Complaint Review: Allstate Auto Insurance

Allstate Insurance poor service and subsequent cancellation

3-4-2019:  spoke to Antonio Martinez about an Auto Insurance Policy for 2 cars.  After discussions, agreed to buy the policy.  E-signed documents and an auto payment was deducted from checking account.  

I was told to wait a day and then cancel my previous policy.

3-5-2019: cancelled my previous policy

3-5-2019: Received policy documents from assigned agent Yvonne Lau

A few days later, I received a reminder to pay a second installment.  I was under the impression that the 6 month premium had already been paid.  I called the agency and had a nasty customer service experience with Nathalie Galvan.  I asked her to have Yvonne call me back.  I did not receive a call from Yvonne so I sent an email to her.  I received an auto reply acknowledging my email.  Another day no return call from Yvonne.  So I called the Corporate office.  I was told nothing could be done about the full premium payment discount because a week had passed since the inception of the policy.

Service is very important to me and since the agent Yvonne Lau had still not returned my call, I decided to shop for another carrier.  

When I received the proof of experience letter from Allstate, it showed a lapse between policies.  The premium was deducted on 3-5-19 and the ID cards showed a date of 3-11-19. I tried to reach out to the agent Yvonne Lau again and received no response.  So I called the corporate office again.  I was told that since I had agreed to an ‘early signing’ discount, the policy was delayed by a week.  I said I did not recall this ever being mentioned to me.  Corporate was adamant in their stance.  I now find out that the salesperson had not included this ‘early signing’ discount but rather it was the agent Yvonne Lau that did it.  

I was worried about a scam and Allstate being involved in it at all levels.  I cancelled my policy.  Agent Yvonne Lau has still not contacted me.  

By the way, her agency does not have a 5 star review, as I was told by the corporate office.  She has a 2.3 star review.  Upon reading some of the reviews, I do believe this practice is so when the policy comes up for renewal, the premium would go up considerably.

In 2008, Bank of America was involved in a litigation because of lack of communications between departments.  We all know how this affected the financial industry, levied fines and so forth.  I believe Allstate should be cognizant of these facts and do their due diligence.  Regulators will eventually see through these scams and then there will be hell to pay!