QuestionLoaned an old friend my car for a couple of days, could not locate him for a week, found car parked on public street. Vandalized, stolen special rims, headrests, stereo, headlights, spare tire, etc (too much to keep going). Filed police report providing name of friend, #, last known address, etc. Filed vandal claim w/ins co. They put my car in shop 1 mo ago. Called today and denied claim..UNLESS I COULD locate the thief and get him to admit he did it on phone? Truly need to know HOW to get the ins co to honor my policy of 12 years with FULL COVERAGE w/no claims EVER? Any help would be appreciated...Please..
Answer Hello Angela,
To put this bluntly, what is happening to you is nothing short of outrageous.
They kept your car for a month? Called you to "deny" the claim? In my opinion, this so called claim handling is actually bad faith claim handling.
Now I cannot give you all of the reasons for that in this response. Not can I even begin to give you all you need to know here. I will get you started here and then I suggest as follows.
First, go to my website http://SolutionsForYourInsuranceClaim.com and read some of my articles which deal with claim denial, claims investigation, and bad faith claim handling. That will give you a good idea. Second, and at the risk of sounding self-serving, for people with extreme claims problems such as yours, I suggest you consider spending $19.95 on my ebook, Power to Profit, which is available on my website. The book will provide you with a specific road map that you will need to circumvent this offensive attempt to avoid payment of your claim. The book is written specifically for people such as yourself who are experiencing extreme, unfair claims handling.
What you must do is take control of your claim. You must do that in writing, to your adjuster. In that correspondence, inform the company that there are no provisions in your policy which require you investigate your own claim, or to bring a suspect in for questioning. Further, you have done everything possible to cooperate. The insurance company is placing a greater burden on you - their own insured - than the police! Demand that they pay the claim in full, immediately.
Additionally, they cannot deny your claim over the phone. In the case of claim denial, the company must cite in writing the specific clause in your policy which has allowed them to deny your claim. Sounds like they might attempt to saddle you with failure to cooperate. In this case, that's bogus. Don't fall for it.
If they do not respond to your correspondence within a matter of a day or so (I suggest you send it certified or overnight with a receipt), report the incident to your state insurance department. And, I would suggest you inform them that you are going to do this, and give them a deadline. While the state insurance department cannot intervene directly in your claim, nonetheless insurance companies do not like to receive those complaints. If need, be, contact the state directly and ask for assistance on how to file a grievance or notice. You can no doubt get the information online, along with a phone number if necessary.
What they are doing to your is grossly unfair, which is the reason that insurance companies in virtually all states are subject to laws which prohibit them from unfair claims handling. Again, you can go to my website for more information on that.
The key is for you to take control of the claim - now.
I wish you well. Let me know if you need follow up.
Jane Pytel
http://SolutionsForYourInsuranceClaim.com
http://FloridaAutoInsuranceCentral.com
