Has anyone used Obie Insurance?

Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2020 · 43 posts · 29 votes

Hello fellow investors,

I am currently using Farmers and Foremost Insurance. However I ran a few quotes on Obie Insurance (geared specifically towards landlords) and for only the 4 houses I checked, I am saving 1,5k a year if I switch. The only difference on paper is that the deductible for hail and winter storms is 5k instead of the 2,5k that I have with Farmers. Has someone used them and what's your experience so far?

5 Reply

1,492 views

Most Popular Reply

Aaron Letzeiser

Chicago, IL · Member since 2023 · 28 posts · 20 votes

Quote from @Zul Khandwalla:

I would NEVER Ever use OBIE INSURANCE --Not honest in their dealings and do not expect refunds on cancellations I am of the opinion that they are legal scammers Just be careful

Zul,
Thanks for posting. I'm sure you'll recall the numerous back and forth emails you and I had, following your many emails to our employees. For context for the readers here, since you posted your comments publicly, a policy was bound and then you requested to cancel shortly thereafter. When we let you know it wouldn't be a full refund because of an earned premium period, you stated that your signature was forged and you didn't actually buy this policy.

As you'll recall from my email, an account with your name, email, and your investment property address bound a policy through Obie and signed all of the documents. The IP address for the signature audit trail matches the IP address from your session when you bound the policy. As I suggested, if you believe your identity had been stolen, please file a police report and we can utilize that to help convince the carrier to make a full refund cancellation request.

I'm very sorry you decided you didn't want the policy after all, and in fact, Obie covered some of the fees from your pro-rated cancellation so we could at least always put the customer first--even in this situation. However, once you began stating that the signature was forged and you would be taking legal action, the agents would understandably not engage in that.

Happy to talk through this further, as I offered in my many emails.

Best,

Aaron Letzeiser
Obie Co-Founder

9 Reply

See this reply in the discussion

65 Replies

Jump to latestLatest

Sort by

Owen RosenBusiness Member
Professional · Clinton Township, MI · Member since 2015 · 678 posts · 259 votes
1y
Quote from @Rachel H.:

@Nina Erlandson Personally, I have not heard of Obie Insurance. I use Foremost for my mobile home investing business with the properties I buy and hold. Will be interesting to hear what others have to say here. Always good to know of other companies who provide products and services!

I'm an independent agency owner that represents both Foremost and Obie. Obie is a great product as is Foremost. Obie provides non-admitted coverage though so it's different than Foremost in most areas.

That said, Obie does not insure mobile homes @Rachel H.
Royal Oath Insurance Group4.9203 Reviews
Website View Page
1 Reply
Aaron Letzeiser
Chicago, IL · Member since 2023 · 28 posts · 20 votes
1y
Quote from @Joseph Leahy:

@Aaron Letzeiser I’ve been in touch with one of your agents for a quote for Landlord insurance. He keeps telling me he has the quote ready but never sends it! What is going on? Can you help?

Checking in to it. The average sales response is pretty quick so I'm surprised you didn't hear back.
0 Reply
Francois Navarre
Member since 2025 · 1 post · 1 vote
1y
I have Obie for one of my rental properties affected by fires in Palisades. They are already finding excuses not to cover. Compared to other companies the experience is really bad .... they are slow, showing bad faith even before sending anybody
1 Reply
Aaron Letzeiser
Chicago, IL · Member since 2023 · 28 posts · 20 votes
1y
Quote from @Francois Navarre:

I have Obie for one of my rental properties affected by fires in Palisades. They are already finding excuses not to cover. Compared to other companies the experience is really bad .... they are slow, showing bad faith even before sending anybody

Hi @Francois Navarre. First and foremost, I'm incredibly sorry to hear you were impacted by the fires. My heart breaks for everyone in the area. We have both family and employees directly impacted and I can't imagine what the community is going through.
I'm also sorry that you're feeling like the response time has been slow or that the carrier's claims team is acting in bad faith. It looks like they have been in contact with you previously and have communicated the inspection date. As I'm sure you can imagine, it's been incredibly difficult for even the claims adjustors to gain access to the properties. We've had reports of folks waiting hours each day just to receive a pass to enter residential streets, which is enormously frustrating when our sole priority is helping the community rebuild as quickly as possible.
As for your comment about finding excuses already not to cover something, can you send me an email directly or a DM on that? If there hasn't been an adjustor to the property yet, a coverage determination letter sent, or you feel like you haven't heard much from the claims team, I want to make sure I understand what gave you that impression.
Again, I'm so sorry you've been impacted and I'm available directly to help in any way. Please feel free to DM me on here or shoot me an email.
0 Reply
Colleen Lex
Member since 2022 · 3 posts · 1 vote
1y
@Aaron Letzeiser. I'm wondering if you can help me. I requested 3 quotes from Obie on 01/30/25. I got an email from an agent asking some questions which I responded to and haven't heard back from anyone since them. Is this something you can look into?
0 Reply
Aaron Letzeiser
Chicago, IL · Member since 2023 · 28 posts · 20 votes
1y
Quote from @Colleen Lex:
@Aaron Letzeiser. I'm wondering if you can help me. I requested 3 quotes from Obie on 01/30/25. I got an email from an agent asking some questions which I responded to and haven't heard back from anyone since them. Is this something you can look into?
Hi @Colleen Lex - thank for reaching out! I can see your quote requests and the email back and forth, but it looks like there was a response. I'm sorry if that didn't get to you. I'll have the agent reach back out ASAP!
0 Reply
Colleen Lex
Member since 2022 · 3 posts · 1 vote
1y
Quote from @Aaron Letzeiser:
Quote from @Colleen Lex:

@Aaron Letzeiser. I'm wondering if you can help me. I requested 3 quotes from Obie on 01/30/25. I got an email from an agent asking some questions which I responded to and haven't heard back from anyone since them. Is this something you can look into?

Hi @Colleen Lex - thank for reaching out! I can see your quote requests and the email back and forth, but it looks like there was a response. I'm sorry if that didn't get to you. I'll have the agent reach back out ASAP!
Thanks so much!
1 Reply
Samantha Rosenbaum
Member since 2023 · 3 posts · 3 votes
1y
Insured 2 properties via Obie. Having a very bad experience dealing with them.
One property came up for renewal, was paid through escrow but I got multiple emails that the policy would be cancelled. When asking service team, barely got answers but they always said it’s not cancelled. Continues to get cancellation emails. Very alarming when I need to have my properties insured but thought maybe it was a one off issue.
Second property, same thing just happened! Although this time someone answered and said “there’s no sign of cancellation on your account” the very next day I get an email saying my policy has been cancelled. Can’t get a straight answer.

too much of a headache when I’m trying to run my business, I’d go elsewhere. If anyone has recommendations I’d love some!

0 Reply
- Aaron Letzeiser
  Chicago, IL · Member since 2023 · 28 posts · 20 votes
  1y
  Quote from @Samantha Rosenbaum:
  
  Insured 2 properties via Obie. Having a very bad experience dealing with them.
  One property came up for renewal, was paid through escrow but I got multiple emails that the policy would be cancelled. When asking service team, barely got answers but they always said it’s not cancelled. Continues to get cancellation emails. Very alarming when I need to have my properties insured but thought maybe it was a one off issue.
  Second property, same thing just happened! Although this time someone answered and said “there’s no sign of cancellation on your account” the very next day I get an email saying my policy has been cancelled. Can’t get a straight answer.
  
  too much of a headache when I’m trying to run my business, I’d go elsewhere. If anyone has recommendations I’d love some!
  
  Hey @Samantha Rosenbaum - thanks for the note and feedback. I see this is your first comment on BP - welcome to the community!
  Always happy to jump on a call or a DM to chat through this in greater detail. From what I can see on our records, there seems to be a bit of a miscommunication about cancellations vs. pending cancellations. Two reasons this happens in insurance:
  
  1. Escrow companies take their sweet time processing payments. It's not unusual to see them cut checks days to weeks after the due date of an invoice they received 30+ days prior! This puts every insurance provider in a tough spot and causes unnecessary worry for homeowners and landlords like yourself who are the ones receiving pending cancellation and cancellation notices. This unfortunately leads to point #2 below.
  2. Each state requires certain mandatory notices be sent out to insured. They dictate the timing and sometimes the language of those notices. We can't get the timing of those wrong. We don't want to send them out too early because the escrow check may be in the mail still within a reasonable amount of time, but we also legally can't send them too late.
  Without digging in deeper, with some of the context you provided, and when seeing what was sent back to you, it appears your policies were pending cancellation for non-payment, but were not necessarily cancelled. So the system will keep sending notices of pending cancellation during that state mandated period of time, but it's correct they were not yet cancelled.
  
  Again, like I said, always happy to chat and I'll follow up with our service team to make sure they're also providing sufficient context to you and other customers with similar questions.
  0 Reply
Samantha Rosenbaum
Member since 2023 · 3 posts · 3 votes
1y
Hi Aaron,
I’ve insured both these properties outside Obie before with the same escrow and never had any similar experience so that seems odd.
Both times this happened my escrow has confirmed the payment has already been remitted.
I did ask the team if they can price match lower quotes I got. That email remains unanswered.
As you can see below, on 3/4 my account has “night sign of cancellation” per your team. And then on 3/6 I got a “notice of cancellation” that my policy is cancelled.
I can certainly appreciate that insurance is a regulated industry, but I’m sure you can appreciate this is a pretty bad customer experience. It’s not an intent to cancel or notice of something about escrow, simply it’s cancelled. When I just asked if it would be cancelled. 🤷🏽‍♀️ I’ve just never had a similar experience with any other home I’ve insured, and both through Obie had this same problem. Both times I called escrow who confirmed payment already sent.

Insurance premiums are skyrocketing while also essentially being a commodity product so all in all, going with the easiest provider (smooth, no issues, no headaches, there when you need them) with lowest cost for same coverage seems to make sense to me, to Nina’s original question.

best,
Sam

1 Reply
- Aaron Letzeiser
  Chicago, IL · Member since 2023 · 28 posts · 20 votes
  1y
  Quote from @Samantha Rosenbaum:
  
  Hi Aaron,
  I’ve insured both these properties outside Obie before with the same escrow and never had any similar experience so that seems odd.
  Both times this happened my escrow has confirmed the payment has already been remitted.
  I did ask the team if they can price match lower quotes I got. That email remains unanswered.
  As you can see below, on 3/4 my account has “night sign of cancellation” per your team. And then on 3/6 I got a “notice of cancellation” that my policy is cancelled.
  I can certainly appreciate that insurance is a regulated industry, but I’m sure you can appreciate this is a pretty bad customer experience. It’s not an intent to cancel or notice of something about escrow, simply it’s cancelled. When I just asked if it would be cancelled. 🤷🏽‍♀️ I’ve just never had a similar experience with any other home I’ve insured, and both through Obie had this same problem. Both times I called escrow who confirmed payment already sent.
  
  Insurance premiums are skyrocketing while also essentially being a commodity product so all in all, going with the easiest provider (smooth, no issues, no headaches, there when you need them) with lowest cost for same coverage seems to make sense to me, to Nina’s original question.
  
  best,
  Sam
  
  Hi @Samantha Rosenbaum. Thanks again for more context. As mentioned, I'm happy to jump on a call or chat through DM (I'll send you my cell via DM) because I think there's a lot more that occurred here, and certainly opportunities for our team to improve, but just to be clear since this was posted on a public forum:
  
  1. The first time this came up, we sent out a significant number of emails to you that went unanswered until the Notice of Cancellation went out January 6, to which you let us know that your Escrow company sent payment December 16. The challenge there is that payment was due in November and your escrow company would have known that since there was a Due Date on the invoice. As mentioned in my previous reply, it's incredibly frustrating that escrow companies take too long to pay and it's effectively out of both of our hands, which leaves you in this uncertain and unnecessarily complicated situation.
  
  2. As for the second more recent policy that was renewing, this one was also unpaid and you were receiving emails to that end. When we did hear back from you, the team let you know that it had not been cancelled but that it was still unpaid (the March 4 email screenshot you posted). At the same time, and within another response ticket you had generated by responding to a different email from us, you told the team that the price of the policy had gone up and you were going elsewhere. In response to that email, another distinct team member who reviewed that email moved forward with cancelling the unpaid policy renewal (the second email screenshot you posted). So I can see where two distinct processes that were taking place here over the same days created crossover and confusion -- one was answering your question about the policy being unpaid but had not yet cancelled, and another where the team member processed the cancellation request after you let us know you'd be going elsewhere.
  
  Again, I'll shoot you a DM now. Feel free to give me a call and happy to chat through any resolution
  0 Reply
- Samantha Rosenbaum
  Member since 2023 · 3 posts · 3 votes
  1y
  I’m not going to debate my experience with a founder in a public forum. I find it very odd. The poster asked for people’s experiences, and I’ve shared mine as I experienced it as a client.
  
  If my experience changes, I’ll update my post.
  
  Quote from @Aaron Letzeiser:
  
  Quote from @Samantha Rosenbaum:
  
  Hi Aaron,
  I’ve insured both these properties outside Obie before with the same escrow and never had any similar experience so that seems odd.
  Both times this happened my escrow has confirmed the payment has already been remitted.
  I did ask the team if they can price match lower quotes I got. That email remains unanswered.
  As you can see below, on 3/4 my account has “night sign of cancellation” per your team. And then on 3/6 I got a “notice of cancellation” that my policy is cancelled.
  I can certainly appreciate that insurance is a regulated industry, but I’m sure you can appreciate this is a pretty bad customer experience. It’s not an intent to cancel or notice of something about escrow, simply it’s cancelled. When I just asked if it would be cancelled. 🤷🏽‍♀️ I’ve just never had a similar experience with any other home I’ve insured, and both through Obie had this same problem. Both times I called escrow who confirmed payment already sent.
  
  Insurance premiums are skyrocketing while also essentially being a commodity product so all in all, going with the easiest provider (smooth, no issues, no headaches, there when you need them) with lowest cost for same coverage seems to make sense to me, to Nina’s original question.
  
  best,
  Sam
  
  Hi @Samantha Rosenbaum. Thanks again for more context. As mentioned, I'm happy to jump on a call or chat through DM (I'll send you my cell via DM) because I think there's a lot more that occurred here, and certainly opportunities for our team to improve, but just to be clear since this was posted on a public forum:
  
  1. The first time this came up, we sent out a significant number of emails to you that went unanswered until the Notice of Cancellation went out January 6, to which you let us know that your Escrow company sent payment December 16. The challenge there is that payment was due in November and your escrow company would have known that since there was a Due Date on the invoice. As mentioned in my previous reply, it's incredibly frustrating that escrow companies take too long to pay and it's effectively out of both of our hands, which leaves you in this uncertain and unnecessarily complicated situation.
  
  2. As for the second more recent policy that was renewing, this one was also unpaid and you were receiving emails to that end. When we did hear back from you, the team let you know that it had not been cancelled but that it was still unpaid (the March 4 email screenshot you posted). At the same time, and within another response ticket you had generated by responding to a different email from us, you told the team that the price of the policy had gone up and you were going elsewhere. In response to that email, another distinct team member who reviewed that email moved forward with cancelling the unpaid policy renewal (the second email screenshot you posted). So I can see where two distinct processes that were taking place here over the same days created crossover and confusion -- one was answering your question about the policy being unpaid but had not yet cancelled, and another where the team member processed the cancellation request after you let us know you'd be going elsewhere.
  
  Again, I'll shoot you a DM now. Feel free to give me a call and happy to chat through any resolution
  
  2 Reply
Kathleen Lindsay
Member since 2025 · 1 post · 0 votes
1y
Yes!!! I want this type of support. Clear them out.
0 Reply

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.