Complaint Review: Nationwide Insurance Company - Hendersonville North Carolina

I will address each of your concerns one by one the best way I can... IN FULL FACT

1) You live in NC, that is a Coastal State, you will always pay more for a home policy than most others.

2) Your husband was in an 'at fault accident' I understand YOU said he "swerved' to avoid another car...why did no one report the other vehicle to share fault?  Weather it was avoidance of another vehicle or NOT, the police did not help him or try and find the other vehicle.  
      (In the event of an at fault accident, ther is NO bodily Injury coverage for the actual passangers or drivers UNLESS YOU selected PIP coverage or higher MED PAY than 1,000...which most people will not because THEIR HEALTH COVERAGES cover those circumstances)
  
- The thousand that was given to your husband was medical payments, and paid out to it's limit, your husband signed a doc just saying he recieved $1,000...not WAIVE ANY COVERAGES- the coverages and contract were signed at the inception of the policy and CANNOT BE CHANGED UNLESS YOU REQUEST IT

3) OF COURSE -ANY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT TOTAL A VEHICLE COMPLETELY OUT- just because 'you think" it should have been.  There was an additional $3,000 worth left in the book value of the car.  The whole point of insurance is to "MAKE WHOLE AGAIN" not "BUY ME SOMETHING BETTER AND PAY OFF THE REMAINDER OF MY UPSIDE DOWN LOAN" -unless YOU bought GAP....

4) Medical payments or bodily injury would not have been paid to ANY passenger in YOUR vehicle if YOUR DRIVER was at fault.  Liability takes care of OTHER drivers YOU cause injury to, and any property damage that YOU have caused.  Uninsured and UNDERINSURED pay bodily injury to YOU nad YOUR passangers in the event YOU are hit and ran, or the OTHER DRIVER  does not have enough liability to COVER YOUR INJURIES...for example YOU.  (You and your husband are carrying North Carolina State Minimums, which I know Nationwide well...They ALWYAS start with High ranges and will ONLY MOVE DOWN AT YOUR REQUEST)  Therefore, the 30,000 you spoke of was NOT for your Husband OR his passangers, he was at fault, and you should be carrying health coverage for him and your children.

5) You are at serious risk of potentially losing your home.  From what you have written, your liability on your auto policy is only $30,000/$60,000- that means 30k per person no more than 60k per accident for the OTHER DRIVER you cause injury to NOT YOU.  (Every Insurer in the US is the same) 

   ---------As a home owner, you should be in the $100,000/$300,000 range...there is only a slight difference in monthly premium per month. Usually no more than 10-15 bucks.  Nationwide Agents are trained TO NEVER OFFER STATE MINIMUM COVERAGE ON LIABILITY UNLESS THE CUSTOMER IS ADOMENT ABOUT IT AFTER THE AGENT EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCE.  -Let the Gecko or Non-Progressing write garbage policies to sell.  Nationwide is Mutual, they care less about selling a policy, they are not profit driven.  That's why they do have the number 1 claims and service in the industry. 

 In conclusion, Nationwide records every call, and Agents are REQUIRED to list all AVAILABLE coverages, and by North Carolina State Law, 'The Agent may NOT recommend lower coverages, only higher ones.'  

That means YOU as the consumer wanted to save or make your premiums cheaper by a few bucks ($50-$100.00 on average over 6 months)

P.S., If your husband had actually struck another vehicle and others got hurt, you would have only had $30,000 in medical payments for other driver and their passangers...average trip to the ER and basic surgery is $50,000 these days.  YOUR HOME would have most likley been sued against by the injured driver and passangers.  In this case, he hit a pole.  The way it was paid out IS EXACTLY WHAT THE US FED LAW required.  They exhausted your $1,000 med/pip coverage, you paid a Deductible for damage to your vehicle, then Nationwide kicked in up to THE BOOK FAIR VALUE of your car, not "Because I owe so much, you need to pay the rest"  Another thing, "Total loss" DOES NOT mean that the insurer pays YOUR FINANCE LIEN OFF....EVER, that is what GAP insurance does.

Forgive me, I am just laying down the exact laws and procedures laid down by NC, not Nationwide.  You selected your coverages, NOT THE AGENT...an AGENT explains what they are, what they cover, and show you the premium on those limits.  YOU THEN SELECTED your coverages.  I by all means am not tring to sound heartless, I just want you to understand how your STATE works.  Thank god you werent with a lesser company as listed above (Gecko, Non_Progressing) you would NEVER SEE AN ADJUSTER FOR MONTHS.  (National average states that Nationwide is the fastest and most efficient to respond to claims in the US) 

In essence, they paid all limits out to you, it is auto insurance, not medical or health insurance.  Once he was deemed at fault, (NC deamed him) and no other driver was hit, NO COMPANY WOULD PAY FOR YOUR MEDICAL BILLS IN FULL unless you selected Personal Injury Protection (Average in US IS $1,000, or Medical Payments- also $1,000 average) 

Most people with kids and a House they own HAVE HEALTH...why are they not paying medical bills??

Please respond to this if you feel you need help or something explained to you, I am more than happy as I know the State Laws and guidelines for you, front and back)

And above all, I would NEVER INSURE MY WIFE AND FOUR KIDS WITH ANY OTHER COMPANY than Nationwide, as they have proved themselves time, after time, after time.  They are by NO means the 'cheapest' company in the market, and prefer not to be.  Cheap premiums= cheap claims...your actually lucky to get a homeowners out where you live, as alot of tier one companies won't insure most of N.C.  I just pray you didnt switch to the Gecko, Non-Progressing, AllFake, NON Surance etc.   You know who they are...you will actually pay higher premiums over your terms than with a Tier one Like Nationwide.  They don't cut the rate upfront to get you to buy, then raise every renewal.

They give a real rate upfront and honor good behavior.  And also by the way, If you see a rate change, look at your neighbors too, North Carolina Ins. Commisioner has been steadily increasing the states rates... INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE ZERO CONTROL OVER THAT.....

-Time to write you senator about your premiums...

My thoughts and prayers to you, I just wanted to explain the Laws the easiest cut and dry way possible.

I am very sorry to hear about your damaged car and your injured husband.  However, your complaint against Nationwide is really silly.  They simply follow the contract just like every other insurance company.  They did not mistreat you, they treated you exactly the way you agreed that they would.  If you wanted something different you should have asked for it and paid for it when you bought your policy.  There are endorsements that effect loss settlement that you could have purchased that would have allowed you to get your car replaced.  Also, the whole sad story about husband being too sore to read a settlement statement sounds quite unlikely.  Again, if you have the coverage on your policy you can file a claim.  However, if your limit is only $1,000 guess what you will get paid?

Insurance is not for sissys.  You can't just buy a policy and think that everything is covered.  You need to ask questions and you need to read the policy.  You have no one to blame but your self for not taking the time to read you policy and ask questions of your agent before you had your accident.  No one likes to learn about insurance after an accident.  I hope you asked more questions with your new company.

Hi, Sandy, I am sorry to hear of your problems with Nationwide. I wish I could say I was surprised; but, having recently been through an accident with similar results, nothing you have said shocks me. Not sure if it will help; but, if you haven't already pursued this, it might be worth a try. Contact the state insurance commissioner (or whatever might be the title in N.C.) and talk with the consumer ombudsman/liaison/whatever title to find out how the actions of the Nationwide adjuster and the settlement provisions align with state laws. They may also be able to assist or recommend resources. Though I truly hope this will prove a help, you have to recognize that some state overseers may be "in the pocket" of the insurance companies, as it were, since everything at the state capital is political (pardon my skepticism). If you aren't satisfied with the response from the state insurance office, please contact a reputable injury attorney. (I know, I hate this idea, too; but, if the insurance companies offered policy holders fair settlements, they wouldn't have their customers suing them.) An initial interview to determine the legal basis of your potential case would be free. If you have a case which fits their criteria, they will represent you in seeking a fair settlement at no up-front cost to you. (Do check around first to be sure you are contacting a respectable law firm. Many of the really top-notch firms have attorneys who have previously worked for the insurance companies and know all the "tricks" they use to minimize claims.) Best of luck to you.

It is sad but true that you must protect yourself at all times. You would have been well-served to have had your husband sign a tempory power of attorney, valid until until he recovered, authorizing you to represent him in all matters. These can cost $75. Medical bills not covered by REAL insurance, i.e. an employer, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, etc. are the leading cause of bankruptcy, especially amoung the elderly. Cars/trucks are usually totaled when the damages reach 80% of the vehicle's value. Your husband might want to consider taking ''high-performance'' driving lessons. This is a lot more practical than it sounds.