Best Insurance .. Not only are Ruby and her staff super friendly, they take time to get to know each client. This helps with better assisting each client. I use Ruby for home, auto and life insurance. Give her a try! Also love that they are a black owned biz in Oakland read more

So to start off, it seems that many people are reviewing "Nationwide" instead of reviewing "Ruby Barnett". She's not really able to set her own rates. She's not the one with a skyscraper full of actuaries crunching statistics. Nationwide more or less tells her what the premiums are. That being said, yes Nationwide is a pain. Just like any other large company (I'm talking to you United Airlines!!). There is an automated phone system. When you finally get someone at the other end they are usually not terribly helpful. It is what it is. Note that I compared the auto insurance rates (for a driver with a good record--different story if you have tickets) at Nationwide to 6 other companies and Nationwide always came out with the lowest premium. In regards to actually reviewing Ruby...I have never had a problem. She even helped me insure an auto while I was temporarily out of state. She calls back when she says she's going to. Altogether I've been happy with the experience of actually having an agent to speak to. I avoid that 800 number like the plague. Would rather have Ruby help me out. read more

Ruby is a very kind and helpful person, unfortunatly Nationwide Insurance is NOT a user friendly company. You would be able to spin a bottle and find a lower priced house insurance company. Not to mention their requirements of paperwork will come as a shock if youv'e ever had home owners insurance before. Car insurance prices are average but stay away when it comes to covering your house! Ruby gets an A, Nationwide gets a D. read more

The agency is comprised of a mixed bag of workers with inconsistent skills and professionalism. This results in the perpetual question as to how a call or issue will be handled. Insurance is far too important to be placed in such an uncertain state. A nice phone manner doth not guarantee a satisfactory business outcome! I had further learned that I had been significantly overcharged for coverage. A cruder way to put it was that I was being ripped off. Despite inquiries into this matter and a request to find more reasonably priced options, no attempt was made to remedy the situation. It was clear, even to this lay person, that the rates were abnormally high, especially on my homeowner's policy. Ms. Barnett promised to shop other insurance companies to find more reasonable coverage but never followed up. A simple cursory check on my part found a highly rated national company's rates were approximately 1/3 lower. read more

Ruby Barnett has been my agent since relocating to California. Her agency was super helpful - I was unfamiliar with how things work in CA. I seldom have needed Ruby's or her staff's services, but each time they have been highly responsive, and went the extra mile to tend to my needs. Top notch! You will get great service, and can trust Ms. Barnett's recommendations. You should talk to her. read more

Be careful doing business with ruby nationwide insurance. This is a terrible company to do business with especially one of her agent named pharoh, be careful doing business with these people, and also the office in San leandro teresa truong she is just as bad, the customer service is horrible, ask questions and check your records Nationwide is not a good company, be careful with these people I see why there Reviews or so low, no customer service, I am a warning you, Be Careful read more

I agree with the previous reviewer that it seems that most of the reviews here are from people who had some negative feeling about Nationwide Insurance and not much to do with the local office here run by Ruby. When I moved to the Bay Area 2 years ago I had policies through Geico. On renewal, Nationwide's website gave me better rates than Geico and I called the closest Agent to my house, even though she's in Oakland and I live in San Francisco. Since that time, we've opened: 1. Full coverage auto insurance. 2. Renters Insurance 3. A personal protection policy on my wife's jewelry 4. Earthquake coverage 5. Life insurance policies for both me and my wife. And we've done all this business with Ruby Barnett. I didn't do this because I'm lazy, I did it because I like to reward businesses that provide me with exceptional service. Yes, there have been a few hiccups. My auto policy was accidentally cancelled at renewal because my card number changed and I didn't get an email about it or a call beforehand. And more than once, emails to the people in Ruby's office have gone unanswered for an extended period of time. But calls are returned promptly and in other ways -- like Ruby coming to my office in San Francisco to meet with me personally -- the service has been fantastic. I would certainly recommend the Ruby Barnett agency. But know that things handled by Nationwide Insurance are sometimes beyond the control of the local agency. That the local office is a small business like any other. read more

Every large company have their share of issues and problems. However I have been a customer of the Ruby Barnett agency for years now and I have received excellent customer service. I agree that mostly everyone is rating Ruby based on their feelings about a company. She is the most professional person I have met in the insurance arena. I will continue to do business with her and her agency. read more

Never even spoke to the agent until i needed her help...her assistants did all the work of signing me up as a customer . When i actually needed some help from the agent, she was unavailable and unwilling to take any time to speak with me. I spent quite a bit of money with her agency (auto, homeowners, motorcycle, etc) and have never been treated so poorly. Customer service is not her strong point. read more

I worked directly with Apple Johnson over the course of the last two years (through 2 moves) and the service was exceptional. She helped me to get my rates down when I was not driving my car as much and was always very accessible for any questions that I had. When I ultimately had to move away, she gave me a list of agents in my new location that I could contact to switch my service. read more

Ms. Barnett is kind and patient, but overall, this was a nightmare. They misreported my VIN number, which delayed my coverage, Nationwide messed up my automatic payments, resulting in extra fees and a cancellation notice. I'm not sure how much of this is Ms. Barnett's office and how much is Nationwide, but I wouldn't recommend this, even if it saves you a couple of bucks. read more

No returns of messages on voicemail. No one answers consistently during office hours. Not even when I call the 800 number and ask them for a local agent can I get someone from this office to call me back. Good like...having this agent is like having no agent at all. Stick to the 800 number if you have Nationwide (I've been with the company for 24 years and I'm leaving them !) read more

Nationwide, is a company that will decisive you or anyone that may think that they are on their side. my car was totaled and it took nationwide from 9-3-10 to 9-22-10 to attend to my needs. However, I was told that i would receive funds that would help me optain another vehicle. I was told that if I fill out the paperwork sent to me, that I would receive the funds need to move forward with my life. After filling out these papers I was told that I owned over $2000 and I have no car. The indivduals that I dealt with were rude and very unprofessional. I would advise anyone that has this company for insurance,that HE/SHE SHOULD find another or PLEASE look at your policy and make sure that they are on YOUR side and not out for the money they can get out of you and leave you holding the bag. NO STAR FOR THIS COMPANY FROM ME. read more

Great people to have on your side when it comes to Insurance. Always finding a way to help even when you think all is loss.

The story from *ell. My homeowners insurance was expiring and my carrier wanted me to install central heating and air to continue with them. So I called Ruby's office and got a quote for $466 a great rate so the agent Li said I needed automatic gas shut off valves. So I go to home depot buy the vavles about $100 install them leak check them and go back to have the policy written. Li goes through her program again now gives me a $488 policy then does it again rips it from my hands and shreds it and gives me $500 policy so I am not happy but its only $34 more. So she calls the underwriter and now they can't write the policy because I had a felony. I filed a complaint with the state insurance board so they contact me and tell me that I qualify with the felony now so I say write the policy so now Ruby comes to my home and wants a furnace inspection so the guy comes out and says nothing is wrong with my floor furnace but a cap that I fixed but now they say they require central heat as well. I went to Farmers insurance and it was all done in an hour. read more