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Geico Auto Insurance Won't Play Fair
- Thread starter jinxu
- Start date
Thank you to all for posting. Everything has been very helpful to me in dealing with this.
I got a final quote of $12,000 for repairs. Under my state law my car is likely gonna be declared total. The insurance adjuster I'm working with is still being a dick.
The body shop manager I went through was very pleasant to work with. He took it into his garage and actually turned the light on. And he inspected the car thoroughly and used a water marker to point out the damage. He even took pictures. Above and beyond what I was expecting. He didn't have to do all of those things. He didn't even have to do an estimate for me.
Now it's likely they'll say my car is total but I want to at least pay something back to the body shop for the hassle they'll have to go through dealing with my insurance adjuster.
I haven't officially sent my car in yet for repairs.
Is there a way they can get pay? What if I send my car in and tell them to start charging storage fee until geico pays up. That way they'll at least get pay something.
Also I may want to buy it back as a salvage as it's still drivable and I know people who can fix some of the damage to where it'll look passable. What can I expect on a salvage price for a new car?
I got a final quote of $12,000 for repairs. Under my state law my car is likely gonna be declared total. The insurance adjuster I'm working with is still being a dick.
The body shop manager I went through was very pleasant to work with. He took it into his garage and actually turned the light on. And he inspected the car thoroughly and used a water marker to point out the damage. He even took pictures. Above and beyond what I was expecting. He didn't have to do all of those things. He didn't even have to do an estimate for me.
Now it's likely they'll say my car is total but I want to at least pay something back to the body shop for the hassle they'll have to go through dealing with my insurance adjuster.
I haven't officially sent my car in yet for repairs.
Is there a way they can get pay? What if I send my car in and tell them to start charging storage fee until geico pays up. That way they'll at least get pay something.
Also I may want to buy it back as a salvage as it's still drivable and I know people who can fix some of the damage to where it'll look passable. What can I expect on a salvage price for a new car?
I went to the shop and got their official estimate and supplement sent to geico. Then geico asked to do another estimate. Here's my exchange with them earlier this week:
Me: So why is your estimate only $6000 when my shop say it needs $10000 for repair?
Him: It's because they're using OEM parts we're using aftermarket parts.
Me: But my car is new. I have the right to request OEM parts if I want to.
HIm: No. That's Geico's policy. (bs? my car is new.)
Me: So you're not gonna declare it a total loss?
Him: No we don't do that with new cars.
Me: My body shop said that it supposed to be a totaled.
HIm: No the cost of repair has to go over the value for it to be totaled.
Me: How much is the value.
HIm: I don't know...it's $11,000 (lol no way it's that low)
Me: Well I already know that under Oklahoma state law the total loss threshold is 60%
Him: No. That's just for collision. It's 70% for hail. (What!? pretty sure that's bs. there's nowhere in the law that it says that)
Him: Blah Blah
Me: It's Oklahoma State Law
HIm: Blah Blah
Me: Even if with 70% it'll still be a total.
HIm: You really need to go get your car repair and your shop will do another supplement.
Me: Okay. Thanks.
I went to my shop afterwards and they said:
-Geico is dicking with me. Playing games.
-They wrote it as a total loss on the supplement and geico should have declared it as a total loss.
-Geico categorized the claim as a hail damage when it should be storm damage due to a tornado. Big difference.
-OEM should be used. Even USAA will allow OEM parts for up to two years new.
-They do not need to do another supplement. First one should have been enough.
My question is now what? They mention something about going to the Insurance Commission to file a complaint. What is that? How can they help?
Me: So why is your estimate only $6000 when my shop say it needs $10000 for repair?
Him: It's because they're using OEM parts we're using aftermarket parts.
Me: But my car is new. I have the right to request OEM parts if I want to.
HIm: No. That's Geico's policy. (bs? my car is new.)
Me: So you're not gonna declare it a total loss?
Him: No we don't do that with new cars.
Me: My body shop said that it supposed to be a totaled.
HIm: No the cost of repair has to go over the value for it to be totaled.
Me: How much is the value.
HIm: I don't know...it's $11,000 (lol no way it's that low)
Me: Well I already know that under Oklahoma state law the total loss threshold is 60%
Him: No. That's just for collision. It's 70% for hail. (What!? pretty sure that's bs. there's nowhere in the law that it says that)
Him: Blah Blah
Me: It's Oklahoma State Law
HIm: Blah Blah
Me: Even if with 70% it'll still be a total.
HIm: You really need to go get your car repair and your shop will do another supplement.
Me: Okay. Thanks.
I went to my shop afterwards and they said:
-Geico is dicking with me. Playing games.
-They wrote it as a total loss on the supplement and geico should have declared it as a total loss.
-Geico categorized the claim as a hail damage when it should be storm damage due to a tornado. Big difference.
-OEM should be used. Even USAA will allow OEM parts for up to two years new.
-They do not need to do another supplement. First one should have been enough.
My question is now what? They mention something about going to the Insurance Commission to file a complaint. What is that? How can they help?
Quote from jinxu:
My question is now what? They mention something about going to the Insurance Commission to file a complaint. What is that? How can they help?
Each state has an Insurance Commission that regulates the insurance companies in the state. They also serve as an advocate when a customer has been wronged. It is your best avenue for addressing the problems you are experiencing with Geico short of contacting a lawyer.
Quote from jinxu:
No I asked for it twice. But they never sent anything.
They're dropping the ball there. Send a letter to the state department of insurance and you'll get to talk to someone in the company who knows their shit PDQ. Don't expect much more though from what I've been told by auto adjusters most policies have clauses that allow them to use aftermarket products. When I've handled claims where the state dept. of ins. was involved my instructions were to fix the problem immediately and I've paid more than what the policy allowed for, in other cases I've seen the ins. co's hold firm. Good luck.
here is the update
Quote from jinxu: 01-01-14 04:40 PM
WTF is this? Are you stalking me or something. just fyi. I took the advice of one of the member and wrote a letter to my state insurance commissioner and Geico ended up paying the full cash amount. There was no scam.
To the other guy: Despite your opinionated rant. It is the reality of most Americans.
There are things to consider when buying auto insurance like the quality of repairs. If a car is repaired with aftermarket parts it's safety rating could be radically altered. Computers have altered the way cars are designed. The Crumple Zones are dependent on the qualities of the body parts. A cheapie repair could leave you at risk. There is also the aggravation factor. I dealt with some super-shitheads with Allstate before, it was maddening... In california every accident I ever had was with an uninsured driver, most of them are minorities and the state has a hard time bearing down on the "poor" and getting them to actually be responsible.. I used to drive really well chosen used cars that would be covered by the small payouts from uninsured motorist policies and get just the cheapest insurance and add uninsured motorist protection and it worked out pretty well. It didn't make sense to me to buy a new car when the state had fixed things so it couldn't really be insured no matter how much coverage I bought. I had a big property and if we totaled a car I'd buy it from the insurance company and part it out from the back yard. I discovered that I had the first right to buy the car for some reason, I think it was California law... I had a full size Chevy that was worth far more in parts than running because people kept that particular car and repaired them forever, small police forces included... That thing was a carcass about a week after I ran the ad.
Mexicans will buy the most mangled, bent up cars and put them on the road. I talked to one guy that straightened frames with a come-along and a tree. I'd never buy those cars, the tires wouldn't wear properly because car frames are measured in millimeters, not by eyeballing it and working a come-along..
Mexicans will buy the most mangled, bent up cars and put them on the road. I talked to one guy that straightened frames with a come-along and a tree. I'd never buy those cars, the tires wouldn't wear properly because car frames are measured in millimeters, not by eyeballing it and working a come-along..