ABN AMRO Mortgage Group AKA La Salle Bank N.A., Standard Federal Bank force places insurance when you already have coverage. Troy Michigan
This is a heads up to anyone thinking of getting a mortgage with ABN AMRO Mortgage Group: Beware. ABN AMRO engages in an old lender scam that apparently is still gotten away with often enough that they, and other mortgage servicers, continue to practice it.
ABN AMRO force placed insurance on my mortgage account in July 04 and attempted to increase my escrow payments, despite my insurance agent providing proof of insurance to them several times during the time in question.
Note: I do not now, nor have I ever had an insurance escrow with ABN AMRO. My escrow with them covers taxes only. I have always paid my insurance separately and my policy has never been cancelled.
After I brought their mistake to ABN AMRO's attention, they re-credited my escrow account for the amount of the insurance they force placed. However, only days later they proceeded to AGAIN take money out of my escrow account to pay insurance, this time directly to my insurance company. Once again, my mortgage is set up so that I pay my own insurance, not ABN AMRO.
This has happened on a yearly basis since ABN AMRO has been servicing my mortgage, despite the fact that my insurance has NEVER BEEN CANCELLED with my carrier. Currently, I am trying to clear up this latest fiasco and have the insurance overpayment that ABN AMRO is responsible for placed back in my escrow account.
Consumers beware: you will be royally ripped off by this mortgage company if you are not vigilant about verifying their figures on your monthly statements and yearly escrow analysis. The mistakes they make will always be in their favor, Customer Service will be, at best, reluctant to acknowledge them, and getting them corrected will be YOUR nightmare to deal with.
Anon
Center Line, Michigan
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
D.
Providence,Rhode Island,
U.S.A.
I respectfully disagree with your blanketed statements.
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, February 23, 2006
I am sorry you have encountered such a frustrating problem that continues to occur every year, but I do not believe this to be the case for ABN customers in general. I know this does not help in any way with your experience, and I do not believe in making excuses for any company that provides poor customer service and/or mismanagement of their clients. I do, however, do not feel that ABN as a whole should be considered a rip-off lender. And if you choose to feel that I work for them, that is fine, as this is something beyond my control.
Judy
Chicago,Illinois,
U.S.A.
ABNAMRO-Standard Federal Insurance
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, January 15, 2006
I too had a problem with laSalle Bank-Standard Federal. I have a mortgage with the bank and they insisted I had no homeowners isurance & had to take their's, which was really expensive.
I faxed them proof of insurane, had my insurance agent to the same and generally went nuts with them.
What they wanted was for me to take THEIR insurace and was not taking no for an answer. Finally after several calls and faxes, the matter was resolved, but it was time consuming for me.
This is typical of how that bank operates but worse than that, typical of the people they employ.
Judy
Chicago,Illinois,
U.S.A.
ABNAMRO-Standard Federal Insurance
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, January 15, 2006
I too had a problem with laSalle Bank-Standard Federal. I have a mortgage with the bank and they insisted I had no homeowners isurance & had to take their's, which was really expensive.
I faxed them proof of insurane, had my insurance agent to the same and generally went nuts with them.
What they wanted was for me to take THEIR insurace and was not taking no for an answer. Finally after several calls and faxes, the matter was resolved, but it was time consuming for me.
This is typical of how that bank operates but worse than that, typical of the people they employ.