My frustrating experience with Amica...

I've had my car insurance with Amica for a few years, so I thought I'd call up and check out homeowners insurance for my condo. The rep keeps me on the phone for 45 minutes, asking all sorts of questions. Early on, I'd told him I teach guitar lessons out of my home a couple days a week, three hours or so each day. He asks more questions, puts me on hold a few times until the end of that 45 minutes, when he tells me they won't insure me at all because of the teaching.

Annoyed? Just a little! :mad:

He tells me I need to get some sort of commercial insurance. Huh? I only teach during that tiny window of time...the rest I'm living in my condo normally. So what to do? Is this common? I was thinking I'd just have to pay for a little more insurance, not be completely denied.

But then I'm thinking what's the big deal? How big a risk is it to them that a couple kids come in for guitar lessons? Or maybe I shouldn't have even bothered telling them I teach a few lessons at home (I mostly teach at a local store). But I watch that show My Name Is Earl...so I gotta watch that karma thing. :D

we have Amica and got insurance for my wife taking in a few kids, like day care! The rate changed some but not ridiculously. Not sure if things have changed as we no longer do that but there must be a way of not calling a business but having guest over????
doesn't quite add up as Amica is usally very good and that kind of phone treatment is very unsual!
Keep us updated as I would be curious to see if Amica has changed!
Good luck

I agree- it's "incidental business exposure". Your students may be able to sue if they slip on your wet, freshly-washed floor, for example, or you feed them a snack contaminated with salmonella. The company shouldn't be excited about that.

I agree- it's "incidental business exposure". Your students may be able to sue if they slip on your wet, freshly-washed floor, for example, or you feed them a snack contaminated with salmonella. The company shouldn't be excited about that.

And that's reasonable enough, but the vast majority of the time I'm simply living in my home, not teaching out of it, so for them to completely deny me is just dumb. Not to mention they're just sitting there playing guitar, not running around.

Not to mention the guy kept me on the phone for 45 minutes before telling me I was denied.

The greatest thing about this country is freedom. Like the freedom to take your business elsewhere. That is exactly what I would do. Contact some local agents and get a quote for both your home and auto. You will find the discounts you receive will most definitely be worth your time and effort.