auto cancellation requirements

I am trying to cancel my auto insurance with Farmers and the agent is requiring that I send him a written statement and a copy of my new insurance policy dec page. I understand the written statement and, if I was trying to backdate the cancellation, i would understand the dec page- but I am trying to cancel the policy effective three days from now and he still says he needs the proof. I dont feel its any of his business, is there any laws that say I have to send this or not? I am in Texas.

As a current agent in Texas I can tell you there is no law. The only reason he is saying that is so he has an idea of how much you are paying with the new company in hopes of re-quoting you at some point in the future. Old trick. Tell him no and that you are going to make a complaint to the Texas Department of Ins. (TDI). Good luck.

Same thing happened to me in Ohio. Good luck man.

I never had such difficulties cancelling an insurance company before this. Farmers keeps sending me bills even after the policy was cancelled. Example...I cancelled the Dodge Stratus and they sent me a refund for 193 dollars then they billed me a month later for another 24 dollars saying I owed it to them on the Dodge Stratus. Where is their continuity? Where is their logic? Now they threaten me with a collection agency if I dont pay them the 24 dollars. They need to be reported to the Better Business Bureau.

I have the same problem. I am in arizona. Generally, I do not pay for the renew premium the company provided, the old policy will end automatically at the day it expired. However it is not the case for Farmers. Even I email them not to renew the policy, they still charged me for two more weeks and send me mail requiring that money and new insurance policy dec page. They said if they did not get the doc within 60 days of my cancellation date, they assume I own them money and may refer my account to collection company.

I am having the same problems in Oregon. Got so bad after trying to cancel my Renter's Policy I refused to communicate anyway but via email for documentation. cancelled my Auto policy a month early, received numerous cancellation notices for non payment of premium and now threats of collections even though I have forwarded the email where my agent responded saying he would take care of it that day.

I had coanceleed my renter's policy because a month of emails and phone calls they didn't update my address when I moved. Everytime I contacted them their only response was "well you know it isn't the address that you are insuring,it's your stuff." And my reponse was always dont' give me that bull as that would be just the excuse they need to not pay on the claim. "You were not insured at that addresss."

If I had money for an attorney I would certainly file suit as I have documentation of a lot of misdealings by my agency as well as FArmers/ Bristol West.

Being that I am 81 years old, I tried to get my money back from Farmers and I never signed papers with them to join. I was still covered by my
prior insurance and they told me that I was covered by Farmers during the time of my decsion which I choose to stay with my prior insurance.

I have similar problem. I am in California. I did not renew my auto policy and send email to the agent (Brain Jensen) not to renew my policy to which he sent email confirmation. Yet, I get bill for another two weeks. They ask for new policy copy(declaration page?). It is annyoing. Agent do not use common sense. He says that it is Farmer's policy. Dont ever go to Farmers. I regret being with Farmers for few years.

I tried to cancel my policy and was told that there is a $50 cancellation fee. I am not able to find any details about in the farmers webpage. Is this a policy with Farmers?

khop,

The reason for a written statement of cancellation is because the agent is either 1) covering his/her butt or 2) wants to know what you'll be paying.

I require a written and signed cancellation letter or email from my insureds because of #1 and I'll tell you why. Lets say client "John Smith" calls in and says he's switching insurance carriers on Jan 1st and wants me to cancel his Farmers policy on the same day and lets say I dont get a written letter or email, just a phone call. If I cancel his policy on Jan 1st and the company he is going with doesn't start his policy until Jan 4th (this can happen) and he gets into an accident on Jan 2nd, he doesn't have any insurance. "John Smith" can state that his Farmers policy should never have been cancelled therefore the agent can now get into trouble. It's a he said/she said situation. Just shoot your agent an email and this goes for any company.

As for your agent wanting current Dec Pages. If you dont want him to know you what you're paying just white out the prices. Be sure to keep the Carrier, Dates, Vehicles Insured, and Coverages, but you can white out what your premium is because all your agent needs is what I listed. If you still have problems ask for your agents District Managers number and call them.


Vasanth,

I am unaware of any cancellation fees with Farmers Insurance Group but it could be different by each state. All I know is that Nebraska and Iowa do NOT have cancellation fees.

Hope that helps.

I cancelled my policy on December 12, 2012 because I was fed up with the agent who never explain that my covereage did not cover my jewelry. Then lied and said, "well you do have $500. but you also have $500. deductible". AND because he never returned my calls. When I did call he always got another call on his cell phone, said he would call me back and never did. I felt like he was always avoiding me. Now I keep getting bills and requests to send them copies of the Co. policy I replaced Farmer's with. I don't owe anything and I don't think it's any of their business because my agent never gave me the time of day while I was insured. Bye Bye after nearly 20 years..

I cancell my insurance with Farmer and now they are sending me notice that I owe them money Now they have sent me to a collection notice that I owe them money. Now what can I do

I told farmers I was not renewing my insurance last November when they asked for payment. as I was driving a different car and was insured under my daughter's policy. They wanted me to insure my car that was parked because the license expired. I said I didn't see any reason to do that. Now I have received a notice from a collection agency. What is that all about? I have several notices of cancellation for nonpayment. Now they want payment for non-insurance...

Excellent forum, Thnkx for uploading the important material. I found it useful. Best regards !!

Ten months ago I switched from one Farmers agency to another Farmers/Bristol office. I called the previous insurer and cancelled my policy. It was the easiest thing ever. A few days later, I received a check with the amount of the prorate.

Last week I tried to cancel my current policy (because I am selling my two cars) and the receptionist and the Manager, both told me that they can do it only if I pay a cancellation fee of $50.00. Reason? None. It is a cancellation fee, they said. Any ideas? Thank you for your help. I am in California.

We originally had Farmers insurance through a local company where we felt welcomed and our questions would be answered promptly. This local company decided to not offer Farmers insurance and we went with another insurance agent who offered it a little farther away. We paid the premium and were very disappointed in the customer service part of this agency. They rarely returned phone calls or emails and at one point when they did return an email (several weeks later) regarding adding a coverage to one of our vehicles, they told me that they (the agency) could not do this and we would have to contact Farmers directly. We ended up switching insurance companies several months before the Farmers policy would end. We have now gotten a collection notice from an agency that Farmers insurance uses to collect unpaid bills. When I contacted this collection agency they stated that an insurance company, even though we paid in full and changed insurance companies several months before the end date for the Farmers policy and sent all necessary paperwork, that the insurance company would take all the discounts they applied when we first paid for the policy and because we terminated or changed insurance companies early, that they would charge us for those discounts and it would depend on how many days before the cancel date on the collection notice that we had other insurance that would determine how much we would be charged for early termination, even though we were paid in full. I can understand an early cancellation fee, our current insurance would charge $50 early termination fee, Farmers wants $411.78.

Does anyone know where I can find (in print) the requirements for cancellation by consumer of my auto policy with Farmers? I already cancelled but they are billing me for two days cost because they did not cancel on the due date as I requested via email. I made my request 5 days prior to due date. Amount they are billing me for is small....but it really ticks me off. 5 days seems ample time to process a cancellation request. I am in California. Thanks

Dual insurance.

You don't need to send a declaration page. Only the new Agent needs to give you a Cancellation Letter Form, you filled up signed and send it back by Fax or email with receipt of received from the prior agent.
If you need extra Help let me know!!
www.pcwoodlands.com Palma Insurance

I'm not standing up for Farmers by any means. There are several reasons I cancelled my auto and homeowners insurance with them after 8 years. BUT, I had no problem cancelling. I called customer service and was on hold about 30 minutes, but the young lady I dealt with was polite, unobtrusive and helpful. She emailed me a form letter that she had pre-filled with my account numbers, reason for cancellation (covered by other carrier,) and cancellation date which was the same day I called. I just had to reply and type my name.

The letter did say this which is a bit hokey:
"** Proof of other insurance/bill of sale is only required if you are requesting a cancellation date in the past, because we must verify the start date of the new policy(ies)/ date you no longer had possession, in order to retroactively cancel your Farmers Insurance policy(ies). Please attach your other coverage documents to this email, if this applies.**"

I'll update if there are ongoing issues, especially if they don't refund my balance or try to charge me a cancellation fee.

Jake in Texas

if you can prove when the email was sent, which should be easy, this should be easy to have fixed. Looks like the agent just dropped the ball. The agent should fix it. This isn't the company's fault, it's the agent's.

news to me. Possibly it varies state to state, but this is definitely not the case outside of Arizona.

California; I too rcv'd a letter stating that would have to pay $50 to cancel or $25 if they decide to cancel me for whatever reason( hmm..sound like a trick bag to me) well, I don't do trick bags and I will pursue this! By the way this letter came after I emailed my cancellation request!

Is your policy thru 21st Century Insurance ( which is owned now by Farmers Insurance).
Just wondering, that's who I'm insured by and they charge $50 fee even though I've been with for 30 years!
When I cancel they won't be getting $50.

I'm having the same issue trying to cancel my homeowners policy with Farmers. I've sent 2 signed letters so far and just received a call that I need to send a third signed letter, and copy of my declaration page before they can backdate my refund. So far this issue has been going on for 4 months, hence the need to backdate the refund. I'm just about fed up enough to report them the the BBB.