Conference 7.286::digital

    I think just about every employee got the notice by mail - even those
    who wouldn't touch Metpay with a ten-mile pole.
    
    The rebate is meaningless unless you include the premium, only then
    can you compare to other companies.
    
    Amica offers a 25% rebate on already low rates.
    
    				Steve

    >Amica offers a 25% rebate on already low rates.
    
    Only on homeowners in Massachusetts.  They don't give a dividend on
    auto in Mass. Metpay does.
    

    Is the 20% rebate on both the Auto and Homeowners insurance, or are
    there different percentages for each?
    
    

From:	MRMTS::MRMTS::MRGATE::"NEMTS::SALES::A1::CHOICE.READERS"  9-MAR-1995 11:05:42.10
To:	@Distribution_List
CC:	
Subj:	#13703-MetPay Announces 1994 Dividend                                  1

                   ***********************************
                   * METPAY PLAN PAYS 20.9% DIVIDEND *
                   ***********************************

I am very pleased to announce that the MetPay dividend for 1994 is  
20.9% as compared to a 10.3% dividend last year.  Participating 
employees, (*in states where permissible by law) will receive their 
checks, at home, by the end of March .  This dividend is made possible by 
the excellent loss experience of the plan participants during 1994. 

In addition, during 1994, we made the following improvements to the 
program:

	o effective for calendar year 1994 received approval from the 
          State of New Hampshire to pay a dividend on auto policies 

	o increased the deviation from the Mass. state mandated
          auto premium rates from 9% to 11%

	o increased towing coverage for Mass. autos to $50.00 

Thank you for participating in the MetPay program.  If you have questions 
or would like more information about the program call DTN 223-6609 or 
223-8932. 

Pamela Williams
MetPay Program Plan Administrator

*Dividend not permissible in D.C., Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, New 
Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, West 
Virginia, Wyoming 


Distribution:
(deleted)

re:
                   ***********************************
                   * METPAY PLAN PAYS 20.9% DIVIDEND *
                   ***********************************

	All that means is that your 1994 premiums were 26.4% higher
than necessary - we paid $126.40 for every $100.00 of premium "value".
Now, they are relenting and giving us back the overcharge.  (I don't
mean that's not welcome, by the way!)

	Dick

    
    
         re -.1
    
         So you mean that Metpay is overcharing us for Auto and Home
         insurance by 20+ %??  What about the large discount on homeowners
         and above average discounts on Auto for Digital Metpay people?
         
         I have compared the Home ins. premium of Metpay with that of the
         competitors and I find that Metpay beats it by a lot in price and
         the coverage is better.
    
         I am not sure about Auto, is Amica that much better in price/value
         of the policy??
    
    	Mike

    Maybe state to state differences cause Metpay to compete differently
    because in Maryland, their rates were the best I could find for
    Homeownwers' and Personal Excess Liability, while auto wasn't bad 'til
    my 16 year old son started driving. 

    	My Metropoliton home owners ins has almost doubled in 3 years
    going from $343.00 to 645.00 they say its due to to hurricanes and
    floods and we must all bear the cost. I am now insurance shopping... 

    
    
    re; 5
    
      	
    	Come on now! That surely isn't a fair reply! You need to back up a
    slanderous statement like with some facts or figures... NOT HOT AIR.
    
    I did my checking for my insurance (Auto,Motorcycle,Apartment)
    here in Mass and I couldn't find anything that could beat Metpay's
    prices buy more than 2% on all three. Yes I did find a couple that 
    had either lower rates on my Auto or one that was lower on apartment 
    insurance but these weren't your 'first name larger firms'
    
    as for the dividend
    
    Basically all the premiums are paid for 1994 and then they
    calculate what they reimbursed the DEC clients and whats left over a
    set target gets refunded as a dividend. That's why they call it
    insurance. I hate the idea of paying high premiums myself but do some home
    work and find better prices and better convenience and drop Metpay.
    
    my $.03
    
    Bill
    

    Maybe people would be happier if the 'profits' went to stockholders.
    
    Mass auto basic rates are set by the state. 'We' are considered to be a
    better risk, based on experiance, so we do not have to 'share' our
    premiums with poorer risks.
    
    I couldn't do better with homeowners either.
    
    The $75/week that I pay is also much easier than the big chunks all at
    once. [Yes, have teenagers and let them drive, see what it costs.]
    
    15 years with METPAY. Consistant service. 11 years in Mass 4 in 
    Connecticut. In CT they send a courier to the house with the auto 
    paperwork so I can regisiter my car [or FedEx, if I'm not in a hurry].
                                                                         

RE: whining, etc.

Personally, I am delighted.  Metpay gave me a very good deal for my auto and
townhome insurance, and now they're giving me 20% of my premiums back!  (And
I don't get bills, premiums are pulled right from my pay.)

-Patrick

Gee, now I wish I had paid *more* for Metpay so I could get more back!!! ;^)

My auto insurance dropped $800 annually when I moved from TX to MA three years
ago and started with Metpay. So I ain't complaining.

    As far as Auto ins. goes in Mass, it regulated by the state.  No matter
    where you go you pay the same price, for the "EXACT" same coverage.  No
    competition.  But I understand that METPAY gives you a 5% break due tho
    the Digital volume.  So I believe it has to be the cheapest.  

    I believe that our break over state mandated rates is now 11%
    RKL
    

RE: .12

	Texas insurance is more expensive than Mass?????

						mike

    ...and this despite the fact that Massachusetts has the highest rate
    of accidents per year: 6.5 per 100 licensed drivers in 1992, the
    latest year available.  The saving grace: congested roads means
    accidents in Massachuetts tend to of the low speed variety; lots of
    work for body shops, but not a lot of medical claims.  Fraud crackdown
    has also helped.  Even Lousiana has higher rates than Mass now.  kb
       

Mass regulates only the required portion of automobile coverage.  Different
insurers will charge different amounts for optional coverage.  I don't know
what percentage of people get only the required portion.

Amica give a rebate on auto coverage.  I don't know if this is only for people
who have more than the required coverage.

						Brian

>Amica give a rebate on auto coverage.  I don't know if this is only for people
>who have more than the required coverage.
    
    No they don't.  Not in Massachusetts.
    

>>                     <<< Note 3737.18 by HANNAH::FINGERHUT >>>
>> 
>> >Amica give a rebate on auto coverage.  I don't know if this is only for people
>> >who have more than the required coverage.
>>     
>>     No they don't.  Not in Massachusetts.

I stand corrected.  I called them to confirm.  They do not give rebates on auto
insurance in Massachusetts.

>>                     <<< Note 3737.18 by HANNAH::FINGERHUT >>>
>>> 
>>> >Amica give a rebate on auto coverage.  I don't know if this is only for people
>>> >who have more than the required coverage.
>>>     
>>>     No they don't.  Not in Massachusetts.
>
>I stand corrected.  I called them to confirm.  They do not give rebates on auto
>insurance in Massachusetts.
    
    5 years ago they did, and at the time it was a better price than
    Metpay.  When the state stopped allowing AMICA to pay a dividend, 
    Amica, of course, didn't tell their customers.
      

    Re a few back...
    When I moved to MA. from San Antonio, TX about six years ago, I, too,
    wound up paying LESS for my auto insurance.  Texas has, for years, had
    a state commission which controls insurance rates.  And just as in MA,
    the individual's rates are determined by where one lives withing the
    state.  
    
    I live in Concord, MA.  My rates here are considerably less for the
    same coverage than they would be if I lived in South Boston...  and I
    am sure they are less in other towns in MA than they are in Concord. 
    So, we do NOT pay the same all over the state.
    
    By the way, my home-owners insurance, and the property tax on my home
    is less in MA than it was in TX... but, are not so easily compared.
    
    Also, since I'm making comparisons, the Sales tax in Texas was 6%
    (state) and 2.25% (city) for a combined sales tax of 8.25%.  
    
    But, there was NO State Income Tax...
    
    tony

Actually, AMICA *did* tell their customers that auto insurance would no
longer have rebates applied, and why.  I probably still have the letter
on file at home.  They do still rebate on homeowner's and other insurance.

	-td

    I used to get a rebate from AMICA on my auto years ago.  As for my
    home, AMICA classified it as being too old, thus uninsurable by them!

    My experience has been great with MET. They beat the compitition hands
    down on rates. By over 30%.
    
    	On the down side, they don't insure bass boats or motorcycles
    without alot of negotiation. It took alot of talking before the
    excepted my little scooter.   (honda CB750 custom).
    
    jim
    

    No one seems to have offered clarification on this:
    
    Does this rebate cover only Auto premiums ?
    
    I think it might, since the letter from Metpay only mentions issues
    related to Auto, although it doesn't clarify the issue, AND,
    
    I was told by Metpay that my homeowners bill is computed at 35%
    off, in most certain categories. But that is already built into the figure
    originally billed. If this is correct, it implies the METPAY rebate is
    only related to auto.
    
    Can someone else corroborate this ?
    
    Thanks.

Here in Rochester, NY we don't get the Metpay dividend for some reason. But my 
ex-wife has found that by getting her own insurance it is about $100 more 
per year than Metpay. She has selected Amica and they supposedly give 
dividends on auto insurance here.

Regards,

Jim

        RE:.25

   > 	On the down side, they don't insure bass boats or motorcycles
   > without alot of negotiation. It took alot of talking before the
   > excepted my little scooter.   (honda CB750 custom).

    	I really don't understand why, I've been with MET-PAY ever since
    they started with DEC and they never once questioned any of my 
    motorcycles of which there where many over the years.

    Joe

    Last year, we got a 10% rebate.  On that rebate, I received the 10%
    on my total combined policies (auto, home, cycle, umbrella).  I can
    only assume that I will get the same combined rebate on my policies
    this year.

re .29   ditto for me too

       	Not sure if this was just N.H., but 2 or 3 years ago Metpay decided
    they wanted out of the motorcycle insurance business. Rather than just 
    pull out, they raised their rates around 300%+.

    	For people with automatic withdrawal that didn't check the increase
    right away, they paid for a seasons worth of insurance by the second
    month, if they didn't catch it by then. I saw this in another notefile
    just as people were finding out about it. I mentioned it to someone in 
    my group that used them and he verified the increase. He hadn't checked
    the bill until I said something. He would have gotten shafted otherwise.

    	In some states they seem to be competitive (i.e. Ma.), but they
    certainly can't touch the competition in others (i.e. N.H.). Your 
    mileage may vary.

    	Ray 

    MET now "farms" the Motorcycles and boats out to another company. The
    name "progressive" comes to mind but I'm not completely sure.
    
    

    
    METpay checks have started arriving today.  

    
    	Yes sir, got mine today. Boy, I must pay alot for insurance!!!! :-(
    
    ed

    
    re a few back
    
    
    Got my check today and it does cover auto, home, and renters insurance.
    Was expecting some back, but a nice surprise($510!)
    
    
    Tim

    Palmer probably views MetPay refunds as raises for most employees,
    hence Digital doesn't have to give any.

    Yea, a 20.9% annual raise !
    
    That should last us for the next ten years .
    
    Phil

    yep, got mine too, bigger than I expected.
    
    Found out recently that Metpay/Calif refused to underwrite a
    sailboat (57') policy which MetPay/Mass gladly did. The excuse
    was excessive LOA. I don't understand. I much prefer Metpay - it
    was the lowest.
    
    
    

    I got $ 651.36 back!
    

    Yep,
    
    $698....
    
    2 4x4 trucks, and renters insurance...
    
    

    $789.80
    
    Homeowners
    PELP
    Motor Home
    Model T
    3 cars

	I can hear that new sound card coming for my PC! :-)

								mike

    
    I have seen to have a low one:
    
    2 4x4's
    2 trailers
    1 boat
    
    and I got 296.95
    
    A friend of mine only had 2 car and renters insurance and she got $400
    
    ??

    I suggest you stash your rebates away against the unfortunate
    day when you pass some demographic line or, lord help you,
    cost Metpay a few $ to assess a real claim (like car theft).
    
    You'll need every dime.
    
    *Before* they start the 6-month ratchet....
    
    bk

    	Some of these rebates *exceed* what I pay for home owners and
    insurance on my two cars for 6 months (100/300 w/ full collision on
    one), plus a seasons worth of motorcycle insurance.
    
    	Maybe this is one of the hidden benifits of living in N.H. ? I
    also don't have any teenaged drivers yet, but that's coming :-(
    
    	Ray

	Anyone have a phone number to call about this? I haven't seen
	mine yet.

							mike

    Insurance
    
      * Metropolitan (Metpay)
        (as of 03/15/94)
        Digital Policy Holder Services                      800 438-6383
    

    I had METpay insurance for half of 1994. Now I'm using some small
    outfit, since MET said my new house was too old. 
    
    Do the rebates only go to current METpay customers, or to everyone
    who's had insurance through MET in 1994?
    
    Cathy

    RE: .48
    
    I recall some wording on their letter that rebates went to Digital
    employees that had METPAY insurance coverage as of 12/31/94.
    
    Kevin

    
    Had a friend the other day who was TFSO'd back in '93. He received a
    check from Metpay for a dividend from 1/94 to 12/94!!! He hasn't had
    insurance with Metpay in over 2 years.
    
    Of course he sent the check back....

    Re: .48,.49
    
    I got screwed, too. My last lease terminated on 15 November 1994 and we
    chose a different company for our current home. I would have made out
    better had I continued to insure an apartment that I didn't occupy
    through the end of the year.

    I, too, stopped my MetPay Insurance, home and car, when I found better
    rates with other companies.  I inquired if I would get the DIVIDEND for
    the 7 months I paid in 1994.  No, because you had to be with them
    as of Dec 31, 1994.  Excuse me, but if this is a dividend payment, not
    a rebate, then it figures I should receive a portion.
    
    Here goes another Class Action Suit like the John Hancock fiasco over
    the life insurance overpayments. 
    
    The only advantage I can see with going with METPAY is that you can
    have it taken out of your weekly paychecks.  I found better rates
    elsewhere, both for car and house. LIfe insurance is cheaper elsewhere
    also.
    
    So who do we complain to to get our share of the DIVIDEND?

    Well, if you ever receieved a stock dividend, you know that you
    have to be a shareholder on record as of a certain date (when
    the stock goes "ex-dividend").  If you want the dividend, you
    own the stock on that day... if you get out beforehand, you get
    nothing.  MetPay's dividend sounds to be no different.

>                     <<< Note 3737.52 by MR4DEC::RONDINA >>>
>                            -< HERE WE  GO AGAIN! >-
>
>    ....Excuse me, but if this is a dividend payment, not
>    a rebate, then it figures I should receive a portion....

Unfortunately, I think you have it backwards.
If it were a REBATE, you WOULD be due a return on your premiums paid.
As a DIVIDEND, it apparently only goes to "members" (shareholders,
whatever) of record on the ex-dividend date.

It seems that it's a good question to ask of mutual insurance companies
(and I was not aware that Metropolitan was one) whether and when
"dividends" are different from "rebates."

- tom] (not a MetPay subscriber)

    Regarding dividends, don't you have to pay taxes on dividends.
    These aren't real dividends, it's just a rebate of what they
    have over charged us all year.  It's a great deal for METPAY!
    
    DAC
      

No, you don't pay taxes on an insurance dividend - the IRS considers it
a rebate.

				Steve

   RE: .56-

> No, you don't pay taxes on an insurance dividend - the IRS considers it
> a rebate.


  ...then the courts may consider it a rebate as well.  In which case,
  given the JH situation, a class action against MetPay may be something
  to seriously consider.

  AJ

    Sue sue sue... great idea... drive everyone's rates up.  Thanks.
    

    Re: .-1 
    
    I agree. It's much more satisfying to vote with one's money by not
    giving it to them anymore. Especially given the inability of two Metpay
    phonedroids to convince me that I should keep my other policies with
    them, including cheerfully describing MA automobile benefits after
    having corrected one of them twice that I now live in NH.
    
    However, they asserted that their dividend policy was somewhere in the
    insurance policy documents. I haven't surfaced from tax time yet to
    bother to doublecheck, though.

    re:58
    
    	You can also look at it from the point of view of "I have my
    lollypop so to bad if you didn't get one". I'm not a big fan of
    lawsuits, but it seems reasonable that METPAY should pay out a
    percentage. After all, this is basically an overcharge which the 
    person in question already paid for.
    
    	Ray

Well, no...  It works like stock dividends - if the company did well at the
end of the year, then a dividend is declared for all owners of record.  If
you no longer own, you don't get the dividend, even if you sold the day before
the "record" day.  Consider it also a bonus for loyal customers.

				Steve

	"I might feel better if they gave me some cash"

	Eagles - "Get Over It" from the "Hell freezes over" album.

						mike

    	This whole business of rebates, no dividends, no rebates, no ...
    sounds hokey to me. If you owned stock and received a dividend, wouldn't
    you have to pay taxes on it ?
    
    	If one truely can't get better rates, than it's a good deal for
    them, otherwise one is just letting METPAY use their money until the
    dividend gets paid. Either way METPAY wins.
    
    	Ray

    
    RE:.58
    	Exactly the impression I got.

    RE:.60
    	You agreed to their charges and they agreed to provide the 
    insurance.  Sounds like you both got what you bargained for.  Read
    reply .61 that sums it up pretty good.

    RE:.61 
    	Sounds right to me.

    Joe 

    isn't this the same thing as the Cigna deal last year?  Where a bunch
    of folk who had been with John Hancock got a rebate (or whatever you
    call it) from an over-funding of insurance, and then those who jumped
    ship prior, went to court and actuall won?
    
    

>    isn't this the same thing as the Cigna deal last year?  Where a bunch
>    of folk who had been with John Hancock got a rebate (or whatever you
>    call it) from an over-funding of insurance, and then those who jumped
>    ship prior, went to court and actuall won?
    
    No, it's not the same.  In the CIGNA/JH case, the rebate was announced
    without any warning.  In the case of Metpay, the dividend is a regular
    thing, and the terms of the dividend are available - you know that if
    you drop out before the end of a year you don't get a dividend for that
    year.
    
    John

    	I guess I'm confusing the term "dividend" with "interest". In any
    event, the person who cancelled prior to getting the dividend certainly
    paid into it like everyone else.
    
    	Although some things may be similar, the stock analogy kind of 
    confuses the issue. Unlike stock, the insurance policy does not change 
    hands. You don't have to claim the payout on an insurance dividend/rebate 
    on your taxes. A stock purchase is buying a share of the company. An 
    insurance policy is more like purchasing a service.
    
    	Ray

My question is. Why pay 30% more for insurance just to get may be a 20%
rebate at the end of the year? I'v been with State Farm Insurance for 33
years. and in those 33 years I have checked with other Insurance co. for
a better rate/better Insurance and none have been able to even match
the rates I'v been paying. Some have asked who I'm with now and when
I say State Farm they end the conversation right their with their is 
no way we can come close to what your paying now.

    Re: .66
    
    The dividend is not a "regular thing". Its size is variable and it
    concievably would not be paid out if you and I and our fellow customers
    in the Digital employees group experienced significant losses during
    the year.
    
    [I still haven't had a chance to check my plan documents, though, to
     check on the latter half of the reply.]
    
    The life insurance payout issue is indeed a different matter.

>    The dividend is not a "regular thing". Its size is variable and it
>    concievably would not be paid out if you and I and our fellow customers
>    in the Digital employees group experienced significant losses during
>    the year.
    
    Yes, but that's all revealed to you when you buy insurance through
    Metpay.  You promise to pay your premiums, and in return they promise
    to:
    
    i) insure you, and 
    
    ii) pay a dividend to current Metpay customers at the end of each year
    whose size (as a percentage of your premium) depends on their profits
    for the group.
    
    The amount of the dividend might be 0% in some years if they don't make
    enough, but that's not important.
    
    You agree to these terms when you buy insurance through Metpay.  I
    don't see that it's at all analagous to the JH/CIGNA case where there
    was no previously agreed-on way of returning excess profits.
    
    John

    Re: .70 
    
    We are in violent agreement, although I have not confirmed the "ii)"
    clause of your reply to my satisfaction yet. My issue was with your
    application of the adjective "regular".

    re:70
    
    	The "dividend" paid by METPAY is from "excess profit" ? Is this
    the same as "overcharge" ? It sounds like they charged more than they 
    needed to cover their expenses (and make X% profit) and returned the
    rest as a dividend/rebate.
    
    	If this is true, it sounds like the only difference between JH and 
    METPAY is that this is the way METPAY normally operates vs. an exception 
    on JH's part.
    
    	Ray

    
    When the Metpay checks due to come out?  Isn't it in March?
    
    lkp

    
    
       I talked to a Metpay rep, just 2 days ago, they told me that
       this year's rebate is 18% and checks go out in first week of 
       April.  If 18% is true, then you can plan on getting 18%
       dividend for homeowners and auto policies.
    
    	Mike

    ...unless you live in NY State, which has laws to prohibit this
    dastardly conspiracy!
    
    (My first year after COD'ing here, I got an unpleasant surprise when I
    asked them where my rebate check was).

>       I talked to a Metpay rep, just 2 days ago, they told me that
>       this year's rebate is 18% and checks go out in first week of
>       April. 

Not true. I got my check on Friday!

    $ 685.06

    
    I got mine on Friday to.   Queston:  Did Metpay lump your cars together
    on one line?  So if you own 2 cars did the stub only show one line that
    stated "automobile" vs. automobile(s) ?  I ask becasue I allwasy seem
    to get less mone back then others I know who own the same amount of
    insurance we do.
    
    
    $226.00
    
    lkp 

    Received my check on Friday as well and the statement shows my two
    auto's seperate from each other..
    
    George

    Mine shows 3 lines. Includes 4 cars, home owners and umbrella policy.
    
    $571.26
    
    Howard

>   Mine shows 3 lines. Includes 4 cars, home owners and umbrella policy.

The umbrella is that other company! 8^)  Snoopy is our insurer's mascot.

I'm not sure which is better.  The big refund or the smaller payments.  I got
just over $100 bucks.

	mikeP

Your cars won't be listed separately unless they're on DIFFERENT policies.

Mine:

Homeowner
Automobile
Automobile
Automobile
Automobile
PELP (umbrella)

I have 7 cars, 1 motorcycle and 2 trailers all crammed into 4 policies.

	$850.44

    I rec'd my check on Friday.
    
    I insure vehicles under my name, and the house.  The money comes out of
    my pay, one of the vehicles is in my name.  All correspondence from
    MetPay gets addressed to my husband, and the reimbursement comes in
    both of our names.
    
    My money, I work hard for it, and I'm made to feel like a "60s wife."
    Calls to MetPay have failed to fix the problem.

    Even the changes to payroll deduction get sent to my husband, in his
    name (a non-employee).

re:               <<< Note 3737.85 by MROA::LANDINGHAM "Mrs. Kip" >>>

our mail comes addressed to my wife, who never worked for dec.

try changing the order of the names on renewal, registration, etc.
i do not recall which piece of paper triggered the action.

they are generally not sexist, just automated.

    Re .86
    
    How about autoBOMinated ?   }8-)}
    
    Bill
    

re .84

Just the opposite happened to me. I have two cars with Metpay, one in 
my name and one in my wife's name. Payment comes out of my pay, check 
was made out to my wife. Luckily we are good friends :<).

Joe

    re:88
    
    Me, too!

It's a function of who the vehicle is registered to or, as in my case, who 
the homeowner's policy is listed under (i.e. both of us)

I pay ALL of the premiums.  All but one of the vehicles are registered in 
MY name.  One of my policies has my wife's name first and she gets the 
policy updates for that policy.  It's her car, she bought it, she's making 
the payments to establish credit.  We don't want to wind up in the same 
position my mother was in when my father passed away  --  no lending 
history, hence no credit history.

the homeowners and umbrella policy are in both of our names because that's 
the way our deed reads.

The refund check comes in both of our names.  All vehicle-related 
correspondence except that for her new car comes in my name.  
Correspondence related to our homeowner's policy comes in both of our names 
and policy related correspondence related to her car comes in her name (but 
I pay the premiums out of my payroll deduction and she falls under the 
multi-vehicle discount)

Bottom line:  It all depends on what names are on the deed(s) and 
registration(s).  Metpay isn't sexist, you are for specifying who gets 
listed first.

    Thank you for your explanations.  I understand better now.  It just is
    really bizarre to see my husband get notifications of changes to my pay
    roll.
    
    And fortunately, we're very good friends, too!  

    Even if they give you money DECies feel the need to complain..
    
    Have a nice day

    
    	Hey, I was pretty impressed that we'd gotten this far without
    	someone mentioning a pending lawsuit with regards to same.
    

    Has anyone from the southern NH region receive a dividend check to
    date?

    	Yup. I live in Amherst and work in Nashua, and I got my check back
    when everyone else in this NOTEs string did. Now, it was made out to me
    and my ex-wife, which didn't thrill me, but it made *her* day when I
    had to beg her to endorse it for me.

    I called on my last week.  They're supposed to get back to me in the
    next day or two and let me know what's going on.
    
    Irene

    I live in Hudson, NH and got my check about the same time everyone else
    in here got their checks, also. Made out to me, but then I don't have a
    wife, thank you very much. Just an exwife.
    
    Bright blessings,
    
    PJ

	I have a question that someone may (I hope) know the answer to.  My
	husband (non-DEC) and I have our car insurance through METPay but
	only I receive a dividend for the policy in my name (my car). To
	get the dividend to also cover my husband's car and our house 
	insurance do I have to switch everything to my name?

	Very confusing and the MET people couldn't answer this for me 
	last year when this happened!?

	thanks,
	Lisa...

    You must be a Digital employee to get the benefit.  So transfer
    everything into your name now and get the remaining months for
    dividends next year when the checks come out.  Again this is a Digital
    rebate program (safe driver plan) only.

I believe you have to be covered for the entire calendar year to get the
refund.

    Actually, you have to be covered at the end of the year and continuing
    into the following year, which matches the experience in .101 and
    according to a nice explanation I got from MetPay. I got burned for
    1994 when I moved to a different state (that had no rebate plan in
    1994) in November.

    Has anyone heard what 1996 dividend percentage might be?

100% would be nice....

    Re: .103's personal name.
    
    "Reverse Pivot" !
    
    This has been my nightmare for the last 15 years. Any hint to
    help correct this pleague would be more than welcome (by mail
    as this has nothing to do with this financial stuff you're all
    talking about).
    

so has anyone heard how much?

    I talked to a METPAY rep and she said we might not get one because
    there was alot of losses with DIGITAL employees and this is what it 
    is based on.
    
             Tom

    
    I heard from a MetPay rep on Monday that we are getting a rebate
    and that checks will be mailed the second week of March.
    
    Robin

	That's this week!!!!!!  What is the %????



Glen

    
    
    	She didn't say....  Try calling  1-800-GETMET-1
    
    	Robin

	Thanks, Robin. I just called. The guy told me they haven't heard one
way or the other..... and it is mid to late march for the release dates. I
guess it depends on who you talk to. :-)

	RE: .105

    No rebate checks this year, sorry folks.  I just got off the phone with
    Metpay, they said the Digital account was running at a loss this year.
    
    I was really counting on that too....

    A loss? Ya, right.
    
    Chip

    Perhaps they base their refund on Digital's financial state }8-)}
    
    

     I would like to make a public apology here. It's all my fault.
    I decided to switch over to MetPay last year.
     Had no accidents, made no claims, but......
    
    bob

  Maybe we let all the good drivers go.

  Just kidding...

  	mikeP

	I'd like to know how an insurance company can loose ??

	If you have an accident in MA anyway you get a "sur-charge"
	which is just more money for the insurance coffers and
	most companies (the ones I've dealt with) if you put in
	a claim against your homeowners insurance you get hit
	with a "deductable" on your policy...

		Loss.... Ya right as someone else already stated..


					~Mike~

	I believe most of the accidents from last year were attributed to those
people who were sold off from the company. They couldn't get out of here quick 
enough and ended up smashing their cars. I don't know if those who left
voluntary contributed to this. :-)


Glen

 re -2:

 Not only do the Mass insurance companies make out OK on accidents, they 
 CLEAN UP on surcharges for six years for each ticket.

 And don't be fooled by the "You don't get a surcharge for the first ticket" 
 bit; what they don't tell you is you will lose "good driver" credits for the 
 first one, and guess what?  If you calculate it out, that works out to almost 
 the same percentage increase in your premium.
 
 CBB

> And don't be fooled by the "You don't get a surcharge for the first ticket" 
> bit; what they don't tell you is you will lose "good driver" credits for the 
> first one, and guess what?  If you calculate it out, that works out to almost 
> the same percentage increase in your premium.

That's funny.  I didn't lose any "good driver" credits after
my first ticket, nor did my rates go up.  Actually, they went
down.  I couldn't get my "safe driver" credits from when I moved
here from PA until after a year or two.  I got the first (and only)
ticket the same year I received my "good driver" credits from PA.
At that point I had (and still have) the best rating possible
*and* my premiums went down.

    Perhaps Mass drivers at DIGITAL with a step 9 rating on their
    insurance should approach METPAY about forming their own
    discount group?  That wouldn't guarantee a refund, but the
    odds would be much better.
    
    (assuming the METPAY/DIGITAL loss is auto related)
    K

>>  Maybe we let all the good drivers go.

Can't be; we have lots of people doing driver development.

						Brian

    This stinks!  I always thought that part of the rebate was due to being
    over charged throughout the year???? Looks like its time for a new
    insurance company that I"m sure is MUCH cheaper.

    
    Is .113 telling the truth?  Your pulling our leg right?
    
    

    
    	If you were truly overcharged, and they're honest about it, then
    	they'll mail out rebate checks.
    
    	But if they lost money, and they're honest about it, then it's
    	quite obvious that you were undercharged.  And I supposed you'd
    	all be squawking even louder if they billed you for the differ-
    	ence.
    

    	Just received the "Official" letter in the mail from
    	Metpay. 
    
    	In short, 
    	"Last year's severe winter resulted in sharp increases in automobile 
    	and home insurance claims and, as a result, we regret that we will 
    	not be able to offer dividends for 1996.
       	-blah
    	-blah
    	-blah
    	At the close of the 1997 calender year, we will review the financial
    	performance of the Digital METPAY program to determine if, once
    	again, a dividend is possible.

    
    
    Four years ago I converted over to MetPay for my Auto policies.
    I had been with Aetna since 16 (22 years as a loyal customer).
    Their rates seemed to increase every few years, regardless if
    my good driving record.  I saved about 40% when I switched over,
    and have received annual decreases in premium payments.  I doupt
    if you can find better rates outside.
    
    I was also in a minor one-car accident,  my body shop said
    that Met was the best insurance company he ever dealt with.
    Met cut the body shop a check to start work the week after my 
    claim was submitted.  No hassles and I was impressed.
    
    gb

    Being the boring person I am, I have yet to have to file an auto claim,
    but get to help out from time to time on behalf of my wife or my son.
    The people manning the phones at Met P&C are quite responsive and 
    considering that you have to deal with them over the
    phone most of the time, they truly have their stuff together and
    provide the service of an agency at 20-25% less.  I did have to work
    with an adjuster regarding a vandalism of my son's car last spring;
    they were fair and professional.
    
    Their DIGITAL rates you pay are quite competitive, any rebate is just icing
    on the cake. They appear to have mastered better, faster...
    
            Leo 
    
    

	What stinks about this state is you can go 20 years with a perfect
driving record, and you can never get below 9 points. Yet if you screw up once,
they jump up. 

    	What state is that?  Sorry, from PA where I don't see these ratings
    (and maybe I should get away from all you with those terrible
    ratings..)
    
    	Leo

    notice that it was the digital metpay that had a loss, other
    metropolitan policy holders still get their rebate checks cause they
    were ok...!!!???

	Leo...the state is Massachusetts. 

    re: .132
    Most Met policy holders are not even elegible for a rebate. You are
    only elegible if you purchase your insurance through a group plan.
    
    My daughter has had Met auto insurance for years and has never even
    heard of a rebate (other than from me) and sure hasn't received one.
    Her insurance is not through a group plan.
    
    Ray

    Re .123:
    
    >>  Maybe we let all the good drivers go.
    >
    > Can't be; we have lots of people doing driver development.
    
    Unfortunately those statements are not inconsistent.
    
    
    				-- edp
    
    
Public key fingerprint:  8e ad 63 61 ba 0c 26 86  32 0a 7d 28 db e7 6f 75
To find PGP, read note 2688.4 in Humane::IBMPC_Shareware.

    
    	He lays low for awhile and then ZING ... both barrels!!
    

    Anyone remember if we got rebate checks for 1994?  I don't really remember
    but I think I did.  The winter of 93/94 was about as bad as the winter of 
    95/96.
    
    Also, I didn't like the defensive tone of the letter they sent.  A simple 
    note saying how much more they paid out in claims to the plan members last
    year over the year before, and the same for the total number of claims, 
    would have been enough.  
    
    I know the kind of deal I'm getting from METPAY and don't need to
    be reminded.  The rebate checks are the cherry on the cake, I don't expect
    them but I would be very interested in the actual loss that resulted in 
    their not being paid this time.