Complaint Review: Farmers Insurance - Aurora Illinois

On 2/21/08 I was involved with a low-impact collision in my 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan. We have full-coverage/$500 deductable. Damage from the semi bumper was confined to grille area and I was able to drive away safely. On 2/22/08, Farmers Insurance sent their first adjustor who took pictures and assessed damage at $1,074. The same day, my wife drives car to local Sharp Auto Body and signs a "work authorization" form to begin repairs.

The work authorization form is very significant to this complaint. Sharp Auto Shop is a certified repair facility for Farmers Insurance, who may or may not be aware of this form. This form required the auto shop to contact my wife under certain conditions...it says, "if analysis finds...labor..and parts...necessary to complete the repair, I (we) will be contacted for authorization only if the amount of repairs I pay will be increased."

On 2/26 my wife calls on repair progress. Auto shop tells us they awaiting parts and have not started repairs. On 2/29 we learn, after the fact, that auto shop calls for Farmers Insurance "total" adjustor. On 3/4 the adjustor reassess damage at $3,235. On the next day, we get our first call from the insurance company (not auto shop) telling us our vehicle is totaled. Days later, the auto shop calls us to pick up our dismantled car.

On 3/11 I go to pick up my vehicle, not knowing it had a complete front end teardown. (Authorization form should have alerted us of a teardown) The teardown went beyond the damage area, including removal of the antenna, removal of plastic rocker panels, and "white" markings my entire car body front, side, rear, and all loose parts to highlight any imperfection, scratch, or dent. My car looked like a disaster, only weeks ago it was functional at the shop.

The reassembly takes several hours...radiator hook-up, condensor, bumper, headlights--the basics, just to get it home 2 miles away. We couldn't believe it was totaled--there were not enough parts or damage possible to get it to $3235. So on 3/12, I called the second adjustor for a copy of the supplemental damage report. He would not give it to me and said " we don't normally give it out...it be used as an estimate to do work". Yet, the first adjustors report was written in language for the car owner, so I call his supervisor on 3/12 and ask for a copy. He emailed me one--it, too, is written in language for the car owner.

The supplemental report listed several items outside the impact area, they listed items beyond the impact area that were not damaged. In all, over $1,500 in parts and related labor are in question. This is significant when you learn from the District Insurance supervisor that the car was $221 over the total category. (Again, the work authorization form would have required the auto shop to notified us of new damage listed after their teardown). It took 8 days for me to get the supplemental report I was suppose to get immediately. Farmers Insurance will not address the delay of the report.

In the wording of the supplemental report, it allows me "to expidite the handling of any supplemental damages...call (800)282-7033". But the 8 days delay in getting me the report did not allow me to expidite "anything". It was too late to question the list; my car was already processed as a total loss and already sent me a check for $1,900. The 8 days caused my loner rental car to expire and it caused me to lose income the following week while my shortened work day was interrupted by my family's travel needs. I asked Farmers Insurance for an extension on the last day of the rental; they refused.

The work authorization form should have allowed my wife and I to remain in communication with the auto shop and control of the fate of our van. We could have disallowed a teardown, because all damage was in full view. We could have opted out, but the teardown disabled our car to do so. (This could be viewed as a steering law violation). We believe Farmers Insurance must have know about Sharp Auto customers "work authorization" form or it would not have certified the shop.

In a BBB complaint, case # 94172081, filed on March 18, I have asked Farmers Insurance for damage. Their rebuttal on 3/24 was complete denial of wrongdoing. The BBB allowed me another rebuttal so on 4/1/08 I sighted more damages. Farmers Insurance has until 4/10/08 to respond to my rebuttal.

I will be posting a related report regarding how this auto shop conducted the tear down of my vehicle and how it's team damaged hundreds of dollars during the removal of parts, and refuses to replace the parts.

General lard

Island Lake, Illinois

U.S.A.

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