Complaint Review: Safeway Insurance Group

Over two months ago a driver insured with Safeway Insurance Company hit me from behind on the interstate. I spent the first two weeks working to find the insurance policy at all. Safeway would only advise me that I should assume the driver has no valid insurance and I should file a claim through my own insurance. Only through my own efforts, and the help of the local police department did I find out the policy does actually exists.

After several more days of calling them, the only information they gave me was that I could go get a rental vehicle on my own because my vehicle was not driveable, and they would reimburse me up to $20 a day for up to 5 whole days in the event that my vehicle was totaled (it obviously was). I don't know about everywhere, but I live in Atlanta and a rental car at that price is unheard of, much less replacing my vehicle within 5 days. Needless to say, I didn't get a rental vehicle and have just been without a vehicle at all most of the time.

I didn't hear any more, so I called back in a few days and was told that my claim had been assigned to an adjuster, I should call her. I did, and left messages repeatedly for days. About a week later, the adjuster calls me back and tells me that my claim has been turned over to the "total loss department", I'll have to get in touch with yet another person. I called, left messages repeatedly for days again.

Two weeks later she returns my calls and says she is prepared to settle on the property damage, I agreed to the amount for my van but also asked about the medical bills (emergency room only) and my lost wages for the time I missed from work. She tells me that she only handles property damage; I have to go back to the first adjuster for anything else. In the meantime, she sends me papers to complete for payment on the van. I immediately completed and returned them. I didn't hear anything from her, so I called a week later and she tells me she did not get my paperwork. I explained that I mailed it all with confirmation and it has been delivered. Then she tells me their mail person has been out sick so it might be sitting in their mailroom. Sure enough, I called again later and she said she did find my paperwork sitting in the mailroom and a check will be mailed out to me on tomorrow. Three days later I called her back and she says it will be mailed out next Monday. That Friday I called back again and she said it would be mailed out that day. Surprise, it still isn't here.

Now I go back to the first adjuster, called her for days leaving messages. She finally returned my call and said why are you calling me, I have already told you that your claim was turned over to the total loss department and there is no reason you should need to talk to me any more. I remained calm and explained that the total loss adjuster told me to call her back about medical bills and lost wages. She says to me, Okay fine, if you want to claim all that stuff, you'll have to send me all the necessary documentation. She tells me that I shouldn't expect so much, because insurance can only compensate so much from an accident and there's no way I'd ever get it all back. She gives me a list of things to send her, which I quickly put together and mailed. About two weeks later, I got a letter in the mail from her that says she's prepared to make me an offer, not even enough to pay even half of the medical bill, none of my lost wages.

It has now been more than two months; I have no vehicle and have not gotten anything but run around in endless circles from these people. They will not return my phone calls, and when I do get them on the phone they are horribly rude and insulting. Just a warning, if you ever have to deal with this sorry excuse for an insurance company and their rude employees, save yourself the headaches and contact an attorney before you even start trying to file a claim.

Barb
Atlanta, Georgia

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