Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Despite 7+ years of paying for OPTIONAL rental car insurance, we had to wait 14 days after an accident to get a rental car Boston Massachusetts

We had been a loyal Liberty Mutual customer since 7+ years. Over this time period, we had insured our home as well as two vehicles, and we had always had liability and collision auto insurance. I was in an accident in October 2017 and was dismayed to find out that Liberty Mutual had “stripped” our collision insurance coverages in June – without our knowledge or consent – and while we continued to reliably pay our premiums. After 14 days of stress, out-of-pocket expenses, and incredible inconvenience, Liberty Mutual finally recognized that our coverages were inexplicably dropped and agreed to provide the comprehensive/collision coverage we were supposed to have had. However, arriving at that revelation took an enormous amount of energy and persistence on my part. I had spent countless hours digging through our old policies, making phone calls and waiting to hear back from Liberty. After >14 days, my car was still waiting unrepaired (and unappraised) at the shop for which I personally had it towed. It took 14 days for Liberty Mutual to finally provide a rental car for me. For 7+ years, I had paid for rental car coverage so that in the event of an accident, I would not be inconvenienced with not having a vehicle.

So how did the “stripping of our collision insurance” happen?  Liberty Mutual explanation – following a notification that our premium would increase beyond the amount detailed in the NC Insurance Commissioner Agreement – we were instructed to sign a statement acknowledging the excessive increase in our premiums. The acknowledgment was signed and returned to Liberty Mutual, who acknowledges receiving it before the stated deadline expired. However, despite this, our collision insurance was mistakenly dropped. 

Liberty claims that "there was a gap in processing the claim, there was not a gap in the coverage provided". An interesting statement!  So, according to Liberty Mutual, a 14 day “gap” is an acceptable delay for a loyal customer who has paid for the optional rental car coverage for 7+ years to receive a rental car. From their own website, they state “#1 reason for purchasing the OPTIONAL rental car coverage is to ‘avoid being left without a car after an accident."  Based on this, I would like for Liberty Mutual to address the following questions: (1) Would you make the same argument - "no gap in coverage provided" if the “gap” was 6 weeks rather than 2 weeks? (2) How many customers would purchase their optional rental car coverage if they knew they would have to wait 14 days to receive a rental car? (3) How many of your customers in North Carolina (or elsewhere) had their coverages dropped? (4) How many of those customers were notified that their coverages had been dropped, (5) Of these customers who had an accident, how many received an explanation that coverage was not being provided because of the drop?