Stubborn resolve in trying to find a solution

Disclaimer:  What you read here are my recollections and opinions of events that I experienced with Allstate - and should not be considered statements of fact. 


Hoping that persistence would pay off

On November 28, after returning home, my resolve to understand could not end.  I wanted to know when Allstate started using credit scores because my mother had no recollection of ever being informed or asked for consent for a credit check.  When protecting my mother, I am a pit-bull. 


At 4:45 pm I asked via email:

Mr Patel,

Thank you for your help today.

After leaving your office, I spoke with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario today about the insurance score issue.  The rep I spoke with told me that they are not aware of any legislation or regulation that states that the insurance score is a secret but that it is up to the company to make that decision.  The rep at the FSRA was shocked by my story and we will discuss the issue further in a few days when a property (home) insurance expert is available to talk with me.

 Since there is no known reason for the insurance scores to be kept secret, it is up to Allstate, to show that it has "good hands" and provide transparency in this situation.  Thus, I request two things pertaining to information about our insurance accounts:

1.  I request that Allstate provide my mother and myself with our insurance scores, or provide us with a reference to the legislation or regulation that stipulates that a customer is not allowed to know their score, or the Allstate policy that states that a customer is not allowed to know their own score.  

2.  In which year did Allstate inform Mike and Ljubica Zidaric about the use of their credit scores to determine insurance score and thus the premiums.  My mother is unaware of ever being informed of this.

3.  In which year did Allstate ask for consent to do a credit score check on Ljubica Zidaric.  

Ljubica has no knowledge of ever being asked for consent.

4.  To help us understand how the home premiums for Mike and Ljubica Zidaric changed over the years, I request a year by year listing of premiums paid for home insurance.

We have looked over my father's cheque book and found the following:

In November 2011,  my father paid $1,207, by check for home insurance.  [note: $1,207 in 2011 is equal to 1,617 in 2024].

For the following six years, he paid both the car and home insurance with one check and thus we do not know how the car and home insurance were split.

My mother has copies of the following invoices, but there might be some errors as in some years we received two or three different premiums.


We did not receive an answer.


FYI:  To find out what dollar equivalent in 2024 is for previous years, see the Bank of Canada Inflation Calculator.


On December 6, at about 10:00 am, having come up with a creative solution, I wrote again to teh agency manager for Mississauga North.


Mr Patel,

This morning, out of curiosity, I requested an online quote for :

  • an almost 75 year old woman
  • in postal code XXX-XXX
  • no car insurance
  • no need for enhanced water damage
  • Without a credit check

We received a quote of $127 per month [$1,524/year]

Reference Number: QOP000790XXX

Since there is obviously something wrong with the existing policy, can we cancel the old policy and get this new one?


Again, I did not receive an answer to this.


At 4:43  pm that day, I was SHOCKED by the email that I received from Allstate  - an incomprehensible example of corporate bullying.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Our General Insurance OmbudService experience

Image
Disclaimer:  What you read here are my recollections and opinions of events that I experienced with Allstate and the GIO - and should not be considered statements of fact.  Our experience with Allstate was more than frustrating; it was profoundly disillusioning. My mother, a visually impaired senior, should have been treated with fairness and respect.  Instead, she was reduced to a policy number, a statistic, a victim of opaque algorithms and corporate stonewalling — an experience emblematic of a broader, systemic issue in the insurance industry. In our experience, Allstate’s internal ombudsman process did not feel like impartial advocacy.  It seems to be a façade—a frustrating mechanism designed to wear down customers, and to avoid doing “the right thing” while protecting the corporation’s bottom line. Passing the buck In Allstate's final position letter, the Allstate Ombudsman advised: "Should you remain unsatisfied with our final position, please note that you may...
Read more

We need the right to know our "Insurance Score"

Disclaimer:  What you read here are my recollections and opinions of events that I experienced with Allstate - and should not be considered statements of fact.   What do you know about your insurance score? Do you know that you have an insurance score? Do you know what it is, and how to improve it? Do you know how it is calculated, if it is error free, and how to fix it? Most importantly, do you know how it affects your home insurance premium? For many Canadians, the answer is no. Yet, this elusive number significantly impacts what you pay to protect your home. It’s time to bring this secretive score into the light. Why you should care about your mysterious insurance score? Unlike products such as milk, computers, or cars, where everyone pays the same price, home insurance works differently.  The price of home insurance does not depend solely on the property being insured but on the person insuring it - risk associated to you.  Insurers assign you an insurance score,...
Read more

Understanding Credit Scores and Insurance Scores

Disclaimer:  What you read here are my recollections and opinions of events that I experienced with Allstate - and should not be considered statements of fact.  Credit scores are widely used in the financial industry to gauge an individual's financial responsibility and creditworthiness.  A higher score reflects greater financial responsibility, while a lower score suggests the opposite.  Low credit scores are often associated with a higher likelihood of debt default, categorizing the individual as a higher credit risk.  This can lead to higher interest rates, denial of credit, or even adverse impacts on job opportunities. The Government of Canada provides detailed insights: Credit report and score basics . However, credit scores don't just affect loans and credit cards—they also play a role in insurance premiums. Most insurance companies calculate an “insurance score,” which often incorporates elements of an individual’s credit score. This practice raises the q...
Read more