Do not use Good Sam Insurance

FWIW. Recently I misplaced a bill for my household insurance. They covered me for one month past the renewal date. I finally got it all straightened out but I definitely owed them for one month extension. Make sure if you are not renewing a policy you contact the current company and tell them you are not renewing.

edhensley wrote:

bigdogger wrote:
There is more to this story. No insurance company will send an account to a collection agency unless there is a really strange set of circumstances, like they paid for a false claim, overpaid a claim, uncovered some egregious false application data, got paid by a bad check or had a payment by credit card reversed, resulting in them providing insurance without proper payment.
Another possibility is the insurance premium was underwritten for a certain term and you either did not make the monthly installment payments or cancelled the policy before the term expired resulting in them re-calculating the premium based on the term used. This would be no different than getting the monthly rate at an RV park and then leaving after 6 days. You would be charged the higher, daily rate and if the park had made some kind of payment arrangement and you hadn't paid enough that month to cover the 6 daily rate fees you might owe them money.
When you don't renew an insurance policy after the term has expired, your insurance is cancelled, plain and simple and that would be the end of it. So what is the rest of the story?

There is no rest of the story, I did not renew and went with a different company that offered me twelve months for almost the same price that GMAC wanted for six months. I got a notice from Good Sam saying I owed $85.00 for the policy that I never ordered or agreed to. I have education in contract law and know that I did not do anything that would result in a contact. I know there are some people here that thinks the business is always right,but no.

Any business will send any item to collection that they think that they are owed.

You did not renew, but did you cancel? Normally insurance companies automatically renew you unless you notify them to cancel.

Every insurance company (Allstate, Erie, Travelers, Farmers, Allied, etc) I have ever done business with automatically renews if I didn't notify them of a cancellation.

Matter of fact, we had insurance on our golf cart. They sent me a renewal notice and bill a few months ago. I wasn't sure if we were going to keep it or not. Time ran out apparently and I went to renew it and pay online. Got a message saying that it had lapsed and I needed to call the insurance company.

Your main problem is that you were dealing with GMAC/NG...

I have been away for a week so I have not updated this; They have sent me an email (they tried to phone but did not have the correct phone number). We have not agreed yet on if they can renew without anything from me, or as they think I had to tell them I was not renewing (crazy idea).

We have not settled yet but are working on it. Part of the issue is caused by their wanting to be helpful and going ahead with renewal without receiving payment. I don't know any other company that would do the same thing. In the same time period I changed companies on my watercraft for the same reason. It was not an issue as the old company did not issue a policy without getting an order or payment.

So much for them reaching out to me. Never heard from them

bigdogger wrote:
There is more to this story. No insurance company will send an account to a collection agency unless there is a really strange set of circumstances, like they paid for a false claim, overpaid a claim, uncovered some egregious false application data, got paid by a bad check or had a payment by credit card reversed, resulting in them providing insurance without proper payment.
Another possibility is the insurance premium was underwritten for a certain term and you either did not make the monthly installment payments or cancelled the policy before the term expired resulting in them re-calculating the premium based on the term used. This would be no different than getting the monthly rate at an RV park and then leaving after 6 days. You would be charged the higher, daily rate and if the park had made some kind of payment arrangement and you hadn't paid enough that month to cover the 6 daily rate fees you might owe them money.
When you don't renew an insurance policy after the term has expired, your insurance is cancelled, plain and simple and that would be the end of it. So what is the rest of the story?

There is no rest of the story, I did not renew and went with a different company that offered me twelve months for almost the same price that GMAC wanted for six months. I got a notice from Good Sam saying I owed $85.00 for the policy that I never ordered or agreed to. I have education in contract law and know that I did not do anything that would result in a contact. I know there are some people here that thinks the business is always right,but no.

Any business will send any item to collection that they think that they are owed.

There is more to this story. No insurance company will send an account to a collection agency unless there is a really strange set of circumstances, like they paid for a false claim, overpaid a claim, uncovered some egregious false application data, got paid by a bad check or had a payment by credit card reversed, resulting in them providing insurance without proper payment.
Another possibility is the insurance premium was underwritten for a certain term and you either did not make the monthly installment payments or cancelled the policy before the term expired resulting in them re-calculating the premium based on the term used. This would be no different than getting the monthly rate at an RV park and then leaving after 6 days. You would be charged the higher, daily rate and if the park had made some kind of payment arrangement and you hadn't paid enough that month to cover the 6 daily rate fees you might owe them money.
When you don't renew an insurance policy after the term has expired, your insurance is cancelled, plain and simple and that would be the end of it. So what is the rest of the story?

HappyKayakers wrote:

edhensley wrote:
... but they will also try to collect a fee if you decline to renew!

First time I've heard of this one. Got any more details? Sounds like it would be pretty easy to refer to a state attorney general.

Yes first step in process is a complaint to the dept of insurance

To answer the other question the policy was with GMAC insurance but the bill came from Good Sam Insurance what a surprise

edhensley wrote:
... but they will also try to collect a fee if you decline to renew!

First time I've heard of this one. Got any more details? Sounds like it would be pretty easy to refer to a state attorney general.

As far as I know, Good Sam doesn't write insurance policies. They are just a broker for multiple other companies. My insurance is through Good Sam, but it was written through National General (formerly GMAC). What insurance company is your policy written through?

Hello edhensley,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention and I'm sorry to hear this happened. If you could send me your contact information in a private message, I would like to have someone reach out to you regarding this. Please let me know if you need anything else at all. Thank you and have a good day!

Elizabeth Black-Osborn
Marcus Rapid Response Team