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Travelers Insurance lost a customer today, and I believe their policy is dead wrong. I certainly would not go so far as to say this was a “scam,” but I believe to call it “shady business” is a fair assessment. Here’s what happened.

I needed to insure my 2008 Ford Focus for 6 months. I received a quote of around $770 from Travelers. That included me and another adult living in the home with me. She and I are not related, and in fact the living arrangement is temporary. I thought I should add her to the policy in case she needed to borrow my car. The quote did not include her 16-year old son, again who is in no relation to me. He has his license, but I don’t let him touch my car. If his mom wants him to drive, it’s up to her.

And remember, it was supposed to be around $770 for 6 months.

After making the first couple payments, I received a bill with a balance due of… $2700.

Upon calling Travelers, I was told that the teenager was added to my policy because he lives in the same house as me. When I called them and explained that there is absolutely no relationship between he and I, and that it is simply a matter of two families residing under the same roof, and he would never EVER drive my car…I was basically told tough luck. They would not budge, and expected me to pay $2700.

So Travelers has lost a customer. Sure, their rates were a bit cheaper than some other places, but certainly not worth the headache. I have another car which I have insured through AIG, and I have never had such problems. I ended up insuring this car with Progressive, and they gave me no problems either. I have no affiliation with AIG or Progressive, by the way.

I felt a bit ripped off by the whole situation because it had a “bait and switch” feel to it. I have no way of knowing if this is common among Travelers’ customers or not, but it is definitely a shady practice to quote $700 and bill for $2700 without explanation.

Shame on Travelers Insurance for trying to tell me who I can or can’t insure on my own car. And shame on them for billing me for something I didn’t want.

You have been warned.