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aviator41's avatar
aviator41
Explorer
Jun 30, 2016

Low tech RV insurance seller

We've been gettin insurance quotes by a number of carriers and seemed to get a competitive quote from RVAmerica. they have the next closest quote beat by several hundred dollars. RVA is offering a Safeco policy that I' pretty happy with.

Problem is, They're pretty low tech apparently. I had to fill out a paper application, scan it and send it via E-mail to the (nice and patient) lady who is working with me. Now I left off my credit card information because we're not communicating via a secured method. But I then find out that they require a credir card for the depost, but will only use checking account information for the monthly's. So I now have to provide my credit card info AND my checking account into over an insecure E-mail?

this has my Network Security senses tingling. (I'm an enterprise app developer. There's no excuse for not having a secure method of communications when transacting with a customer!)

Do you fine folks think I'm about to step right into the trap? Do I just need to call Safeco directly and implement the quote?

8 Replies

  • Chuck_thehammer wrote:
    aviator41 wrote:
    Thanks for the replies everyone. I've got it all handled.


    Thank You for updating us... many do not...


    You're welcome. I try not to be "that guy" on forums.
  • aviator41 wrote:
    Thanks for the replies everyone. I've got it all handled.


    Thank You for updating us... many do not...
  • are you talking about Safeco Insurance company???

    ask the company for a LOCAL agent....

    they have a local agent in my little town in ohio.... been doing business with them for years ... everything can be done by the local agent...
  • Having worked in the insurance business I can tell you that I worked for a major company. Our e-mail was not secure for financial transactions either. Once you gave me your info, it was entered into a secure payment processing program. It sounds like you have talked to this very patient lady. I would call and give the information verbally. Bank authorizations normally required a voided signed check, or a signed document. Credit card - we never set up monthly authorizations on a credit card either - either checking or debit only. This was a large nationwide highly rated company that I worked for so this is not unusual for a small company either. Reason ---- they need the routing # to set up auto withdraw -- a credit card does not have a routing number. There is a difference between withdrawing from accounts to receive payment and sending the charges to a credit card.
  • The lowest price is not always the best choice.
    Did you read the ENTIRE contract on what is covered and what is not compared to the other quotes?

    AND IMHO if you have to sign up, give personal info, bank info, etc., only to an automated unsecured system? Think about what you will have to go thru when you have a claim and there is no human being to help you.

    I would also never give a company a checking account authorization for auto debit payments that's just an accident waiting to happen and very hard to stop. They get credit card or nothing for auto payments, that you have control over.

    Credit card and bank info should NEVER be given in an email to anyone EVER. Secure or not.
  • If you're willing for them to have the information and are only concerned about the communication technique just give them a call.

    You could also split the information between a couple emails from different sources. Maybe half the credit card number and expiry month from a yahoo account, the other half of the info from a gmail account.

    If you think they're a shady outfit just stop communicating altogether.