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[–] 132 points 1 month ago (7 children)

Americans seem allergic to showing a simple single payable amount that the customer pays. It must be exhausting. It must be like trying to book RyanAir tickets, but with everything.

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    [–] 92 points 1 month ago (20 children)

    I would send a check, its more work for them in the end.

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  • [–] 46 points 1 month ago (8 children)

    I wouldn't be surprised if they don't accept checks.

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  • [–] 22 points 1 month ago (5 children)

    Sadly nor would I but they may have to take them by gov regulation as this would be insane that you had to pay a fee to pay a fee. It counter intuitive from a normal mindset, not the mindset of a gouging insurance company. Make perfect sense to those idiot, lol

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  • [–] 7 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    If they don’t accept checks (because they can bounce) they should have to take a money order.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 month ago

    I don't think the possibility of a check bouncing is a reason not to accept them as its been the primary way we pay bills for over 100 years.

    But money order should be ok but they have a fee too.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 month ago

    Read the image. They charge a higher premium if you don't use their auto pay.

    The only way I can see around it is if you make annual payments instead of monthly. Fewer payments, less fees.

    If we're feeling petty, though, we can accept the higher premium, and send them weekly (or even daily) check payments instead of monthly. Let them process 30 transactions per month instead of just one.

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  • [–] 15 points 1 month ago (3 children)

    Best part is all these payment methods, including checks incur the same processing fees since 2006 with the Check21 regulations.

    This made all transactions - debit card, check, transfer, function the same way through the same processing.

    So a check genuinely costs them more - from not charging thebfee, to requiring at least some manual oversight.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    It's exactly what my father does for places. He can't stand these fees and if whatever service he is paying has them then a check will be sent. He says it's what hes uses to anyway since that is how he had done it most of his life.

    I love that mentaility and wish I could do the same, but sadly I just want it to be known its paid right away and also since i live paycheck to paycheck waiting weeks on end for random checks to be cashed will be impossible for me to not accidentally use some of that money elsewhere.

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    [–] 53 points 1 month ago (6 children)

    Allstate has, by far, the worst customer service I've ever experienced from a car insurance company. I personally will not willingly do business with them ever again.

    BEWARE

    Every time I called, it felt like I was on trial. It was like they were interrogating me, picking into every little detail, looking for ways to prove I owe them more money. At one point, they threatened to increase my rates because I have a parent living with me at the same address. A parent who has no license and is not physically able to get to the car without my help. They forced me to submit documentation to prove all this under threat of having to pay more for my insurance.

    When I was looking at renewal, they sent me a quote that was an order of magnitude larger than what any other insurer quoted me. I ended my policy on the spot, and then had to fight to get a prorated refund from them for the remainder of my policy term. They still tried to charge me for the new policy, despite having cancelled.

    And that's not all, that's just some of the "highlights".

    Good luck to you OP! May the suffering you are about to endure cleanse the karmic debts of your past lives.

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  • [–] 15 points 1 month ago (3 children)

    Exactly what I expect from a company that advertises so much

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  • [–] 17 points 1 month ago (2 children)

    My wife worked in Insurance for a while. The companies tend to follow two two business models:

    1. Advertise like crazy to get new business in. Then refuse to payout claims and pay substandard rates. Lose customers as quickly as you gain them. Mitigate these losses by having 100's of brand names/shell companies to mask your activities.

    2. Do minimal advertising and rely on word of mouth and sales distribution network. Pay out fairly and give decent customer service.

    Generally any company that you recognize the name from advertising is going to fuck you over. Most of the other company names you've never heard of are the same companies trying to fuck you over.

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    [–] 28 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    glad to see that visa fees are being disclosed now. for a long time visa wouldn't allow vendors to show the fees, and cash transactions had to cost the same as visa transactions.

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    [–] 28 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    I once had to pay a fee for using PayPal. I read through paypal's terms of service for vendors and it said they can't do that. I complained to paypal and they gave me 5€. The vendor continued to charge a fee for using paypal.

    I surmised the vendor was bringing in enough profit for paypal to not penalize them and they just gave me five bucks to shut me up. Adventures in the world of capitalism I guess.

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    [–] 25 points 1 month ago

    To directly quote a painted piece of wood in a pile of rubble on the side of the road after a big flood in Colorado in 2013: Fuck Allstate.

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  • [–] 23 points 1 month ago (6 children)

    Go back to sending them a check for every payment, like my 87 year old mother insists on doing. Make them work for it.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    Seriously, do this.

    Also, never, under any circumstances, allow a company to automatically withdraw funds directly from your bank account.

    "Ope, we've changed the terms of service, and charged you a backdated amount based on the new terms of service you've already consented to by paying us"

    They don't get a dime until I know for damn sure I'm giving it to them. If an organization refuses to do business with you without direct access to your bank account, it's because their business model depends on them being able to fuck you.

    Credit cards and physical paper checks only for recurring transactions. Amex if they'll take it. Don't let them keep your debit card on file either.

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    [–] 20 points 1 month ago (17 children)

    There must be a way to pay without fee. It might be more work for you, but it's definitely more work for them, hence the "convenience" aspect of the fee.

    In the US, some citizens go to physical locations to pay fines in coins. Hundreds of dollars in coins is very inconvenient to the establishment but they have to legally accept it. Sends a clear message to them that they suck ass.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 month ago (6 children)

    There must be a way to pay without fee.

    According to whom? As far as I'm aware, there's no such law in the US regarding private companies. So they can be jerks if they want to.

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  • [–] 12 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    legal tender for all debts, public and private

    https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-convenience-fee-or-pay-to-pay-fee-en-2126/

    They can charge fees, as long as there is an alternate way to pay without a fee. Usually it's by check in the mail.

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    [–] 18 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    I hope this BS leads to competition with Visa/MC. The fees they charge are ridiculous. Then you're paying for stripe or whatever on top. A govt run system that's not for profit would be awesome.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 month ago

    We did have something resembling competition, maybe a decade or so ago, with the emergence of Venmo and Cashapp and Zelle - basically just digital front-ends for e-checks between bank accounts. They all hit major stumbling blocks, in no small part thanks to how Visa/AMEX/MC conspired to freeze them out.

    Capitalism abhors competition.

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  • [–] 18 points 1 month ago (1 child)
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    [–] 17 points 1 month ago (5 children)

    You're saving on your premium by paying automatically with a bank account. Changing payment methods may result in a premium increase.

    Explain again how I'm saving on my premium? 🤔

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    [–] 10 points 1 month ago

    Wow that's bullshit

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  • [–] 9 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    Allstate is a horrible insurance company. I was hit by someone running a red light who had Allstate, and the way they handled their insured party's non-cooperation was terrible. Both my dashcam and a police camera recorded the collision. They called the driver but got cursed out and hung up on. I don't think they tried anything else before denying the claim.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 month ago

    Pretty sure is illegal to have a surcharge or convenience fee for ach/bank account transactions

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  • [–] 5 points 1 month ago

    My Allstate account doesn't do that. There are no payment option fees. Is there something odd about your account? Have you had missed payments or insufficient funds when paying?

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