Mark Lathrop – State Farm Insurance Agent

updated to previous review
negative 5 for them referring customers to an 800 number call center that are not licensed to discuss policies, they give out business partners (Service Master) to come by and do a clean up, tell the policyholder you only have to pay the deductible. Work started bill came in for 3 grand, Mark then communicates to policyholder they have no coverage and the entire amount is on the policyholder. By the way we established 2 other bids for $ 800-​$ 900 for the job. 3 times the price, insinuates coverage, directs you to there business partner then Service Master comes back with a threatening letter to foreclose on policyholders home and place a lean on it as well for a mess and problem created by State Farm. Oh I forgot the policyholder happens to be recently widowed, nice approach for Service Master who claims to be a big Christian organization. Bottom Line stay clear of State Farm, Service Master and Mark Lathrop as everyone here takes zero ownership of their problem they created. Certainly not a good neighbor and not one I ever want to be associated with.

After my father’s job relocated us back to the Chicagoland area 20 years ago, my father obtained his car and renter’s insurance with Mark at State Farm. When I turned 16, I was added to his policy, and my sister as well a few years later when she turned 16 and we both needed car insurance. The various discounts available helped get us a good rate. After many new car changes, removal of my sister when she married, addition of my step sister and step mother when my dad re-​married, we still received low rates for great coverage.
At 21, I was foolish and got a DUI and when my father called Mark, he just laughed and said «kids will be kids.» My rate didn’t increase. Even with other incidents (a not-​fault accident I was in, a speeding ticket, etc) my rate never increased.
Fast foward 8 years, and I moved out on my own. I branched off of my dad’s policy and obtained my own for car and renter’s insurance. The bf had Esurance or some crap, so I made him leave and he joined my policy. Not only did that help again with multiple discounts, but Esurance was charging him 6 times what Mark quoted him for his vehicle. That’s huge! Needless to say, the bf was thrilled. Esurance considered the bf a «high risk» driver… not sure what criteria they used to determine that, but apparently it didn’t matter with SF. He was ecstatic that he would no longer pay such a high premium for lousy coverage.
Just last month, a deer ran out straight into the bf’s car. The damage didn’t seem too terrible (I had my own deer experience ten years ago with far worse damage). State Farm gave us a reputable body shop to repair the car and set us up with a very nice rental car with Enterprise. Thanks to comprehensive, we didn’t pay a dime. If we didn’t have comprehensive, the bill would have been our responsibility — a grand total of over $ 5200!
For a mere $ 103 per month for two vehicles (one with full coverage, the other with full coverage — collision) and renter’s insurance… I am more than pleased. Everytime we have a question or need to update something on our policy, Mark has been extrememly helpful. His assistants are equally helpful the few times Mark was not in the office. He is also quick to respond via e-​mail if you choose to go that route.
Many months ago, the bf talked about insurance shopping, because he felt that we could get a better rate, despite my longtime relationship with Mark and State Farm. After the deer incident, he has changed his tune and agreed State Farm is the way to go. I couldn’t agree more. It would take a LOT to make me change insurance companies. Kudos to Mark Lathrop and State Farm.

I had a great experience with both Mark and Veronica! I figured no one really posts good stuff about there insurance company so here it goes: I called State Farm for a quote on a new car and spoke with Mark who was helpful and very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of insurance and actually took the time to explain to me what I did and didn’t need for coverage (which you definitely won’t get online). I came into the office to drop off paperwork and Mark was out of the office so I worked with Veronica who is fluent in Spanish (I didn’t need it but good to know!) she was super sweet and handled my paperwork quickly.

I JUST got off the phone w/​Veronica, & I was calling originally cause i was trying to get a quote online and my vehicle model wouldn’t pull up, so I called the closest office 2 me and she informed me that i could get an more accurate quote w/​her… so since i am in need of a new policy today. i asked her to give me a quote… but when we got down to the logistics of it… she couldn’t give me a answer to what my van model would be, so she did NOTHING MORE than the online program did…
THEN she was trying to tell me that i would have to put my common law husband on the policy even though he lives in a different state, and dosent drive my car EVER… when i said she was making this more difficult that it really was… my father owns an insurance company and i KNOW that i don’t have to have my common law husband on my policy when he dosent live with me or drive my car … then at the end she was VERY RUDE, about everything and couldn’t spell my very easy last names right…2ce! i certainly hope she shredded my info cause i surely won’t do business with them EVER & surely would not recommend HER!