Apollo Casualty Company insurance claim fraud ripoff Des Plaines Illinois

Folks,

Each of you has been the victim of one of Illinois' worst insurance scams. Apollo and others like them are horrible fly by night "insurance companies" if they can even be called that. Insurance professionals call them the "Dirty Dozen." These companies are sorry excuses for insurance companies. Apollo and the others are considered "non-standard" companies that write policies mostly or only in the Chicago metro area. Their tactics are appalling, frustrating, unethical but as of yet not proven illegal. I've been in the insurance claims business for 15+ years and these companies come and go. Every now and then the state will do something with them, but only if they are financially shaky. A few years back they shut down a company called Gallant Insurance. Since then rumors are that the owners just started a different company. In my opinion the state is the biggest part of this problem as they let these companies get away with this crap.

Frankly, there is not a lot you can do to combat these companies but please allow me to suggest the following.

1. Do not do any business with them via the phone. Send all comminucation via registered letter. Keep copies of everything for yourself. Do not take information from them over the phone tell them you want whatever they want to say in writing then hang up. Immediately note the call time and name of the "adjuster" then send them a registered letter reminding them of your request for written corresspondence only.

2. If Apollo is your company you have my sympanthy. Try pressuring your agent to help you get your vehicle paid for. Apollo and the others will cut legitimate estimates by using mostly crappy body shops who will have to do inferior work for the cut-rate fees that Apollo will pay. I would suggest taking whatever money you can get from Apollo and paying the difference to have a reputable shop do the repairs. I realize that is money out of your pocket that you should not have to pay, but it will be less frustrating and you won't loss value on your vehicle due to cut rate repairs.

3. If Apollo is not your company and you have collision coverage for God's sake use your own coverage and eat the deductible. You will save time, money, frustration and stress. If the Apollo driver is at-fault then your company can fight this jerks instead of you. Your company will try to get your deductible back for you, but don't hold your breath it could be years and it may not be the full amount.

4. Don't bother suing. Many court cases in Cook and nearby counties can take 4+ years to get in front of a judge and that is AFTER a truckload of other legal wrangling that Apollo will put you through while your attorney is charging you $150 + per hour. Apollo's attorneys know this and will drag things out until you quit or take a low amount of money just to end the torture. Then you will end up with less $ in your pocket than if you had taken their original offer and paid the difference out of your own pocket. Trust me the only people making money on this type of court cases the two lawyers.

5. Filing a complaint with the Insurance Commissioner appears to be a waste of time. From what I have seen over the years the Commissioners office will only act against these companies if they become fincially insolvent. Of the dozens of omplaints I have been a part of over the years not once has the Commssioners office ordered these companies to do anything.

Good Luck to each of you.

Two things I recently discovered -

1) My insurance agent set me up with Apollo, whom I knew nothing about until after having to file a claim.

and

2) Apollo is by far the worst company, overall, I've ever had to deal with.

You can find my report by doing a search; Apollo is "tearing me a new one." To address your comment about hearing that they're rude, allow me to reinforce that..

(ring, ring)

Apollo Receptionist: Good afternoon, Insurance Companies, how may I direct your call?

Me: Hi, I'm calling again on a claim I'm having some issues with.

Apollo Receptionist: *huffffffff* Hold on...

(I sat on hold for 15 MINUTES, no hold music, nothing)

Apollo Claims Rep: Are you holding for someone?

Me: Yes, I needed to speak with someone about a claim.

Apollo Claims Rep: Alright, you're talking to a claims rep.

Me: (like I'm supposed to know that) Oh.

Apollo Claims Rep: Well?! Is there something I can help you with, sir, I'm very busy!

Me: (like I'm supposed to know that) Ohh... k. Yes, I think you'll need my claim #, it's #######.

Apollo Claims Rep: (almost instantaneously) Ok.

Me: Well, the claim was filed on 2-4-06; it's 3-7-06 and I dont know what's being done with my vehicle that, by the way, is not driveable and is sitting in your shop's parking lot.

Apollo Claims Rep: Hold on, sir.

(22 minutes later (according to my cell phone counter))

Apollo Claims Rep: Hello?

Me: Hieeee, I'm still here.

Apollo Claims Rep: Who is this?

Me: *huffffffff* My claim # is #######.

Apollo Claims Rep: Oh yeah. wW don't show any information on that claim number, are you calling the right insurance company?

Me: Have a lovely day! (I hang up)


No joke and this has happened QUITE A FEW times; phone calls like this, calls that leave me wondering if it's me with the mental problems, or them. I've even gone so far as to talk to supervisors. They just lead you to see why their employees are so bitter, moronic, and charismatic; they're no better.

I say all of this merely so as to deterr others in the future who may be considering signing with Apollo. Sadly, by now it's probably too late, and you already know what you're in for.

Matt
Darien, IL

Yes, indeed. I've had to file my own rip off report as well against apollo. You can read about it... Anyhow, I've filed a complaint with the Better Buisiness Beureau as well as the Illinois Division of Insurance on line and you can, too.

At my accident, I got a subtle feeling from the police that this was going to be hard. I could have been wrong. The cop just told me that there would be a court date and that if I didn't like the way the insurance companies were handeling it to go to the drivers court date.

When I spoke to my own insurance, I was sent apprehension and even snickers when I mentioned Apollo. I was told by my insurance people that they're very rude and to be prepared.

They even told me that when dealing with Apollo's people, that they say things like "Shut Up" and "I don't care" and the like. They also told me that Apollo is a very low class insurance company. Will, they last long in the buisiness? One could hope not.