Complaint Review: Geico

I purchased another car and changed the insurance on 2-6-03. I asked for "full coverage" on the new car, as I knew that the financial institution would require it. I was quoted a rate, and paid it over the phone. I had never been involved in an accident in my life.

As luck would have it, the following day, on 2-7-03, I was rear-ended while stopped to make a left hand turn by a guy doing between 35-40 mph. The guy was not watching the road, but watching the police activity happening along the road. The police witnessed the accident, and cited the other driver. Utah is a "no-fault state. I was taken to the hospital via ambulance and my car was towed.

My daughter called Geico that night to report the accident. I called Geico the following Monday, and asked for a rental car. I was informed that full coverage did not include a rental car. I was pretty upset and frantic as to how I was going to be able to make doctor's appointments, etc. One of my friends suggested that I call the other guy's insurance, which I did. They immediately arranged for a rental car for me, first trying to give me their smallest car, but when I said that I wanted a car comparable to mine, they immediately gave it to me.

Then a few days later, I get a bill in the mail for an additional $166 premium from Geico. The date of the insurance was 2-6-03, but it listed the reason for the increase as the accident. Technically, I had no accidents on 2-6-03, but I certainly didn't need any cancellations for non-payment or anything of that sort, so I immediately paid it.

The next thing that I did was contact a personal injury lawyer to handle the claim for me. I believe that a truly helpful customer service person would have suggested that I contact the other guy's insurance to let me know that I had that right to a rental car, if he had the coverage. And I feel that the immediate increase in my insurance rate was unfair, considering that the police witnessed the accident and the other guy was 100% at fault. I even provided them with a copy of the police report. They just made me realize at a very early stage that I can't trust them to handle the medical bills fairly. I will have ongoing medical bills for awhile. One constantly hears how everyone is "sue happy", which is what drives up insurance costs. It is the actions of the Geico employees that sent me to the attorney.

Just for the record, the other's guys insurance sent me a letter suggesting the names of the body shops that they preferred. It just so happened that when I had no idea where to have the car towed the night of the accident and the police chose Ogden Auto Body. This was one that his insurance company used. While they initially promised that my car would be done in a week, it did take nearly 6 weeks to fix. But his insurance company paid for the rental car the entire time. And Ogden Auto Body did a great job in doing the repairs. His insurance company treated me better than my own did!

Jan
Ogden, Utah
U.S.A.