A few months ago, my car was hit. It was parked at work. I actually got an email on my Blackberry from eBay Security grimly stating "contact us as soon as possible about your car." That could only be trouble, and it was.
The gentleman who hit my car was kind enough to leave a note. He was at eBay on business, and the car was a rental paid by his company. His company had insurance through Travelers Insurance. They contacted me, sent out somebody to assess the damage, and told me to take the car in to the repair shop of my choice. They instructed me to have the repair shop deal with them directly, so no money would come out of my pocket. They also told me I was entitled to a rental car while my car was in the shop.
So I followed their directions. They actually suggested I just go to the local Volkswagen dealership. The local dealership did not do body work, but recommended a body shop to me, Michael J's. So that is what I did.
A couple of weeks later, I get a call from the rental car company that I used while my car was in the shop, Enterprise. They said that Travelers was refusing to pay for the rental car. I contacted Travelers and they claimed that the repairs took longer than they thought they should, so they would not pay for the rental car.
So in recap, my car gets hit in the parking lot, and I wind up being out $$$ thanks to Travelers Insurance. If they were my insurance company, I would simply drop them. But they aren't. So at the very least, I'm ranting about it on my blog. That's what blogs are for, right?
That's why I quit working for that company. Its practice of cutting off rental before the car is completely repaired might be an infringement of certain law(s) in California, but to me it was more of a personal ethics and moral decision to stop working for them. Anyways, given that you were not at fault for the accident and they did not recommend a shop for you to take to directly, you might want to call the Travelers unit manager and speak to him or her directly.
ReplyDeleteAlso I would file a small claims court case against them and get some info from the shop as to why the repairs took so long. I assume that you have a VW since you mention about the dealer and sometimes VW parts aren't easy to procure and shops couldn't do anything about it.
I suspect the story is not being told completely. Millions of people have had Travelers as an insurance provider and I'm certain they could not be successful if they treat people unfairly or did not pay claims. You did not mention if you called them or if you escalated the issue - perhaps you should.
ReplyDeleteAs for the person "that quit" I also suspect their is more information on that story that would provide additional context to his ethics or moral decision. Insurance companies are highly regulated and it is very unlikely they would promote a practice of not paying claims or encourage good employee's to violate laws or their moral code.
Sounds like a bunch of complaining without trying to work things out.
Nawa Player - contact me at riceski AT G MAIL DOTT CALM - [ you know the drill]
ReplyDeleteI am having a problem with TravelERRS- - in after paying for full coverage for nearly two years after being sold on the 'benefit' of keeping a 1991 Mustang on full coverage and now a minor run in with a fence post at parking speeds they want to total the car - let me keep it and give me 54.00
Fifty Four stinking dollars - less than one weeks difference in the premium difference from min -to full [ 500 deductable] - You say sue them in small claims court - then we will - but it will cost them way more than me.
Anyone having trouble with Travler's Insurance switching claim agents on them? (I hear this is a common practice among Insurance Companies to "rattle" the consumer.) Each time we get a new agent, we have to start over. This practice is supposed to confuse us and make us give up or "settle". Instead this is making us madder!
ReplyDeleteWe lost our home in a fire almost 2 years ago. Because Traveler's Insurance is delaying payment for replacing our home,we are now forced to pay monthly for a rental home, while still making monthly mortgage payments! We even had to spend a couple of months living out of our car
this summer to save money because they are not paying!
We've consulted an attorney and he is in agreement that this is a "sueable" offense. With funds low, it is hard to keep paying the lawyer. It's sad that Traveler's Insurance may get away with this by "breaking" us so bad financially, that we can't afford to fight them.
I am having a friend post this for me because I have no access to the internet. If anyone can help us please respond to this post.
Horrible! These car insurance agencies don't know how to rip more people off!
ReplyDeleteTravler's ripped me off I payed for insurance month to month my insurance was due on th 3rd of every month, I payed them the full month and to my surprise my insurance was cancelled on the 23rd because they decided to go up on my bill in the middle of the month without notice. then they are still saying I owe them another 30.00 I laughed at them I payed for an entire month and they just cancelled because i had a accident almost 3 years ago and it wasnt even my fault. I would suggest never to use Travler's for your insurance. BTW they already went up on my rates 2 other times within a month. Stay Away From Them They will STEAL FROM YOU!
ReplyDeletei am having real trouble with this company. i asked the travelers agent to add contents coverage to my house. he did that and my premium went up. i paid the premium a year in advance. I got broken into and now they are saying that theft is an exclusion and will not pay.
ReplyDeletewho would put contents clause on their policy assuming that theft was an exclusion? This is the craziest thing i have ever heard of. not happy at all and out tons of things that were stolen.
I booked a rental through Orbitz for a Thrifty rental car. added optional insurance. The charge for insurance went through right away, I never rented the car. The charge was never put back so I contacted. Thrifty and Orbitz and Travelers. Nothing came of it. I reversed the charge through my bank, and travelers had the audacity to send "documentation" that the charge was authorized even though there was no way, I could have filed a claim for the "services" they never rendered.
ReplyDeleteI then sent three separate emails to Travelers in inquiry, In one asked for the VIN of the car they allegedly covered and I have heard no response to any of the three. I had to call my bank again, wasting my time and my bank's time for a charge that should have never been ran or been disputed when reversed. I can only guess they were hoping I wouldn't notice and then profit on a policy they would never have to pay on.
My advise is to contact your states attorney general if they receive enough of the same complaints about the same companies something WILL happen.
travelers insurance totaled the vehicle and kept it on the insurance for months later until a new bill cycle arrived unaware of it they say they do not talk to the claims and the property owners are to take the vehicle off as they do not know what the other hand is doing in their own business
ReplyDeleteGreat post I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this interesting and knowledgeable article. Insurance
ReplyDelete