State Farm Insurance Company ripoff Winter Haven Florida

Jodi,

How pompous of you to assume that this person's friend was not honest in their estimate of work needed on the car.

For one, she has the right to take the car anywhere she wants to get it fixed. Secondly, how do we know you aren't in cahoots with your companies that you recommend to fix cars.

I've been on the s**t-end of the stick before using your recommended repair sites...and got back a car still in need of a LOT of work. Your adjusters are also crap and underestimate more often than not the total value of needed repairs. How do you know her friend is not an ace mechanic that has 30 years experience? How do you know that this friend is not looking out for the best interest of your client in that they will more thoroughly inspect the car because the have a FRIENDLY relationship instead of a WORKING relationship.

Insurance company goals are to pay out as LITTLE as possible. I really doubt you care if the car is returned to its original condition...rather just enough to get it to the point where it ranks as satisfactory.

From first-hand experience with State-Farm, I had an adjuster tell me that my keyed car could not have possibly been keyed all the way around on one incident, and therefore tried to seperate the claim into 3 incidents and have me pay 3 deductibles. What a load of crap! Some punk had it out for me and did a number on my car. Your "expert" adjuster said that peolpe typically don't key more than one side at a time and that was why they wanted to seperate the claim like they did.

Your suggested repair shop did a shoddy job painting and left grains of sand in the paint, swirl marks and even dents that weren't there before. I had to have it redone completely (did it with someone I knew and trusted) and they fixed it back to its original show condition. I had to fight like hell to get you to pay the bill, but you eventually did. Enough already with saying your repair shops are better...they aren't and are just looking out for YOUR best interests, not the client's interests.

I was with State Farm for 22 years since being 16 years old...and after this fiasco switched away from you forever and am happy where I am at now with Met Life. I don't even care if your rates are cheaper (which they aren't)...and your agents in Paulsbo, WA, Plattsburgh, NY, and Clifton Park, NY were completely unhelpful and rude.

My address says Platteville, WI...where I got my State Farm coverage initially (I moved but am too lazy to change my address in this system) was one of the best I ever came across...but after him, I ran into nothing but money-hungry company men who wanted nothing more than to push me back out the door short of what was due to me.

Oddly enough, I pass by your GIANT State Farm building in Frederick, MD (Ceresville/Walkersville) now quite often. What a megaplex...now I know why my premiums were so high to pay for giant megaplex buildings on serene park-like acreage.

You should also know that everyone else in my family who were life-time State Farm clients have also gone elsewhere since your fiasco with me. I worked also with a lender for a few years and can tell you that you lost quite a lot of home-owner clients directly due to me as well.

You need to remember the one major rule. Do 1 good thing and they will tell 2-3 others. Make someone unhappy and they will tell a hundred. I've told my story to hundreds.

Shame on State Farm.

Jodi,

How pompous of you to assume that this person's friend was not honest in their estimate of work needed on the car.

For one, she has the right to take the car anywhere she wants to get it fixed. Secondly, how do we know you aren't in cahoots with your companies that you recommend to fix cars.

I've been on the s**t-end of the stick before using your recommended repair sites...and got back a car still in need of a LOT of work. Your adjusters are also crap and underestimate more often than not the total value of needed repairs. How do you know her friend is not an ace mechanic that has 30 years experience? How do you know that this friend is not looking out for the best interest of your client in that they will more thoroughly inspect the car because the have a FRIENDLY relationship instead of a WORKING relationship.

Insurance company goals are to pay out as LITTLE as possible. I really doubt you care if the car is returned to its original condition...rather just enough to get it to the point where it ranks as satisfactory.

From first-hand experience with State-Farm, I had an adjuster tell me that my keyed car could not have possibly been keyed all the way around on one incident, and therefore tried to seperate the claim into 3 incidents and have me pay 3 deductibles. What a load of crap! Some punk had it out for me and did a number on my car. Your "expert" adjuster said that peolpe typically don't key more than one side at a time and that was why they wanted to seperate the claim like they did.

Your suggested repair shop did a shoddy job painting and left grains of sand in the paint, swirl marks and even dents that weren't there before. I had to have it redone completely (did it with someone I knew and trusted) and they fixed it back to its original show condition. I had to fight like hell to get you to pay the bill, but you eventually did. Enough already with saying your repair shops are better...they aren't and are just looking out for YOUR best interests, not the client's interests.

I was with State Farm for 22 years since being 16 years old...and after this fiasco switched away from you forever and am happy where I am at now with Met Life. I don't even care if your rates are cheaper (which they aren't)...and your agents in Paulsbo, WA, Plattsburgh, NY, and Clifton Park, NY were completely unhelpful and rude.

My address says Platteville, WI...where I got my State Farm coverage initially (I moved but am too lazy to change my address in this system) was one of the best I ever came across...but after him, I ran into nothing but money-hungry company men who wanted nothing more than to push me back out the door short of what was due to me.

Oddly enough, I pass by your GIANT State Farm building in Frederick, MD (Ceresville/Walkersville) now quite often. What a megaplex...now I know why my premiums were so high to pay for giant megaplex buildings on serene park-like acreage.

You should also know that everyone else in my family who were life-time State Farm clients have also gone elsewhere since your fiasco with me. I worked also with a lender for a few years and can tell you that you lost quite a lot of home-owner clients directly due to me as well.

Shame on State Farm.

I agree with the 2 above responders. Rental/loss of use should be paid on a liability claim regardless of where the vehicle is fixed. The fact that your friend is repairing doesn't change the fact that you'll be out of a vehicle while he is.

As for darren's question:

"I know that it is a small thing... but it does seem like there is an awful lot of effort sometimes spent trying to make sure that a customer doesn't get "anything over" on the company that perspective is lost.

If we need to error on the side of caution, do we error on the side of the insurance company or the customer?"

It's very important for an insurance company to develop a plan to streamline the claims process for legitimate claims, and systematically identify ones that raise red flags to be investigated thoroughly. If they do suspect any fraud or misrepresentation, they must put a lot of effort into thoroughly evaluating all aspects of the claim before paying anything. There are 3 reasons for this:

1. Unnecessary financial loss due to paying a fraudulent claim.

2. Reputation. Everybody knows a sucker. Paying a fraudulent claim not only causes you to lose money on that claim, it helps your company gain reputation as a sucker. This eventually opens up the floodgates for thousands upon thousands of perpetrators of staged losses, misrepresentations, "stuffed passengers", and organized theft rings to target your company.

Think of it this way:

The major insurance carriers are all sitting around a big poker table. It's important to maintain your poker face. It's important to not be known as a loser. At the moment, there's one major carrier whom despite their impressive growth in recent years, has an enormous 'L' painted on their forehead when it comes to fraud poker. Personally I think they got too big, too fast. Don't want to name the company, but it's certainly not venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune, or pluto. Anyway, fraud is rampant right now, and they have neither the manpower nor know-how to combat it.

3) The big picture:

The third reason suspicious claims must be aggressively pursued is the big picture. Ultimately, any money lost on fraudulent claims gets passed on to the policyholder, through higher premiums. Depending on which company you are with and where you live: you probably pay hundreds of dollars a year, just to cover the cost of fraud. A large auto insurance company will handle 1,000,000 claims a year or more. Rental is commonly $30.00 per day. If a rental is extended for 1 day for each claim, that's $30,000,000.00 per year that the policyholders ultimately pay for. Adjusters are hired to evaluate claims, pay what is needed, and save what is not. They don't make decisions to save money just for the insurance company, they make them to keep your rates and mine down too. It's important to have accountability and use discretion so that we can all afford auto insurance. Ever use a sick-day pool at work? Sometimes people pool their sick days together, so if an employee is sick for a substantial amount of time, they can still receive sick pay. How would you like it if some jackass who wasn't really sick used up all of your sick days? Insurance works in a similar fashion.

Most good companies will investigate a suspicious claim until it can be investigated no further. If at that time, they can't come to a conclusion, they should pay it and err on the side of that customer. But no, I don't think that the effort put into evaluating these claims is too much. It's both a failsafe and a deterrant.

I was also an adjuster, and the Loss of Use should have been paid regardless of where the car was repaired. I would just about always estimate the number of days needed from the repair estimate, and advance the Loss of Use to the claimant, whether they rented a car or not. My goal was to pay all that I owed and close the file. That way the only time I had to deal with the claim again was if there was a suplement.

OK I'm sure this subject has long since been resolved BUT as an adjuster I'd like to clear up a few issues...

When you accept liability as an insurance company for the other parties (claimants) damages per their state contract you also owe them for REASONABLE RENTAL VALUE. Whether this is done at a reputable shop or not, loss of use would still be owed to the claimant.

It is up to the claimant to keep tabs on the repairs. If the appraiser you sent out says estimated repair time is 4 days...then that's how many days you get the rental for. If the claimant needs an extension all they have to do is contact the adjuster & explain the problem.

And no, ALL requests are not denied...maybe a part needed to be REPLACED instead of REPAIRED as originally thought. This is called a SUPPLEMENT.

State Farm is very fair. I am not sure what the claims adjuster meant about paying the rental car insurance while your friend repairs the car. They pay while your car is in the shop. If your friend repairs the car do they know how many days it will take your friend to repair your car? Your friend could take forever and they will not pay for a rental car forever. I do not know how they determine that. In California even if you do not rent a car they pay $10 a day for transportation, I think.

Sounds like this adjuster is the person you need to speak to. I think I would talk to his supervisor. This may be a case of a misunderstanding or just a person that doesn't know what they are talking about. They could be new or ?. Call the claims office again and speak to a supervisor. I am sure they will resolve your issue.

Hi Jodi,
When I was stationed in CA I was absolutely blown away at the cost of car insurance! They all tried to tell me that it was because there were so many people... but I believe it is because so many people there saw an accident as hitting the lottery. It is so prevelant there.

Here in Wisc. my coverage doubled and my rates where cut in half. That is in a state that has bad winter roads a 1/3 of the year! People here mostly look to take their car in, get it repaired and then get it back. Period.

There is so much mistrust. Shady lawyers/doctors, repair shops, customers and adjuster/insurance companies. Everyone wanting a cut out of fender benders.

I know that it is a small thing... but it does seem like there is an awful lot of effort sometimes spent trying to make sure that a customer doesn't get "anything over" on the company that perspective is lost.

If we need to error on the side of caution, do we error on the side of the insurance company or the customer?

Oh well. I know that this isn't the place to solve all of life's problems. I just don't know how much it would really cost a company... over the long run... to be a bit more cooperative with a customer over the small things.

Darren-
I'd stay I see more people trying to make a quick buck rather than trying to rip-off an insurance company. As you stated more information would be helpful, but from information provided, I sense that James was looking to make a quick buck on top of having the chance to drive a new vehicle. James did not mention what year and make of car he has. (James did you get a compact car or go for the slick ride?) I completely agree that the adjuster made a mistake saying rental would be paid while friend fixed vehicle. Though I very well may be wrong, but I still believe that James was "taking full advantage" of situation. Most times, vehicles leave nicer after an accident and repair than before. Did the rear end have any dings, peels, scrathes prior to the accident? If damage is enough, car gets new trunk lid, bumper, taillights, etc (entire rear)
... minus any previous non accident related defects. All in all, I again feel James unfortunately lost at the game.

This is James once again...to start it is the driver/ins. companies fault they insure careless drivers. Also not all people living on minimum wage can afford high cost of insurance.. including rantal car insurance, No matter this other driver was at fault and state farm should have to pay ALL costs incurred...

Jodi,
It looks like the reporter did get paid for the repairs that his friend did. I agree though, I would have a professional shop do the work... just because it gives me a recourse if something wasn't repaired right... I guess that in your line of work you see a lot, therefore it is normal for you to assume that people are by nature looking to rip-off a company.

More information would have been helpful... but we don't know how long it took to repair and therefore how long the rental was needed. Regarless of the "need" of the rental, if it was written into the policy then contractually the company should have paid it. If nothing else, for at least the 3 or 4 days it would traditionally take for a shop to fix it.


Kathy,
The way I read the original post was that the person had rental insurance... the adjuster said that even with a friend repairing the car then State Farm would still pay the rental.

I am sure that State Farm is a fine company. If a person reports a problem then that is their experience. It is good to hear from others that have had good experiences because it shows balance and possibly the "uniqueness" of this example. But, just because something doesn't happen to me personally or it hasn't been my experience doesn't mean that it didn't happen of that the company didn't fall short.

As we are always told on this site by those that defend companies... the employees are only human. And... so are the customers.

Thanks,

So you had friend fix it? Though the damage to your vehicle was not your fault, you shouldn't have had your friend fix it. I have worked in and around the repair industry for many years and know that State Farm is one of the best and fairest insurance companies when it comes to taking care of claimants. My thought is they probably had your damages estimated, which they paid on. From experience, when friends do the work, not ALL the work gets done and the claimant (You) pocket the extra money. Again my thought is State Farm is well aware of those tactics and is unwilling to pay for a rental that you probably don't need. I highly suggest next time to have the repairs done at a reputable repair shop that has a working relationship with insurance companies. Let the repair shop fight your case of needing a rental. If the repairs take 4 days, you should get paid 4 days rental. But having a friend do the repairs... chances are he'd probably take longer due to lack of experience and proper equipment and that doesn't make sense to pay for you to drive a newer vehicle on someone else's dime.

I've had State Farm for years and have never had a problem with them over anything. It is up to you to make sure that you have adequate coverage in your own insurance policy to cover things like rental cars should your car be damaged. It's not up to them to make sure you have a car to drive. You need to check your policy and make sure you add the additional coverage for a rental car.