- Report: #177479
Complaint Review: Continental Warranty - Malibu California
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Continental Warranty
24955 Pacific Coast Highway C303 Malibu, 90265 California, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-929-2694
Web:
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Continental Warranty Co. Ripoff useless warranty company Malibu California
I purchased a Freedom plan for my 1998 Mazda Millenia in April 2004. I had yet to utilize the warranty until a problem came up this past January. Almost 2 years after I purchased the warranty and now I am beginning to get the run around. My car was taken to a mechanic and diagnosed with having Transmission failure. I 1st made sure it was covered in the literatur I received from CW and then looked at the website to make sure as well. I then contacted Continental Warranty company at the repair shop only to be told I had to wait for a Claims Adjuster to contact the shop back with directions on how to go about getting a claim number. I contacted the shop back the next day and nothing from Continental.
Three days went by before I contacted Continental's CS dept. to find out what the hold up was. I was told to give it about an hour or so before calling the shop back so the Claims Adjuster (Steve) could contact the shop. The young lady from the Shop called me and before I could say anything began telling me that this was a bad company to be dealing with. She said they were unprofessional and didn't have a clue. So me being the rational person that I am tried to give Continental the benifit of the doubt. The shop owner explained to me that she told Continental what was wrong with my car (transmission) and that it needed to be replaced. Now according to the literature that Continental sent me I thought this would be easy because the transmission was supposed to be covered. She then began telling me that Steve (Claims adjuster) said that the transmission needed to be broken down to find out excatly what was wrong with it and that I (the consumer) had to pay for the break down. Not one place in that manual or my contract does it state I have to pay for the breakdown. It does state that I have to "authorize" the breakdown, but there was no mention of payment.
Needless to say I contacted the company to find out why it was that I had to pay for this if I was supposed to have purchased an "extended warranty." I had already shelled out $1488 for their services which by the way have never been attempted to be used until now. I was continually given the run around. Finally I said I wanted either my money back or the repairs done. I was told someone would get back in contact with me. It has been 2 weeks and no word form Continental warranty.
Had I seen this website when they 1st contacted me I probably would not have gotten the warranty from them. I thought they were almost like an insurance company:
You pay for a policy
something happens to your vehicle which is covered by the policy
you submit a claim
the claims adjuster approves it
you pay the deductible
and the work is done
but alas that is not the case. All I want is what I paid for which is an extended warranty not the run around when it's time to finally use the warranty.
I contacted the BBB to get a better response being that no one at the CA office seemed to want to rectify the situation. I mean it shouldn't have to take the gesture of legal action or contacting the BBB to get good costumer service. I mean no company wants to have a bad rating with the BBB escpecially if you are expecting your customers to pass on by word of mouth how excellent your company claims to be. We'll see what the outcome is. In the meantime I have to shell out an additional $1900 just to get a new transmission for my car because Continental wants to play ring-around-the warranty.
Wadie
Newark, New Jersey
U.S.A.
Three days went by before I contacted Continental's CS dept. to find out what the hold up was. I was told to give it about an hour or so before calling the shop back so the Claims Adjuster (Steve) could contact the shop. The young lady from the Shop called me and before I could say anything began telling me that this was a bad company to be dealing with. She said they were unprofessional and didn't have a clue. So me being the rational person that I am tried to give Continental the benifit of the doubt. The shop owner explained to me that she told Continental what was wrong with my car (transmission) and that it needed to be replaced. Now according to the literature that Continental sent me I thought this would be easy because the transmission was supposed to be covered. She then began telling me that Steve (Claims adjuster) said that the transmission needed to be broken down to find out excatly what was wrong with it and that I (the consumer) had to pay for the break down. Not one place in that manual or my contract does it state I have to pay for the breakdown. It does state that I have to "authorize" the breakdown, but there was no mention of payment.
Needless to say I contacted the company to find out why it was that I had to pay for this if I was supposed to have purchased an "extended warranty." I had already shelled out $1488 for their services which by the way have never been attempted to be used until now. I was continually given the run around. Finally I said I wanted either my money back or the repairs done. I was told someone would get back in contact with me. It has been 2 weeks and no word form Continental warranty.
Had I seen this website when they 1st contacted me I probably would not have gotten the warranty from them. I thought they were almost like an insurance company:
You pay for a policy
something happens to your vehicle which is covered by the policy
you submit a claim
the claims adjuster approves it
you pay the deductible
and the work is done
but alas that is not the case. All I want is what I paid for which is an extended warranty not the run around when it's time to finally use the warranty.
I contacted the BBB to get a better response being that no one at the CA office seemed to want to rectify the situation. I mean it shouldn't have to take the gesture of legal action or contacting the BBB to get good costumer service. I mean no company wants to have a bad rating with the BBB escpecially if you are expecting your customers to pass on by word of mouth how excellent your company claims to be. We'll see what the outcome is. In the meantime I have to shell out an additional $1900 just to get a new transmission for my car because Continental wants to play ring-around-the warranty.
Wadie
Newark, New Jersey
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
From Chicago
Nester,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I was almost a victim too... maybe.
#2Consumer Suggestion
Fri, August 08, 2008
I feel bad for the guy with the transmission problem. I actually signed up with them since they promised that I could cancel within 30 days and get a full refund. But while talking to them on the phone, the sales manager I spoke to insisted that the "special price" that I'm being offered is only good if I signed up now (first time applicants); people who I didn't sign up the first time are deemed a likely fraud risk. I told him that I didn't think shopping around for the best deal makes you a fraud risk, but anyway, against my better judgment I signed up. But I didn't feel easy about my decision, "any sales person that asks you to sign up immediately or else you'll be missing out on some good deals is NEVER advising you in your best interests". This unease grew until about a week later I googled "Continental Warranty" and found all sorts of complains, even on different sites. Though I realise that even a perfect company would have some dissatified customers, the one for Continental Warranty was too many. I immediately went to their website to cancel. They said I would get my refund between 4 to 6 weeks. Yesterday was the last day of the 6th week, and I haven't gotten my refund. This is another red flag, since most companies would process your refund within a week or two even if they said it takes 30 days. I didn't expect it to take the whole 6 weeks and still counting. Now the guy that said it took 4 months to get his has me thinking that I may have to go thru my credit card company to get my money back. If anyone is reading this, I'll just advise you to stay away from this company. It's best to get it through the dealer. You may be paying a little more, but it's for sure. I eventually got mine through Nissan of Naperville, and I paid less. That's what shopping around does, wish I read this before signing up though. I'll see how long it takes before I get my $295 from these guys.
Pete
Valley View,Michigan,
U.S.A.
I almost got caught by them, too
#3Consumer Comment
Wed, February 22, 2006
Couple of years back when I was researching warranty companies, Continental was one I considered because their website seems to tell you that they're God's gift to automobile owners. In fact, I DID sign up with them. Then a shirt-tail relative of mine who owns a body shop steered me away. He said they were about the most difficult to work with. One of the things he mentioned was exactly what you've encountered-- you pay for the breakdown. I was interested in a no deductible policy. The closest they had was $25 deductible. But the kicker here was that no matter how many warranty-related claims in a year (even if related), you had to pay each time. I was fortunate that I just gave them a $75 deposit and I had a 3-day period for cancellation. I stayed on their backs like a wet shirt. Got my money back but it took about 4 months to do so. Good luck! sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company your comments on this policy are welcome! CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
