umbrella policy/other options

[Heather U.]

I own 4 rentals recently purchased (with mortgages) and have an umbrella for them. No LLC's. Underwriting came back and has said that since we don't have a car insured with them (our primary house is with them) they can't insure us with the umbrella. For clarification, we live overseas and don't own a car! We have access to my parents car and have a non-owned auto policy for several weeks out of the year while we borrow my parents car. So...my question is....is it possible to get umbrella policy without owning a car or any other way around this situation. Our thought was to have my parents "gift" us the car (somehow the agent said the parents can still have the title) and then we would pay for the insurance for the car but...that costs us $200 every 6 months. Trying to avoid an extra cost. Any ideas?

[Patricia Steiner]

You need a different insurance provider. A car is not a requirement for an umbrella policy - it's a strong-arm cross sell attempt.  I recently replaced the insurance broker I had been using long time with my clients because she kept insisting that unless she had multiple lines with each client, she couldn't broker the insurance.  The solution was to replace her - and the new broker is phenomenal.  Wish I had done it a whole lot earlier.  Give another insurance provider (via an insurance broker) a chance to bid for your business. And, leave the other one at the curb.