Warning About The Personal Insurance Company - CF Members Posted to Edmonton

[Panzertech]

I used to be insured with The Personal till about 4 years ago (I live in Edmonton, Lake District) They quoted me some retarded price for my car insurance after buying a house and moving from the Q's to Edmonton. On the advise of a friend I got a broker and Whoa I am saving over $1K just on my two vehicles alone and my house insurance is very low as well. I think the theme in this thread would be just because a company advertises within the military well doesn't mean it is the only game in town. That and a lot of big companies like the personal really could careless if a few customers jump ship to another company because they beleive that for the most part the have the big portion of the pie.

 

[mmishra]

The Personal Insurance Company (Desjardins Group) – I have auto insurance with this company for last 12 years and house insurance for last 10 years. Never made any claim.

First time I made claim against my property theft last month. I provided all the information required but they informed that I can claim max $1000 against all loses. When I asked them that I never knew my coverage is only $1000. They informed me that it’s standard unless you specify. I said you never asked me or disclosed me about this coverage. They said they sent me detailed policy in 2003, where it was mentioned. They don’t send any detail policy on annual renewal. When I enquired in detail, I realized that they deliberately minimized the coverage everywhere to lower my monthly premium unless I ask them. That’s why you will see most of us like their lower premium. I found other insurance providers, who disclose everything and confirm with you when you sign the policy but The Personal plays the trick to get new customers. BEWARE of this DIRTY TRICK.

Once you are trapped, they never listen to you. They also don’t provide any proof that you agreed with that. Simply they will say: “Our record shows this is your coverage”.
I have recommended everyone in my contact not to go with the Personal Insurance (Desjardins Group), one of the worst insurance company in north America. I heard earlier about them but now I realized it.
:rage:

 

[mba2011]

I also had a major problem with The Personal as well. After 2 years of coverage for my truck, they hiked my rate up by $110 a month after I moved at university. Like the OP, they told me that it was based on my postal code. I obviously asked how a move to an adjacent street in the same town (population 7000>) would cause a $110 increase and they gave me a bs line about how they have no control over what the actuaries evaluated the risk at. I had never made any claims, been late on a payment or any action on my part that would make me more of a risk.

After I got quoted $50 less than the original Personal Quote (by Allstate), I told The Personal I was planning to walk away. They made no effort to keep me or even explain how this actually happened.

When I first got insurance with them, I  was 17, across the country from my family and saw them advertised with SISIP and Canex. I didn't do as much research as I should have, and assumed because SISIP advertised them, they were somewhat credible. Not the case at all. Bottom line is stay the hell away from The Personal.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I dropped the Personal 2 years ago after a decade of doing business with them because the wouldn't insure my house on account of we owned two SPCA mutts and couldn't guarantee their breed.

Phoned TD Meloche Monnex and 20 mins later all was good again and our rates dropped. 

 

[Occam]

Phoned TD Meloche Monnex and 20 mins later all was good again and our rates dropped.

One thing to be aware about TD Meloche Monnex is that they do group policies, and have two underwriters; Security National and Primmum. 

Because of their great rates compared to nearly everyone we called several years ago, we were initially with Security National by virtue of my wife's university alumni association, but when I pulled the pin and took a PS position (which required me to be a member of IBEW), I was surprised to find out that made me eligible for a different group plan through Primmum.  And the rates were even cheaper than with Security National!

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The Personal Insurance Company (Desjardins Group) – I have auto insurance with this company for last 12 years and house insurance for last 10 years. Never made any claim.

First time I made claim against my property theft last month. I provided all the information required but they informed that I can claim max $1000 against all loses. When I asked them that I never knew my coverage is only $1000. They informed me that it’s standard unless you specify. I said you never asked me or disclosed me about this coverage. They said they sent me detailed policy in 2003, where it was mentioned. They don’t send any detail policy on annual renewal. When I enquired in detail, I realized that they deliberately minimized the coverage everywhere to lower my monthly premium unless I ask them. That’s why you will see most of us like their lower premium. I found other insurance providers, who disclose everything and confirm with you when you sign the policy but The Personal plays the trick to get new customers. BEWARE of this DIRTY TRICK.

Once you are trapped, they never listen to you. They also don’t provide any proof that you agreed with that. Simply they will say: “Our record shows this is your coverage”.
I have recommended everyone in my contact not to go with the Personal Insurance (Desjardins Group), one of the worst insurance company in north America. I heard earlier about them but now I realized it.
:rage:

I assume by property theft you mean "stolen out of your veh"?  This isn't only limited to the Personal, my wife had her own insurance before we got married and the same thing happened.

I've dealt with The Personal for years, have made a few claims WRT accidents and have never had any issues.  I'd go as far as to say they do a better job than any of my previous companies.  They are like political parties;  it is really more about finding the one that is "less bad" than the others.  >

 

[GreenMarine]

Good to know as I'm in Edmonton, was going to switch to the personal for Auto and Home.

The Summer floods in the south have me leary about changing home insurance at this time, and I'm not clear that changing auto will really save us money...(God I miss ICBC as I'm from BC.)

I did have the personal for Home at one point however there policies weren't clear when it came to minor flood damage (basement leaking) and I dump them in part of my error when I switched banks and forgot to notify them of the change the other being as said before their lack of customer care support and loyalty incentives.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

I have The Personal for cars and have to say no issues. Oddly, when I moved a quarter mile down the road in 1995 (I can see my old house from my current one), I crossed some imaginary line in the Insurance Atlas and my car insurance was halved!
On another note, we have Aviva on the house and the day after Hurricane JUAN (I was not planning on making a claim), an adjuster showed up unannounced and as I was on the roof replacing shingles, he immediatley waived my deductable. I got about $2K back for some roofing and siding damage, $300 for the fridge/freezer contents and he even offerred to replace a shrub that was torn out. What was scary was how willing he was to cover anything and how people would take advantage of it ("Oh yeah, roof was replaced last year!").
Even when I was posted back home last summer (from Ottawa to Halifax), my Silver Wheels insurance on my old 66 Mustang was halved as well.
They say it is expensive to live down east and though we pay rediculous provincial sales and income tax, sometimes I wonder if you don't get it back in other ways.

 

[bridges]

I dropped the Personal 2 years ago after a decade of doing business with them because the wouldn't insure my house on account of we owned two SPCA mutts and couldn't guarantee their breed.

Phoned TD Meloche Monnex and 20 mins later all was good again and our rates dropped.

That's strange.  Unless maybe The Personal felt the dogs had some aggressive (or perhaps banned in that province) breed in them, I can't think of any reason why they would take that stance re. house insurance.  I've heard that mixed-breed dogs as a rule tend to be as friendly and well-balanced as most purebreds, if not more.  Anyway, good for you for shopping around, and for giving a good home to a couple of rescue dogs!    Cheers.