "Pending Cancel For Non-Payment"
    So on 3/17/2014 (Please note my policy starts on 4/1/2014) I Pay it and get "Rescind Pending Cancel for Non Payment" I just checked my policy now and it says 7/30/2014 "Cancel - Policyholders Request (ProRata)"
    Guess it looks like I'm going to be getting a bill for $50?
  • Wow... I've changed insurance companies before and I've always gotten a pro rated refund on my paid for premium...

    It's been awhile since I've last changed, but that's just insane if that's the deal these days....

    Good luck!

    Mitch
  • So, what you are saying is they are going to charge you $50 for cancelling coverage on a coach because it is sold?
    Also, I have never heard of an insurance company automatically renewing coverage unless it is paid for. How and why would they charge if you are not renewing with them?
    I am now a little worried since we plan on changing from GMAC to Progressive the first of next year.
    Please keep us updated on what happens.

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