The Upton Agency

03/26/2025

I’ve already received two calls just this morning about homeowners insurance rates. Someone put out a claim that their rate is quadrupling. I’ve never seen that happen and it is nearly unbelievable. I haven’t seen a rate double, let alone quadruple. Having said that, there’s a very good reason the cost of insurance is on the rise… consumers are filing an unprecedented number of claims in the metro ATL area… especially roof claims… and this has been going on for years. If that behavior continues, the rates will continue to rise and there may even be some companies that leave GA.

10/08/2024

I have been sharing a lot with clients lately of how the legal system abuse is quickly becoming a major factor impacting the affordability and availability of insurance in today’s marketplace. Every facet of the insurance value chain is experiencing the implications of it, agents included. In the US, there are more than 40M lawsuits filed every year, making the US one of the most litigious countries in the world. We are seeing the most lawsuits that involve lawyers with many lawyers getting involved in the first 24 hours of the claim occurring. This leads to 53% of compensation going to claimants while the remaining 47% going to cover litigation and other expenses

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09/24/2024

Elections have consequences. I think we've learned that the past 3.5 years. Inflation, due to the reckless printing of money, started climbing 2021 and has only slowed slightly. We see it at the restaurant, grocery store and gas pump, but we also see it impact the cost of insurance. Why? Because insurance pays for goods and services, too. However, inflation has another more subtle impact that we can't see every day. It impacts human behavior. Data has shown for decades that when the economy tanks and money is tight, the frequency of insurance claims trends up. Frivolous lawsuits spike. The psychological reasons behind that are many and deep, which is a separate conversation.
In summary, the combination of economic factors and human behavior drives claim frequency and severity, which drives the cost of insurance up for everyone because we all pay for each other's claims/losses.
Let's vote and pray for some relief next year.

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12/13/2023

If you are involved in an incident where there's luckily no damage to the vehicle(s), don't call the police, file a claim, or report it to your insurance company. Just go on about your day. Claims go into a loss history database where a car dealer, as well as the general public, can see that info. They'll use that info to depreciate the value of your vehicle. No damage... no injuries... no big deal. Let's do a little something to help keep insurance premiums down!

11/02/2023

One of our customers told a "storm chaser" he could check out her roof. She hears a racket on her roof, goes outside, and he's up on the roof with a leaf blower causing "wind damage." She took photos and reported it to the insurance company, so she and the insurance company are going after the storm chaser criminally for vandalism.

08/30/2023

After 23 years in the insurance industry, I can say for certain I've never seen a tighter market than the one we are experiencing today. A few carriers are not taking on any new clients, and the ones who are have dramatically tightened their underwriting guidelines. Besides that, we're seeing higher rates than ever before.
Having said that, it's not all doom and gloom! I'm often in shock at how many new clients we're still bringing on board and how much money we're saving folks.
What does this tell you?
YOU NEED AN INDEPENDENT BROKER WHO SHOPS THE MARKET!
So many consumers don't realize how much they're overpaying. Amber and I can tell you if you're getting a good deal or whether we need to look at moving to another company.
Call, email, text, or come by the office. You will leave with peace of mind!

08/14/2023

I've never read a positive review on an insurance company. Of course, one may exist, but it would definitely be a rarity. The consumer has what THEY DEEM a poor experience and goes online to bash the company. What was the context? What was the other side of the story? Were the consumers expectations unreasonable? I would encourage the consumer to ask a broker, who deals with dozens of insurance companies daily, about a specific company. I'll tell you from 22 years of experience that 90% of the A rated 100 year old brands are solid organizations who I would place my cars, house, and umbrella policies with.

06/19/2023

The office is open today and we are hard at work serving our clients.
Also, we'll be closing the office July 3rd and 4th to celebrate the great July 4th holiday. God Bless America!

05/26/2023

Call centers have never been fun, but they've become nearly unbearable to me. The endless scripted nonsense where I listen to a LOT of fluff, but they really can't help actually solve a problem or answer my question. The 14 privacy questions to then realize they have to transfer me. The language barrier because they're offshore.
It's where we are in society today... Except for The Upton Agency!

05/10/2023

WHY SHOP ONLINE OR CALL A 1-800 CALL CENTER?!
It's a time consuming pain and the quotes always end up wrong anyway. They can't give advice, so you're not going to get unsolicited guidance. It's just not a wise use of your time. Have Amber or I look at the whole package and make suggestions that you may not know to ask about.