J A Mariano Agency Landis Ave, Bridgeton

J A Mariano Agency Reviews

• S

  Sean L
  1

  I purchased car insurance through Dan at J A Mariano Agency. I paid for the first month when I signed on, but the second month I never received a bill. When I called to report $3,000 worth of damage to my vehicle, I find out they had canceled my insurance the week before (the last day of the second month). No call to give me a heads up. No grace period. Nothing. Lessons learned: 1) Pay closer attention when bills don't show up in the mail 2) Request e-mail notifications if possible (if automatic payments are not an option) 3) Don't expect your insurance agent to look out for you 4) It appears to be cheaper to go directly to an insurance company (vs. an agent) anyway

  Response from the owner

  After completely reviewing your case, we would first like to offer our sincere regret that you are unhappy with the service we offered. We always want our customers to be confident they have received a great deal and, more importantly, their coverage to act when it is needed the most. With that, we thought it appropriate to specifically address your points, hopefully for mutual benefit. 1) We fully agree it's crucial that invoices are received timely. We sent all documents to the address you provided. This included the policy, the invoice, and the notice of cancellation invoice. While it's completely possible that the USPS misdelivered one of these items, it's perhaps less likely that all failed delivery when the address utilized was that which you provided. Also, none of the items were returned as "undeliverable" to the insurance carrier. For clarification, receiving an item in the mail, but failing to open it either timely or at all, does not equal "it was never received." 2) We completely agree with you that e-mail notifications are fantastic. They are available through most insurance providers, along with automatic payment plans. We do offer these services, if the carrier provides access to them. 3) As you suggested, an insurance agent's job is to look out for you. That job begins with assessing your needs and preparing a personalized insurance quote that is specific to your personal situation, along with helping you complete an application, and finally placing the coverage on your behalf. The insurance we provide might not be right for your neighbor or even another family member, it's customized to you and your circumstances. Our job is to help you in reporting a claim to your carrier and assessing your needs as they may change (purchasing a home, a new vehicle, or changes in drivers). However, It is not our job to call when you do not make a payment (we'd be permanently on the phone). While we understand that it can be a nice courtesy to do so, it's not a requirement, nor is it a good business practice. While there may be other companies out there that call regarding cancellation, generally that will not be the case in insurance or other industry when a payment is not made timely. 4) As with any decision, you should weigh all of the available information before making your final choice. Can it be less costly to go direct to an insurance company? Yes. Can it be more costly going to an insurance company direct? Yes. A local agent often understands your needs better, seeks to develop a relationship over time, and offers options that are specific to you. Without an agent, you may not have a [non insurance company employed] advocate if you run into trouble. Additionally, an insurance agent often offers you more scenarios as to what the results of a decision could be, especially when it comes to coverage and pricing. This allows you to truly make an informed & educated decision vs. simply checking boxes on a website or speaking with someone on the phone that may only be interested in selling you "any" policy no matter what the coverage. Lastly, regarding the grace period, we collected a deposit up-front and the policy ran for two months (one month normal billing and one month in cancellation billing) without any additional payment. I'm not sure how much more of a grace period can possibly be offered. Again, we wish this had turned out differently and recognize that you are unhappy with the circumstances. We trust you will have good success in the future with whomever you placed your coverage. Further, should you ever choose to give us the opportunity to review your coverage again, we would be happy to do so.

• R

  Ric “Tuck” Tucker
  5

  Best place for insurance in the tri-state area