Unimpressed with Progressive Insurance

Switched to Progressive quite a few years ago when my then wife lost her driver's license for a year.  USAA requires that adults have had a license for three consecutive years in order to get insurance so there went that policy.  When we qualified to switch back, just never really got around to it.  Progressive was fine, never had any issues, it was a bit cheaper, and not really at the forefront of things to deal with.

Dropped my Road King on the freeway a few weeks back.  Those of you who read regularly know all about it.  70 mph, wet, down I went.  Bike is done.  My bike, for the record, is a 2003 Black Limited Edition 100th Anniversary model, carburetted.  (Tell you about that in a minute.)

Progressive goes on Cycle Trader (apparently using some service that they are mandated by law to use), picks the two cheapest Anniversary Road Kings for sale, and announces to me that here's what my bike is worth.  One had almost double the mileage of my bike, the other had dramatically more.  They claimed that they adjusted for mileage, then they knocked off hundreds of dollars for the alleged increase in value due to some accessories that were installed.  Well, as anyone who has ever tried to sell a bike can testify to, add on accessories sure don't add much to the value.  For example, the insurance company claimed that one of the bikes had $460 worth of add on exhaust, so knocked $460 off the selling price.  Didn't take into account that a set of mufflers that only sells for $400 retail wouldn't increase the selling price by $460, and didn't take into account the fact that a set of stock mufflers would cost some money if they had to be replaced.  Ditto for leather saddlebags.  Never mind that the anniversary bags cost $1300 to replace, they knocked $250 off the price of the bike because it had some aftermarket leather bags that they claim "increased" the value. 

I provided them with a list of every comparable bike for sale on Cycle Trader and Craigslist, plus one from eBay.  When I argued that EFI bikes weren't comparable and that there was only one carburetted bike for sale ($3000 more than what they were offering) they came back and flat out lied, saying that carburetted actually reduced the price as EFI was considered an extra, but that they would still "honor" their original offer.

So my dilemma has been whether to fight this or not.  After much thought, I have decided it's not worth the stress.  I don't need more stress.  Rejected by a girl I really like and thought I had a chance with, near the end of the school year (if you aren't a teacher you have no idea how tiring the last month is when the kids are starting to tune out just as they need to really focus), and just generally tired and worn out, I don't feel like fighting them for the couple thousand dollars I think they should add on.  I'm going to take the deal offered. 

However, (and it's a big however), they've seen the last of me.  The second I have the check and motorcycle (I'm taking the salvage as I am an HD mechanic and have the know-how and contacts to make some money off it) I'm gone.  Ten or so years of faithfully paying my premiums, two cars and two motorcycles worth, not a single claim that I can remember, and this is how they treated me.  Bye-bye. Adios.  Hasta la vista, baby.  Hello, USAA.  I'll pay the extra for the outstanding customer service and rip off free claims that I used to get from them.