Janet Lin – State Farm Insurance

Apparently once you use your insurance (for even a minor claim), you’ll get kicked off of it. The worse part is that Janet’s office sent a vague letter saying they won’t renew my insurance, then they continue spam me with State Farm credit card offers.
With this office… use it and lose it. Simple.

It was my great misfortune to be randomly assigned to the offices of Janet Lin. I really should have spent more time researching my options. Instead, I was so enamored with the affordability of the insurance policy that I just decided to accept my assigned agent.
It turns out that that my definition of «insurance» does not align with the folks at Janet Lin’s office. In fact, if you DARE to make a small claim, like I did when my wife’s purse was stolen on vacation, you will get a very impersonal letter saying that you WILL NOT BE RENEWED. This wasn’t even within the first year of the policy. I called a few other State Farm agents and they were shocked.
I know, that seems harsh, and it is. But no worries, there has to be a legitimate reason, right?
Well, apparently the reason was because of «overseas travel». Yep, that’s it.
So make sure not to travel with your spouse overseas, ever. You should stay home and personally guard all of your belongings as a supplementary form of insurance.
With all of these 5 star reviews talking about how hospitable the offices are (homemade food and all), a phone call or email with some context would have been nice. Instead I had to email, call, and get in touch with the corporate offices to inquire about what was happening.
So do yourself a favor when you see the «great rates» from State Farm, make sure you take a look at who they are assigning to you.
«overseas travel»… seriously?

A State Farm rep from corporate checking in with me reminded me to write this review from earlier this year that I forgot to post. I’ve been working with Janet since 2009, my ex boyfriend and I originally going in on a policy together when we moved in and then revamping to my own policy when we split up and I settled into my own studio.
Things were fine, so far as I knew, until I later found out that her team failed to notify me when there was a problem processing my automated monthly payment and it cancelled my policy. For a year, I thought I was ensured and discovered I wasn’t when I called in to add earthquake insurance to my policy in February of this year.
Turns out that agents and corporate State Farm still have troubles keeping track of their customers account status and don’t have an integrated tracking system. It’s a rather stupid set up, honestly, that they leave their agents with little software and tools to manage their accounts. All customer service notifications related to your account when it’s tied to billing are generated by corporate on corporate letter head, not through the local offices. So, when my debit card was caught up in the Target data breach last December and my bank cancelled my card and sent me a new one, it killed my account with State Farm when they couldn’t process the payment.
Three failures arose with this; the first on State Farm was that they only notify you of a past due account or failure of automated payment through paper mail. If your account is set up for paperless statement, like I am, then State Farm won’t send you the letter.
Second was on both Janet’s team and State Farm. State Farm never notified the agency and the local team to contact me and let me know of the issue. Apparently, I’m on a month-​to-​month contract, not an annual one with monthly payments, like I’d originally requested for set up when I spoke with my rep. So when it cancels, they don’t get notification either. The rep didn’t put me on the policy I wanted or he didn’t explain very well to me how it works when you want to pay it monthly instead of all up front.
Third, the person who handled my account had left her agency. So even if State Farm corporate had contact the agent, my closed account was sitting in some corner inbox waiting for some new person to have to deal with it.
We had 3 pipes burst in our building that winter, thankfully my studio wasn’t hit with water damage but you can image how livid I was with the lack of customer service and internal communication. This is the problem with the insurance industry, they contract out everything to agents and little technology is in play to manage all their accounts.
I reactivated my account, given that I didn’t have the time to dig into finding a new agent with a new insurance company with being out of town with business travel and that the first 4 years went flawlessly. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt for now, but you can say that I’m still not satisfied with my overall experience and jury is still out on if I stay with State Farm.

Unexpected little details like HOME MADE SPRING ROLLS AND SAUCE is what makes this place special. Food at an insurance agency?! #mindblasting!
Came in to take care of business on my lunch break and was treated to lunch. WOW.
This is why you need to come check out Janet Lin’s office.
They really take the time to get to know you and RECOMMEND what you NEED and not what you don’t.
Think of an auto dealer, but the opposite. Something, ice and pleasant. Never pushy, and always patient. Thanks for the hook up!

I have been a client of Janet Lin and Sate Farm Insurance for at least 4 years now. And all I want to say is «i am very happy with their policies and service».
To be precise, lately I have a lot of urgent requests to Janet’s company and «ALEX CHANG» is the one who have been helping me get all these urgent insurance paper work done, quickly and in time, all the time.
This helps my business a great deal. And I have great admire for Alex and Janet’s + State Farm Insurance for this. It ‘s wonderful to know that … When i need help and they can help me.
And that’s all that i need from my insurance company. Thank you Alex, Janet and State Farm.

If you are looking for an Insurance Agent that will give you a superb customer service, Janet Lin is your one.
What you’ll get:
* Consistent knowledgeable and friendly service.
* Personal attention
* Prompt replies and follow ups
I have been with them for two years and I am delighted to say that I can only praise them for the work they do. I also happen to meet Janet for the first time and she was so super attentive and sweet, not surprisingly consistent with the environment she created and her employees. So, naturally, I highly recommend her services!

I have been with Janet Lin State Farm for years, and I’m always so impressed by the customer service. Alex has been there for all my policy questions and really takes the time to ensure you get the best deal and coverage. Janet’s team is professional, knowledgeable, patient, and all good listeners. Thank you Janet Lin and team for your professionalism and promptness. Quick story. I was driving out of state and needed my insurance card and called them between flights and they were prompt in getting me a copy. Although this is a small office, it is mighty in customer service.

Two people in Janet’s office, most recently Anita, have been exceptionally helpful to me over the last four years. I have only two small policies but they’ve always treated me like an important client and have always answered relevant and even quasi-​relevant questions (flatmate liability? moving insurance?) speedily and intelligently.
Disclaimer: I have no experience with other insurers.

Janet Lin signed my ex boyfriend up for renter’s insurance and then, without my permission or knowledge, added my name to the account as well. Now that my ex and I have broken up, I am still getting letters addressed to both of us. Last night I got a bill addressed to both of us. He and I have called several times to request they cancel this account but to no avail.
Not only is it heartbreaking to get a constant reminder of a relationship that is over, it feels a bit like fraud for someone to sign me up for an insurance account without my knowledge or consent. They should have canceled this account when we asked them to, but they seem to not be able to do this.
I heartily recommend you take your business elsewhere. Amica is a very reasonable and helpful insurance company that would never be this heartless or incompetent.

5 stars for service. 1 star for price.
I have mixed feelings about leaving them today. While Alex, Jon, and Anita all provided excellent service while I was there, it still doesnt change the fact that I am disappointed in the rates I was paying. Clean driving record. No claims on car or condo insurance. Yet my rates continued to rise, despite being a customer with them for many years. Today I went to another agency and got the identical coverage for $ 300 LESS per year. My advice to anyone else… take a second and shop around every once in a while so you wont get ripped off.

To sum up Janet Lin’s State Farm Insurance in one word would have to be… WOW! Like most people, every time I looked at auto insurance quotes and policy, it never made any sense until I spoke with Alex.
I was looking to get a better deal than my previous insurance policy with Mercury Insurance – better collision coverage and low premium cost. Alex was so patient, professional and friendly. He took the time to explain the quote and coverage to me line-​by-​line. He spent over an hour with me to come up with a suitable auto quote that would match my needs and budget. I gained a better understanding of auto insurance and was able to make an informed decision when choosing an auto insurance.
I was calling 3 other insurance firms: All State, Esurance, Farmers. None of the representatives tried to explain the policy to me. I asked a question, the answer given to me were all in technical terms. The rest of us would not have understood it (please speak in plain English!) All state’s coverage was pretty comparable to State Farm’s, but the level of customer service I received from Alex was one of the major factors that persuaded me to join State Farm family. After reading the other reviews, I would have to agree that Janet Lin’s firm deserves a 5-​star rating!

I had a great little chat with Janet Lin the other day. Not only was she a good listener but, she demonstrates excellent «people skills» which is a very important part of conducting business in this busy city/​state/​country/​life! Taking a few moments to understand a client can make the huge difference in a long term business relationship. Much thanks for an act of «simple» kindness. In San Francisco … John-​Charles

I just made a deal with them and i was really satisfied.
They worked professionally. Their costumer services were very kindly.
If you need an insurance, just contact them.

«Like a good neighboorrr… Janet Lin’s office is there» No joke!
No matter how many times I call or email Alex with the same question, just worded a little differently, he takes the time to explain it as if it were the first time he’s telling me the information. LOVE ALEX!
Everyone there is always so friendly, professional and polite. My partner and I now have multiple policies with Janet Lin’s office and we feel more than happy and secure with our choice .
If you need any type of insurance and have no idea where to start, contact Janet Lin’s office and you won’t be disappointed. Say hi to Matthew when you’re in the office.

I moved away from the Bay Area for grad school, and my old State Farm office in the peninsula had changed its staff. Even though I had been a loyal customer for 7 years, they had forgotten about me and couldn’t find any of my information. Seriously!!! Rather than give up on State Farm, I decided to find an office closer to where I live in SF. It’s no wonder that Janet Lin and her staff get 5 star reviews — they provide the customer service you expect and hope to get from a local agent.
Alex Louie totally took the time to listen and find the best solution for me. He went above and beyond by walking me line-​by-​line through my personalized quote to make sure I understood what the policy covered. He also presented a couple of options so I knew he wasn’t trying to sell me the most expensive policy. He wanted to make sure I got the policy that best suited my needs. Because of Alex, I was able to get the best and most cost-​effective comprehensive policy and it was ready for me when I went to pick up my new car. Thanks, Alex!

You ever have an insurance agent make your day? That’s exactly what Jon did, a great way to start off the weekend!
For the past two days I was online getting quotes and dumbfounded by the type of quotes I was getting. I’ve been covered by my family’s insurance so a lot of the terms, coverages, liabilities were a bit foreign to me. Because of all the options, the quotes that came back were all over the place. Average was around $ 1,300, on the high-​end, one company quoted about $ 3,000.
That’s when Jon stepped in. He was recommended to me by a friend and the entire experience was extremely pleasant. Jon made some recommendations and explained to me what the insurance didn’t cover. All in all, the coverage I ended up with was excellent compared to the other quotes and at a fraction of the cost.
He even followed up with me about a loyalty discount when he found out my family had been on State Farm back east. Spectacular experience. I hope I’ll never have to use the insurance, but if the service on the other side is as good as this initial experience, they’ll have a customer for a very long time.

I don’t usually write reviews for insurance agencies but I just had to give props to Janet and her team. They are all super-​friendly, competent and honest.
As an example, I happened to run into one of the team members, Ben on a weekend and we chatted for a few seconds, and he noticed that my car had been keyed. He told me that I can totally get money to get that fixed! I had not even thought about that and had just resigned to pay an exorbitant amt of money to get it fixed or live with it. He then proceeded to EMAIL me a few days later asking me if I wanted to file a claim and get money. I think they get dinged based on how much they pay out and this was so not normal for a business to ask if I wanted money from THEM! They really do care about you as a person and not just money. I know that Janet passes down that philosophy to all her staff.
I thought they were going to be more expensive but they were actually significantly cheaper than Geico, progressive, etc. Oh, one random thing is that the staff is super passionate about insurance which I find hilarious, but you need that from the staff as a customer.
Just a few drawbacks – Janet is extremely difficult to contact so you’re usually going to interact with her team which is fine but sometimes you want that personal service from the agent herself. You also do get a sales pitch every once in a while, which I know the staff has to do. Its’ not aggressive but I know what they’re doing and it’s just something we all have to live with. Just know what you want and do your research so you are not succumed to the agency’s charming personalities that know how to sell you things you might not really need.
Other than that I tell all my friends to go there!

Janet Lin’s office is wonderful, everyone is super friendly and helpful! including Janet! We’ve been down to her offices several to deal with the intricacies of life insurance. Every time we have gone down to their office Janet always makes a point to welcome us.
We’ve been working with Jonathan Hau and he is AMAZING! I got married a little over year ago. and my mother has been pushing me for me to get life insurance. It never occurred to me to have life insurance. but should we have children someday and if something were to happen to one or both of us I like knowing that my significant other and my future children will be OK. Life insurance seemed so daunting and Jonathan took his time and explained all the ins and outs of Whole life and Term life insurance for us. He made the entire process smooth and extremely enjoyable. considering it can be somewhat of a morbid topic. He was so helpful we also decided to switch both of our car insurance and our renter’s insurance to state farm as well. The best part is the more insurance you have with them you get more discounts on every policy! AWESOME!
Literally a week after we signed the papers we got into a little bit of a car accident and my husband simply called up Jonathan and explained what happened and he took care of everything. Within a week there was a check in the mail to fix our car. It really does not get any better than that. :)

I’ve known Janet for a very long time, even as far back to the days when Janet graduated from college and I just started Jr. High. From that, I can say that my family knew her for more than ten years.
My parents were among her first clients when she made her break as a State Farm agent and how she went from nothing to something. Now she’s on the roll with her business and here’s some of my reasons why:
1) Janet is a woman of integrity and honor. She does what is within rightful bounties while still delivering satisfaction for her clients. No lying to get more business. Just plain, old fashion honesty that you rarely get.
2) Janet looks after you despite her hectic schedule. I don’t know how she manages her schedule when her circle of clients is as big as Paris Hilton’s circle of «friends». Either way, she is there to pick up your calls and returning missed calls if she can’t. I remember how I got into a minor auto accident several years ago and I called Janet for advice, she was there personally to help me out.
3) Janet finds the best policy for you. I’ve bought many products from Janet as did my whole family. I don’t know much about all the policies and inner workings of insurance, but Janet always set a piece of scratch paper aside to draw out all the best plans and explains everything clearly so I would understand the mechanics of the policies better.
4) Janet has a group of professional staff supporting her. Most of the staff I know personally myself from church and I know that they stand for integrity and honesty just as Janet is now. If Janet is busy, I work with one of her staff members to help me make adjustments to investments and policies. Well, given one of her staff is a good friend of mine that I see almost half of the week, so I get to communicate with him about questions I have. Either way, I’m sure what each member of Janet’s team can do for me, they can do for you!
So that’s my two cents about Janet. I am not just giving her good marks because she is a personal friend of mine, but I know that the quality of her character is well-​worth the time invested in her business.

I have been a loyal customer of Janet Lin’s office since 2001, when my mom passed away and as a poor college student, I opted to get some renter’s insurance to protect our small amount of assets. Good thing we did, because we suffered a major flood that totally destroyed our apartment and every last possession. This office was wonderful, as was our representative who met us at the scene to survey the damage. He really worked with us (like giving us a check up front instead of a reimbursement when we explained how broke we were).
We were put up in a hotel until we found a new apartment, and they didn’t balk when we explained that my designer husband needed to have internet access. All our belongings were replaced (of course, not everything could be and that was the sad part, but state farm made everything so much better it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been).
Our agent forever has been Anita Scribner. She is awesome. She remembers me when I call and she’s seen us from being 1^st year college kids through master’s degrees, moves, and a marriage! They’ll give you a great deal on renter’s insurance, something everyone should have!
For car insurance I was very happy with their services but it just got to be too expensive (they assured me the rates would go down once I was married, and they probably would have) but I found it cheaper to go with Geico for that time. They were very honest that at that point in time they would not compete with the rate, and they didn’t show hard feelings when i went with someone else. I was bummed to have to leave state farm, i ended up selling my car and just going without.
I still kept my renter’s and personal articles policy (insure things like laptops, pdas, engagement rings, etc) and I’ve always gotten stellar service from anita on everything i’ve done with state farm. Totally recommend them!