I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THEM AGAIN!

Today is February 8th 2025. Back in 2024, a duplex I own had insurance with Liberty Mutual who informed me that my fire insurance on said duplex was ending 10/28/2024 and would not be renewed because they stopped writing insurance on duplexes in CA. Liberty sent me to an insurance broker who would insure the duplex for a little over $2000.

I decided to go out for comparison quotes. I called an insurance broker I found online "30447G-Constantine Pappas" located in Northridge CA phone number 818-597-1800 for a quote (I do NOT recommend them!). The agent I spoke with was Richard Turner. He was pleasant and gave me a quote using a little lower insurance numbers from the quote I had already gotten. He asked me about the building and I answered truthfully and told him it had an asphalt composition shingle roof somewhere around 20 to 30 years old - guesstimate. They charged me $40 for a home inspection. The total quoted to me was $1736 for the year. I paid with an echeck and my insurance began 11/22/2024. I received the policy around 1-22-2025 from Aegis General Insurance Agency.

SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

Around 1-25-2025 I received a bill from the Aegis Insurance Agency for an additional $268.00 with a due date of 2-6-2025 with the statement that if I don't pay it by the due date my insurance would be cancelled.

THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE

I called the PAPPAS insurance agency to find out the problem. After me calling them several times over 5 days leaving messages for Richard Turner to call me and no return call I finally got through to him. As I was waiting online I was looking at the papers sent to me by Aegis and noticed a hard to find line stating:

The following changes were made to your policy:
Modified roof type - initial value: Tile, Modified value: Asphalt/Composition

BAIT AND SWITCH?

I was quoted $1736. Then after the quote and payment - "the inspection" showed roof type was not "tile". After my complaint, Richard Turner took responsibility for "accidentally" writing roof type was "tile" even after I told him it was Asphalt Composition Shingle. Mistake?

I told Richard Turner, the sales person at 30447G-Constantine Pappas insurance agency, that I was happy that he took responsibility for the error and that I wanted him to get the additional $268 payment reversed without reducing my insurance or for his agency to absorb the additional cost since they are admitting to the mistake. I suspect that he was intentionally dragging his feet getting back to me, so I called a couple more times and finally got him on the phone on 2-2-2025. Again, he took responsibility, but told me that Aegis would not do anything and that he spoke with the owner who said no, he would not make good on the error. I told him that taking responsibility is only lip service unless they make an adjustment. I was not surprised at this outcome since I believe that bait and switch has been common practice for them.

I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AEGIS - HERE IS WHY:

Wait to you read this BS.
I called customer service at Aegis Insurance Agency and asked why they considered a change from tile to asphalt composition shingle an upgrade in cost. I was told it was because a tile roof lasts longer. So what if it lasts longer - it is only insured for 1 year against fire. If there is a fire tile will cost the insurance company 3 times the price of asphalt shingles to replace.

I told her that I did NOT purchase a home warranty plan. I purchased fire insurance. The insurance coverage states, "Replacement Cost Coverage for Roofing and Roof Components". I told her going from Tile to asphalt composite shingle should reduce the cost of insurance because to replace a tile roof would cost 3 times more than asphalt composite shingle and that it should be a downgrade and cost me less. She only knew what they told her and I was not getting anywhere.

I PAID

I had to pay the $268 because I could not afford to have the insurance lapse on my duplex.

WAS I CHEATED? was there a "BAIT AND SWITCH"?

There is little doubt in my mind that I was cheated.
I told the sales guy Richard Turner that I was looking for additional quotes. I suspect that he intentionally put roof type as "tile" so he could give me a lower quote to get the order, all the while, knowing I would pay later. The roof type is not listed on the quote, so there was no way I could have seen the "error" and the word "tile" is nothing like "asphalt composition shingle", so he couldn't have heard it wrong.

IT IS MY OPINION that I was CHEATED by "30447G-Constantine Pappas agency" of Northridge California and that corruption was approved by the owner as told to me by Richard Turner and I believe that I was lied to by Richard Turner for the purpose of making money using a bait and switch.

PS - the customer service rep at Aegis told me, in response to my question of, has this happened before, that she sees many errors of roof type and other mistakes too.

I also think it is a rip off to charge $40 for an inspection, which I suspect was someone typing my duplex address into goggle to view the property, which should be something the agent can do in 30 seconds as part of verifying the property. I should not have to pay for the agents and the insurance company to do their due diligence. I assumed they would send someone out to view the property and I was willing to pay for that, but it appears no one came out.

 

Here are the documents that are relevant to my case:
	I wrote in the numbers from the original quote. Notice there is no mention of the type of roof. The $1,736 was the bait. << click the picture for larger view
	Here is where they stick it to you. << click the picture for larger view
	The notice of switching to something cheaper for them and then they charge you more. Tile is 3X the cost of asphalt composition shingles to replace. I wonder if when an agent puts asphalt shingles they send another bill saying that tiles costs more. In that case they would be correct. << click the picture for larger view
	Total insurance is $472K and that did not change. Still, charging $268 more for the same level of insurance. << click the picture for larger view
	This is the original quote. The fix is in. It states the price could change. It should state the price will go up and only up. It is convenient that it does not show roof type - why not? Now I know why. It is an easy way to scam buyers. It appears that DB insurance underwriters are proud of their "A" rating. I'll be sending a link of this site to them - To DOGE as well. Their books might show some interesting unscrupulous dealings. << click the picture for larger view