Insurance companies: post your horror stories or praises

[digitaldeath]

Nice praises, bootlickers

[Harry]

I was going to come and extol the virtues of USAA.

But I guess I may as well not bother.

I have been with USAA over 30 years, I am very happy with them.

[Powder Ho]

I have been with USAA over 30 years, I am very happy with them.

+1, going on 31 years.

[Danno]

+1, going on 31 years.

I've been with USAA for 25 years for auto, 20 for banking, 12 for homeowners, investments. No claims for almost all of those years, would have said the same as you guys. The last couple I've had one homeowner claim and one fairly minor car accident, and they've just been terrible. Bad banking experiences too over the past few years.

[Cono Este]

Agreed. But you pay for it!

That's not true.

I am an independent and the rates are the same. Your just sending the insurance company 10% more by doing it yourself.

The idea behind a good broker is not just having someone shopping rates or doing the paperwork properly, but them knowing the nuances of the different underwriters and who will take you. If you apply for Life or LtC and are declined that stays in your record and other carriers can ask and even see. Now you're screwed.

[summit]

Almost 20 years with USAA... maybe ask to speak to someone higher up the food chain and say you are considering dumping them over this, see what happens, or put it on their public comments page/twitter.

Let's play a game where we rate insurance industry sectors by their scumminess! I vote health insurance companies as the most dastardly of all.

[old goat]

We've been happy with State Farm. When I spun out on slush and totaled a 4Runner they gave us well over Blue Book. They don't raise your rates until you've a had a few incidents--tickets and accidents. When we had water damage from an ice dam they gave us money to replace stained redwood boards, even though other boards in the house were stained from broken pipes before we bought the house. We've never replaced the boards (don't think we could find replacements--they were taken from an old water tank. We called them about other damage; the adjuster pointed out the staining on his own.) The only issue we've had was when my wife had a collision at an uncontrolled intersection. She was on the right of the other car and was hit on the side by the front of the other car. SF called it 50-50 so they didn't have to cover our deductible. The problem--the other car was State Farm as well. If it had been another insurer I think we would have been covered. I don't know about how they would handle renting a car during repairs because around here body shops throw that in for free. We have a lot of policies with State Farm which helps on rates.

[Danno]

Almost 20 years with USAA... maybe ask to speak to someone higher up the food chain and say you are considering dumping them over this, see what happens, or put it on their public comments page/twitter.

Let's play a game where we rate insurance industry sectors by their scumminess! I vote health insurance companies as the most dastardly of all.

The last problem was solved by posting it on their FB page. Did the same for this one, we'll see what happens. But it's ridiculous that I should have to do this, because it really isn't the best way to keep customers. I don't like bitching, I much prefer a company that tells me the deal from moment one, and sticks to their side of the bargain. Lately, it seems like they tell me one thing, then later do something else, and then give me a hard time when I call them on it. I mean, they did not have to waive our deductible on this claim, they were perfectly within their rights to wait until the claim was resolved with the other company. But if you are going to tell me that you're waiving the deductible, then do it, instead of deciding to do otherwise and never communicating that to me, we found out when my wife went to pick up the car at the body shop.

[GoldMember]

I have been with Safeco for home, auto, and umbrella for over thirty years, no complaints. Also no claims since a bike was stolen in 1989 which they covered for a full replacement, no questions asked. I just got my homeowner renewal and the premium went up 11.2%. Again, no claims. I just today have switched. My agent found comparable coverage with Mutual of Enumclaw for 23% less aggregate premiums. I don't get what the hell happened with Safeco (I suspect it's something to do with their having been bought by Liberty Mutual) but losing 30+ year customers who don't make claims seems short-sighted.

[old goat]

When the other driver was at fault I've gone through my own insurance company. I pay the deductible and then State Farm goes after the other driver's company and I get a check for the deductible. State Farm has every incentive to pursue payment from the other company because they get reimbursed for the cost of the repair less the deductible; you getting the deductible reimbursed is a side benefit for them. With the other driver being cited I would think USAA would have no trouble collecting from Geico; it just takes a little time. They will have a much easier time dealing with Geico than you will dealing directly with Geico. USAA does business with them constantly; you are just a one-time pain in the ass to Geico.

I've often wondered if I am not at fault and the other driver's insurance doesn't pay up, can I sue the other driver directly in small claims court for deductible and rental car cost? I suppose it depends on each state's insurance laws. Anyone know?

[Peruvian]

^^^old goat - if the damages fall under the small claims threshold for your state you have every right to sue the at fault party.

[Danno]

When the other driver was at fault I've gone through my own insurance company. I pay the deductible and then State Farm goes after the other driver's company and I get a check for the deductible. State Farm has every incentive to pursue payment from the other company because they get reimbursed for the cost of the repair less the deductible; you getting the deductible reimbursed is a side benefit for them. With the other driver being cited I would think USAA would have no trouble collecting from Geico; it just takes a little time. They will have a much easier time dealing with Geico than you will dealing directly with Geico. USAA does business with them constantly; you are just a one-time pain in the ass to Geico.

We are going through USAA and not dealing with GEICO, and I understand how the deductible works. If they had said it just like you explained I would not have had issue. It was the fact that they said they would waive it and then changed course, and never even bothered to tell me. GEICO insists that my wife was 30% at fault (based on what, don't know), and from what we have heard (from the adjuster, from the body shop, and from various individuals since this happened) GEICO routinely does this, fights paying out on every claim. So it's going to arbitration now.

And USAA first told me that if we provided USAA with rental car receipts, they would include that in the arbitration claim amount. And then when I provided the receipts to them, they said "nope, can't include that in the arbitration amount, you have to deal directly with GEICO for those".

[Peruvian]

Sounds like you have an inexperienced adjuster, Danno.

[PNWbrit]

GEICO routinely does this, fights paying out on every claim.

They're fighting on a claim of ours after other parties insurer backed down on paying for their 30% liability.

[ill-advised strategy]

Let's play a game where we rate insurance industry sectors by their scumminess! I vote health insurance companies as the most dastardly of all.

Is there even a close second?

[Jeffreaux]

Three Hurricane Katrina stories;

My friends' 40' high metal roof got rolled up by high winds and the adjuster said it was flood damage, so not covered.

We treated our adjuster like a king and did all his work for him, our claim ended up paying probably $80,000 more than it should have.

Our business had inventory damage and I was planning to claim $400k, hoping to get $200k. We hired an independent (mercenary) adjuster who screamed and demanded $5 million, we netted $2M.

+1 for USAA. They were not a part of any claims listed above but are wonderful to work with.

[smmokan]

Our business had inventory damage and I was planning to claim $400k, hoping to get $200k. We hired an independent (mercenary) adjuster who screamed and demanded $5 million, we netted $2M.

And that's why the entire insurance industry is fucked.

[Skidog]

"Superstorm" Sandy caused about $20,000 in damage to my house and yard in southeastern CT. State Farm was more than expedient in sending a claims adjuster and settling my repair and replacement claims. From storm to money in my bank to totally fixed/replaced in less than 2 months. I received everything promised/assured by my policy.

I had a flood incident in my basement (fully finished and had put new carpet down 2 months prior). State farm did me right. Sent Servpro for initial cleanup, Utah disaster recovery for finish work. Adjuster was there 2 days later. This happened on a weekend. They were just going to pull the carpet pad and re lay the carpet, but the serv pro did a shit job cutting the carpet so I complained to adjusted and he agreed. Entire basement re carpeted new. I did the finish painting so contractor waived the deductible. Not a penny out of pocket. My family has had state farm for 45 years and I personally have been using them for about 30 years. Might cost a bit more, but you get what you pay for.

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[Marshall Tucker]

We were state farm auto for almost 20 years. I cannot say a bad thing OTHER than when we switched to USAA the preimum went down about 40%. I mean a shitload.

We were USAA Home since day one. in 2011 junior is at band practice (he was 6th grade and it ended that year thank god) and a fight breaks out. of all places. one of the kids in the fight falls on juniors trumpet. I simply call USAA asking if it would be covered. they called it a claim, denied it, and jacked my rates up the 40% I was saving on auto. I contacted the whatever state agency to report them but never followed through. I was pissing blood over it, i remember that. YMMV.

[old goat]

We are going through USAA and not dealing with GEICO, and I understand how the deductible works. If they had said it just like you explained I would not have had issue. It was the fact that they said they would waive it and then changed course, and never even bothered to tell me. GEICO insists that my wife was 30% at fault (based on what, don't know), and from what we have heard (from the adjuster, from the body shop, and from various individuals since this happened) GEICO routinely does this, fights paying out on every claim. So it's going to arbitration now.

And USAA first told me that if we provided USAA with rental car receipts, they would include that in the arbitration claim amount. And then when I provided the receipts to them, they said "nope, can't include that in the arbitration amount, you have to deal directly with GEICO for those".

OK--I get it now. Have you tried going over the adjuster's head. Your insurance company should be backing you up on the rental car.

A fight at band practice? Seriously?