Belairdirect Home Insurance Reviews

I decided to go to the market this year to see what the new home insurance rates and coverage were available. Through the internet, I was directed to Belair Direct. After completing their online application and being given a home insurance quotation, I was directed to one of their agents who fine-tuned the quotation. This was to the point where the quotation was increased by $600. When questioned why a 50% increase, it was explained to me that the online quotation is purely designed to drive market traffic to their sales agent who would then increase the price to a much higher point. This deceptive method is certainly a form of 'bait and switch' which appears to follow many of the comments and reviews of BD unsatisfied clients.

My first year of home insurance with Belair was around $1400, then it went to $1500, and this year I was told it would cost me $1975!!! I was shocked that they would raise rates 30% in one year, I have had no claims and also insured both my vehicles with them. I called to find out why the huge increase and I was told it was a general increase, no real reason or explanation given to me. I have received two other quotes with the same coverage for $1000 and $880. Once my auto insurance is due, I will be cancelling that as well. Goodbye and Good Riddance Belair, you have zero customer appreciation and horrible insurance rates.

Myself, and my family, had insurance with Belair direct. I called to insure my engagement ring. I was told via email that all I would need was an appraisal. I rushed around, and paid $100.00 for my appraisal, and when I called to add it to my home insurance policy, after over an HOUR on the phone, I was told I needed a bill of sale. Seeing as I did not buy the ring, I did not have it. Some lady told me I should know when he bought the ring, it is my fiancee's property and he should insure it, and I need a new appraisal including tax PLUS the bill of sale since the ring is not "mine", and would not insure it for me. I was beyond insulted. It was as if I had somehow altered the appraisal. It was quite offensive. I will NEVER use belairdirect, or recommend them to anyone. The only positive thing I will say is the customer representatives were quite polite.

We had Belair home insurance for a couple of years. Then I noticed that from one month to another the automatic monthly withdrawal went up by more than $50.
I contacted them to find out why, and they told me that it was the renewal of the policy, and that they had sent all the paperwork advising me of the terms and conditions well in advance. At this point the tone is very severe.
When I pointed out that no such document had arrived to me, she ask me whether I was sure and not have missed it, with a tone insinuating that I was lying and that she knew it. After repeating several times that I had not seen such papers, that I check my mail religiously, and that I had never agreed to such increase, she agrees to check when/where the paperwork was sent. Comes back after a couple of minutes and states triumphantly how the paperwork was sent about 6 weeks prior, I say I have not seen such thing. Then she reads out the address, and I pointed out that I did not live at that address. I said that it did not matter anyways, I wanted to cancel this policy that I had never agreed to in first place, due to how I had been treated.
She became obviously angry and said that I still faced a more than $300 cancellation fee. I told her that it was impossible to have me bound to something I never accepted, that they had made the mistake. She insisted, and tired of being bullied on the phone for so long, I told her that I did not care anymore, I was cancelling it, fee or no fee, and that if there was a fee I would easily recuperate it in a few months with the lower offer from the competitor.

There were no more withdrawals, and I never got the fee in the end.

I have friends that say they are very happy with them. I was happy till this incident (but really, you're always happy while you are paying them and have no claims/issues). They have lost me as a customer forevermore, every year when I shop around I avoid them, because if they disputed something so silly as sending something to the wrong address, how will they be if I have a claim?. I got a quote from Intact and after finding out that they are related to Belair I automatically discarded it (it was not great anyways).