i got screwed by insurance
Jun 10, 2009, 01:08 PM
#1
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i got screwed by insurance
Dont use 
Mercury Insurance they SCREWED me over. I went to make a claim back in march 09 for hail damage and a minor front end damage. They kindly notified me that they dropped my full coverage back in june of 05. So for the past 2.5 months i have been fighting with them to get my car fixed. Now they are willing to award coverage to me in the total of $3,300 but my estimtes are for $5,600 and $6,000. So hear i am waiting on a check ($2,300 because i got to pay 2 deductables) and what do i get a bill for $3,000 for 4 years of back charge for the full coverage WTF i was told that if i got back charged it would only be back to the date of the 1st incodent not 4 years.
Mercury Insurance they SCREWED me over. I went to make a claim back in march 09 for hail damage and a minor front end damage. They kindly notified me that they dropped my full coverage back in june of 05. So for the past 2.5 months i have been fighting with them to get my car fixed. Now they are willing to award coverage to me in the total of $3,300 but my estimtes are for $5,600 and $6,000. So hear i am waiting on a check ($2,300 because i got to pay 2 deductables) and what do i get a bill for $3,000 for 4 years of back charge for the full coverage WTF i was told that if i got back charged it would only be back to the date of the 1st incodent not 4 years.
Jun 10, 2009, 01:49 PM
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don't you get papers from them every 6 month or yearly that gives you details on your policy?? I don't see how they can drop your full coverage back june of 05 and you not know. If the car is financed 90% of the time the bank will mail you a letter letting you know that your insurance is lacking full coverage that is required.
If you meant june 5th of this year, and you filed your claim prior you can sue them.
If you meant june 5th of this year, and you filed your claim prior you can sue them.
Jun 10, 2009, 01:57 PM
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As for the damage by the appraiser, you will need to goto a body shop to have them repair it and they most likely ask for an supplement for the damage (difference). A lot of appraisers under write the claim and make the body reqquest the rest through supplements. By doing this they are in someway shorting the people who don't get their car repaired. Its sucks for those of us, who do our our repairs.
Jun 10, 2009, 01:58 PM
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don't you get papers from them every 6 month or yearly that gives you details on your policy?? I don't see how they can drop your full coverage back june of 05 and you not know. If the car is financed 90% of the time the bank will mail you a letter letting you know that your insurance is lacking full coverage that is required.
If you meant june 5th of this year, and you filed your claim prior you can sue them.
If you meant june 5th of this year, and you filed your claim prior you can sue them.
Jun 10, 2009, 02:07 PM
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Yes i do get the papers but when they dropped it back in june of 05 they also raised the rates july 1st of 05 so there was only a $40 difference between the 2. I called my fiance company and they said they dont care because its in the contract that i signed stating that if i dont maintain the full coverage and something happens to the car i am still resopsible to pay the remander of the loan
what was damaged? because most body parts u can get cheaper on this site from members who part out shells like fenders, hoods,bumpers ect. If you have any of those and get them here or somewhere cheaper than a body shop then you only have to fix whatever else is left if anything.
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Jun 10, 2009, 02:10 PM
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If you were told that you were only getting back charged till the date of the first incident, and then they billed you for 4 years you may have a bad faith claim if you can prove that they told you one thing and then did another. Do you have this in writing? CA allows for verbal contracts, which would cover a phone call with the carrier, I don't know what the laws are in your state but you should find out. I would look for any letters that confirm that you dropped your coverages, if they did not send it out in writing they may be liable depending on what your state's insurance code says.
I find it quite strange that they would deny coverage, but then accept it later. It sounds like you have damages from two seperate incidents, which results in 2 deductibles and that is normal.
Also check the policy language for the collision / comprehensive coverage and determine what the policy says. This will be the fine print, which details how you are covered and how the valuation of your damages must be determined. In CA, the registered owner of a vehicle can choose the repair facility, and if the insurer does not agree with the cost of repairs, they are obligated to negotiate with the shop for rates. Again check your state's insurance code to see if they have similar laws for your state. Also, do not sign any release of liability until you are satisfied with your claim.
I find it quite strange that they would deny coverage, but then accept it later. It sounds like you have damages from two seperate incidents, which results in 2 deductibles and that is normal.
Also check the policy language for the collision / comprehensive coverage and determine what the policy says. This will be the fine print, which details how you are covered and how the valuation of your damages must be determined. In CA, the registered owner of a vehicle can choose the repair facility, and if the insurer does not agree with the cost of repairs, they are obligated to negotiate with the shop for rates. Again check your state's insurance code to see if they have similar laws for your state. Also, do not sign any release of liability until you are satisfied with your claim.
Jun 10, 2009, 02:12 PM
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Dont they have to notify me of any changes in my coverage? They never notified me at all and the reason at 1st for the drop in coverage was because they never received the carco report (photo inspection) but after i contacted carco and got the reference # the next day i talked to mercury the reson was they received it late. They also claimed that they sent me a letter in the mail about the coverage being dropped but i never got one then after a few days of phone calls they added they sent a certified letter to me and my fiance company. Witch neither of us received and thats why they are awarding coverage because they couldnt find a recipt from the certified letters after 2.5 months of looking for them. So they never properly notified me of the drop in coverage. Thats not my fault and the fact they raised my rates 2 weeks after they dropped my coverage thats why i never thought of looking at the dec page that comes every 6 months.
Jun 10, 2009, 02:14 PM
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Call your local Agent's office and make an appointment so you can go in, sit down, and figure all this out in person. The agent should work with you to try to get everything squared away and keep you from getting screwed.
Jun 10, 2009, 02:17 PM
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that sucks
what was damaged? because most body parts u can get cheaper on this site from members who part out shells like fenders, hoods,bumpers ect. If you have any of those and get them here or somewhere cheaper than a body shop then you only have to fix whatever else is left if anything.
what was damaged? because most body parts u can get cheaper on this site from members who part out shells like fenders, hoods,bumpers ect. If you have any of those and get them here or somewhere cheaper than a body shop then you only have to fix whatever else is left if anything.
Jun 10, 2009, 02:19 PM
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Mercury is horrible...My mother went with them to save some money...now shes on Farmers. I know I for one don;t look at the paper statement that comes in the mail so if Progressive did me like that there would be hell to pay.
WHy did they drop your full coverage? And banks don't care about the type of insurance as long as there is SOME kind of insurance on it...they don't keep up with the coverages. When my last car was down indef. I called Progressive and changed my coverage since it wasn't being driven. It was just cover incase the house burned down or it got stolen or vandalized....Cut my rates by 2 3rd's and my finance company had no clue.
WHy did they drop your full coverage? And banks don't care about the type of insurance as long as there is SOME kind of insurance on it...they don't keep up with the coverages. When my last car was down indef. I called Progressive and changed my coverage since it wasn't being driven. It was just cover incase the house burned down or it got stolen or vandalized....Cut my rates by 2 3rd's and my finance company had no clue.
Jun 10, 2009, 02:20 PM
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If you were told that you were only getting back charged till the date of the first incident, and then they billed you for 4 years you may have a bad faith claim if you can prove that they told you one thing and then did another. Do you have this in writing? CA allows for verbal contracts, which would cover a phone call with the carrier, I don't know what the laws are in your state but you should find out. I would look for any letters that confirm that you dropped your coverages, if they did not send it out in writing they may be liable depending on what your state's insurance code says.
I find it quite strange that they would deny coverage, but then accept it later. It sounds like you have damages from two seperate incidents, which results in 2 deductibles and that is normal.
Also check the policy language for the collision / comprehensive coverage and determine what the policy says. This will be the fine print, which details how you are covered and how the valuation of your damages must be determined. In CA, the registered owner of a vehicle can choose the repair facility, and if the insurer does not agree with the cost of repairs, they are obligated to negotiate with the shop for rates. Again check your state's insurance code to see if they have similar laws for your state. Also, do not sign any release of liability until you are satisfied with your claim.
I find it quite strange that they would deny coverage, but then accept it later. It sounds like you have damages from two seperate incidents, which results in 2 deductibles and that is normal.
Also check the policy language for the collision / comprehensive coverage and determine what the policy says. This will be the fine print, which details how you are covered and how the valuation of your damages must be determined. In CA, the registered owner of a vehicle can choose the repair facility, and if the insurer does not agree with the cost of repairs, they are obligated to negotiate with the shop for rates. Again check your state's insurance code to see if they have similar laws for your state. Also, do not sign any release of liability until you are satisfied with your claim.
i dont have anything about the back charge in paper that was over the phone. I am ok with the 2 claims and 2 deductibles i agree with that . my problem is this back charge BS
Jun 10, 2009, 02:27 PM
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at 1st the reason for the drop in coverage was because they never received the carco report (photo inspection) but after i contacted carco and got the reference # the next day i talked to mercury it changed to they received it late.
Jun 10, 2009, 02:31 PM
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-In CA they have to notify you, and based on your post, in which they could not locate the certified letters indicate to me that they screwed up. I don't know what the insurance code regs are in your state, but you should look them up.
Since your lienholder never got a certified letter, and you never did either, sounds like you have a "bad faith" claim. I would look for an attorney which will take the case based on a percentage of settlement, so you don't have to pay for the attorney out of pocke. He will only take a cut of the settlement, when the settlement is reached and paid in full. Bad faith claims in CA allow punitive damages, which are designed to cost the insurer mucho bucks for treating their customers badly. State laws can vary, but I have found most states have similar laws. Do not sign any releases, or agree to anything until you are satisfied.
Also, you can report them to the department of insurance in your state.
Since your lienholder never got a certified letter, and you never did either, sounds like you have a "bad faith" claim. I would look for an attorney which will take the case based on a percentage of settlement, so you don't have to pay for the attorney out of pocke. He will only take a cut of the settlement, when the settlement is reached and paid in full. Bad faith claims in CA allow punitive damages, which are designed to cost the insurer mucho bucks for treating their customers badly. State laws can vary, but I have found most states have similar laws. Do not sign any releases, or agree to anything until you are satisfied.
Also, you can report them to the department of insurance in your state.