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A DRIVER has been hit with an increased car insurance rate after she claims her provider added people to her policy unexpectedly.
Jennifer Berg was confused when she got a $2,000 increase in her auto insurance as she said that she initially had no clue of why it happened.
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She learned that insurance companies do have a practice that includes adding children and household members to a parent’s policy.
Children can be slapped onto their parents’ car insurance policy even if they don’t drive and, in Berg’s case, also if they don’t live in the same home, local Cox Media Group affiliate WHIO reported.
Lots of vehicle owners run into unexpectedly higher premiums than they agreed to when it’s time to pay the insurance bill which is why drivers are urged to check their insurance premiums before paying.
Berg acknowledged that auto insurance can be pricey but said the amount she was met with on her premium was outrageous.
She said her car insurance price jumped “over $2,000.”
“It’s frustrating,” Berg admitted.
Her premium increased that much because of her two boys.
The driver has a son who’s 21 and also has a teen who’s 17 – they were both added to her policy.
The problem with that isn’t only that her insurance provider made the change without her knowledge.
“One is 21 years old and doesn’t live here,” Berg shared.
“And the other one is 17, does not have a permit, doesn’t want to take driver’s ed, doesn’t want to get a driver’s license until he doesn’t have to take driver’s ED.”
There is actually a “default in your contract” that allows insurance companies to add someone’s children to their policy despite knowing if they even have a license and/or drive.
“That’s the default in your contract. It’s actually in the contract. I didn’t know that until I started reading my insurance contract,” Deputy Commissioner for the Officer of the Insurance Commissioner Michael Marchand told WHIO.
“The way the policy is written, it stipulates that it is inclusive of anyone who is driver-age in the household. It doesn’t mean that they actually have a license.”
He said that a child would be added just because “they have the ability to drive.”
“Regardless of the policy,” he added.
“It’s just based on their age.”
Berg’s insurance provider, Progressive, told WHIO that the mom should “contact us directly” to “any changes to her policy or to address any questions or concerns” but she said she tried.
“No,” she slammed.
“No, he refused to take them off. So, I was made to contact you. You posted on Facebook to get advice and feedback.”
Her documents showed that Progressive had technically notified her that her sons were added to her policy but there was a major issue with the notification.
The letter sent to inform her about the change to her policy had the same date as the bill.
Marchand stressed that she should’ve gotten that notification “with a little more lead time.”
“Any consumer should be getting that with more lead time,” he added.
Progressive did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
