John Garfinkel – State Farm Insurance Agent

I’ve lived a few blocks from this office for 10 years and when I decided that i wanted to get life insurance, I walked into their storefront office last week and told them I was interested in a policy. There were three ladies each sitting at a desk. No one wanted to help me. They looked at each other and made faces at each other and then said something in Polish and asked me if I could go sit down and wait for someone else.
I will do my business with a different company online, because when you get an agent online, they don’t care if you’re Polish or not.

This review is regarding Dominika and my FIRST contact with her — WONDERFUL. Very sweet, helpful and she listened and answered my initial questions! Great start.
Paperwork is being processed. Happy to leave James Lavelle’s office in the city — He has no interest in his clients and Dawn who works for him will tell you a million non-​sense stories.
Also contacted Kate Rhee’s office (5*) — Talked to Steve — no help there.
Called back and talked to Ryan — Never called me back! So there you go! Great service in a great city!
Update: Transfer has happened very smoothly and Dominika was tops! She only had one answer to the hike in premium — Highly recommend this office. Thank you!

I recently switched my renter’s insurance policy to John Garfinkel’s office after a truly horrendous experience with James Lavelle. Magdalena has been super helpful, prompt, and professional in answering all of my questions, (by email!) and I am thrilled. I was on the verge of just leaving State Farm altogether, and my communications with Magdalena are the only reason I decided to stick around!

I have been insured with this agent and State farm Insurance for the past year. Everything had been fine and I’d planned to extend my policy another year. I have rental insurance and recently experienced a water main rupture in my Apt building. Several tenants incurred water damage and loss due to this event, myself included. I though, phew, I’m so glad we took the precautionary step to obtain rental insurance. I filed a claim and state farm settled– and this was a pretty minor loss of only a couple thousand dollars.
Today I received a letter stating that my risk level is no longer acceptable and my policy is being canceled!!! They are handling my claim, but this is ridiculous. I’ve been a great paying customer for a year and I’m being dropped. What a racket. Find a different insurance agent! I am extremely disappointed and have been made to feel like I did something wrong when I’m the one experiencing a very inconvenient loss.
I’d say, Like a BAD neighbor– state farm was there. Thanks for nothing.

Great service! Super friendly, knowledgable and helpful. I came by to get a renters insurance and they answered all my questions before I even asked them that made the whole process fast and smooth!