State Farm Insurance Claims Consumer Reviews - Page 2

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA -- I had two water damage claims in my home. One in Sept. 2008, then another in April of 2009. Water pipes leaked in the walls. The adjuster never even showed up to view the damage. Called the morning of the scheduled appointment and asked me to email him photos of the damage that it could be handled over the phone. I did. Living in a rural area it was hard finding a contractor to even come for an estimate.

Finally found one. He sent me an estimate and shortly after went out of business. I was back at square one. Then the second claim happened. It took the State Farm adjuster 3 weeks to even come to look at the damage. Good thing my house hadn't burned to the ground. He was in and out so fast, he didn't even get all the details. Tried to show him the first claim, he wouldn't look at it. This was the same adjuster. I have spent another 4 months trying to locate a contractor.

State Farm has their own premium contractors. The nearest one to me was almost 2 hours away. No one wants to come to a rural area for what they consider a small job. Finally I had two that actually showed and gave me estimates. Now State farm is REFUSING to pay for the difference in the repairs, from the first guy who obviously under estimated the job, comparing his to the two other estimates I received. How can they refuse anything when their own adjuster NEVER came to view the first damage claim.

They never measured, never came to even look at the damage. I am a professional photographer. I took the photos and sent them per the adjusters request. I have spent too many hours, days, months and now almost a year trying to get this company to pay. Take some advice... their slogan.. Like a good neighbor State Farm is there. With neighbors like this... who needs them.

BLOOMINGTON, IL, ILLINOIS -- I'm older and have been told I'm an insurance company's dream client: a high FICO score and a virtual claim-free past (one previous loss in 30 years). It the following can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. In March, I experienced a sewage back up in my home that cost $70,000 to repair. The SF policy coverage provided a maximum benefit of just $10,000. That, however, is not at issue - I knew that from the outset and accepted it. I attempted to contact my agent to discuss how to proceed, but she failed to call me back for nearly four weeks due to (quote) "personal issues."

Ultimately, the SF claims representative sent me a check for $10,000. When I finally reached my agent, however, she told me that SF would cancel me if I cashed the check. Not wanting to be canceled and left without insurance, I held on to the check and sought other coverage over the course of several months. (During this period, the company called me several times, trying to force me to make a decision to send the check back or cash it.)

I finally found alternative coverage with a good company and wrote my agent several emails asking her to cancel my SF policy. It took her nearly two weeks even to reply to my communications. (Note that the second company insured me knowing about my loss experience and I'm paying an annual fee equivalent to what I was paying - thus, so much for SF's claims of customer loyalty and support.) I finally wrote the SF president Edw. Rust a letter detailing my experiences. I subsequently received calls from not one but three SF representatives, all bent on justifying the company's actions and trying (obviously) to limit the PR damage.

One called me back even after I left her an explicit message saying there was nothing to discuss. So... if you want to receive poor customer service from your agent and you want your company to cancel you after you experience two claims (that were not due to your actions or inactions AND you rectified the source of the problem at your own cost), go with State Farm. Otherwise, run in the other direction.

MICHIGAN -- This information is EXTREMELY condensed to share the jist of our problems, and to avoid using names, and too many details. On Jan. 15 2009 the engine of our car caught fire. As of today 9.21.2009 our car still has not been fixed, and has been sitting in a repair shop for the last 30 days because it's undrivable. The jist of our problems include State Farm using parts from a junk yard to effect repair of our little $5,000 family car.

The car has not run properly since the day it was returned to us by the first mechanic, and two dealership mechanics have not been able to resolve the issue, and keep telling us the damage is not a result of the fire, and sending us a bill. When it was State Farms decision to make the initial repairs. In spite of my protest State Farm went ahead with repairs, and since I've gotten the car back it has been returned to the original mechanic 4 times.

It's been to a Second dealership mechanic to replace the PCM, where it was diagnosed by a Ford Dealership with a drivability issue, but the second mechanic stated the car ran fine, and returned the vehicle to us. When the car was returned to us. We were told it was "FIXED" which was a lie. The car stalls, it did not shift gears properly, and it fails to start in cold weather.

On the 4th return visit, the mechanic said he was sick of dealing with us, and that our piece of junk car was not working properly due to lack of maintenance. not fire damage. I strongly recommend people avoid using State Farm Insurance, because IF you should ever have to file a claim. You will not have a say in how the car is repaired, or replaces. You will not have a say in what parts are used, and no one from the company will give a crap when it all falls apart, and your stuck walking to work after paying 5,000 cash for a car that is now worthless 1 year after buying it. And if there is ANY one able to offer suggestions on how I can fight this company please contact me.

SPRINGFIELD, NEW JERSEY -- This remark about State Farm dates back to 1999. I had an accident on black ice, while driving to work on Interstate 78 West in NJ, around Springfield, NJ. I was going at the lowest speed possible--under 10 mph, and everyone else was as well, since the road was very slippery (the state trooper told me later that the road should have been closed). Someone in front of me put on his brakes and I tapped mine slightly, then completely lost control of the car and slid around in a 180 degree turn, and was hit by an oncoming tractor trailer sliding down the hill. I was hit so hard that I hit my head against the driver's window.

I don't remember much about it because I think I passed out. I came to to find the car resting against the divider. I had done a 360 degree spin and my Dodge Stratus had been hit very hard, but I walked away without a scratch, incredibly. However, my car had terrible damage--over $12,000 worth, and it should have been totaled as it was only worth $10,000. It was repaired but I had to take it back again and again. First, the inspector did not notice the gas pedal was broken--very loose. I was the one who picked up on that. Then I started having leaks. The front passenger side of the car would fill up with water when it rained.

I finally got someone who found that the body seams of the car were falling apart--literally coming apart, from the impact of that crash with the tractor trailer. I was, by the way, found entirely at fault by State Farm although I WAS NOT CITED by the state trooper, nor was the truck driver who hit me. I ended up trading in that car for another one. State Farm charged me a surcharge of 40% for an accident that was totally unavoidable--my only fault was being there in the first place, but I was trying to be a good employee and get to work in Jersey City, NJ.

Later on, I contacted an attorney about what had happened and he had formerly taken a case to court against State Farm and won. Apparently they have a history of terrible coverage and customer service practices, not to mention coverage when you have repairs after an accident. I would never again use State Farm.

ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA -- Hit a deer on the way to work one morning. Called State Farm agent to see what next step is. He referred me to a local body shop that is part of their repair program. I went to shop, they gave me a rental car, and said they would take care of the rest. State Farm paid for the rental, and all the repairs on my car. $2800 in damages to the right front corner.

Everything was taken care of, and I paid my deductible of $250 to the shop when it was done. Shop even cleaned up the car, and did a detail on it, and said that it is part of their agreement with State Farm. The "team" that helped me on my claim was pretty quick in answering questions, and called me back within minutes of leaving a voicemail with a question about who I pay the deductible to. Really, no issues at all. Heck, my car looks better now than it did before the accident.

Long story short - Snow knocked down part of my fence and I put in a claim. Since part of my fence was already leaning over and broken out of the ground, the wind took down the rest of the fence within a week due to support was gone. I called and told them and they were more than happy to open a new claim for the second part of the fence. Turns out, they drop you for 2 claims. If I knew this then, I would of never let the claim representative make it into 2 claims. Now, I am not being renewed and the quotes I'm getting because of the 2 claims on my record are more than twice what I was paying. THANK YOU STATE FARM.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI -- I have been a customer of STATE FARM for 32 YEARS, having had multiple policies for home, boat, several autos, etc. In that time, WE HAVE NEVER MADE A CLAIM ON ANY POLICY UNTIL THIS YEAR WHEN WE HAD A BURGLARY OF OUR HOME! Our claim was processed and paid - and then immediately following we received an INCREASE OF 25% in our homeowner's insurance premium.

It is fraudulent to allow the consumer to believe they are paying to be insured when in reality the company intends to get its money back from the customer should State Farm EVER have to pay money out on a claim. The idea of insurance is to share the risk of losses occurring - STATE FARM TRANSFERS ALL RISK TO THE CONSUMER!

We received damage to our home due to a terrible storm three weeks ago and we are still waiting for the claims agent to tell us what we need to do, what papers need to be filled out, etc. We at least have a claims number but we get no response when trying to contact the insurance company. I don't know how they stay in business with such poor service. If they are really busy and can't get to us, all they need to do is let us know. Having no communication is what is frustrating. It's time to look elsewhere.

My car was hit by a State Farm insured and I was turned over to a State Farm claims adjuster after having to make 2 calls to the agent of the insurer. Since I was told that I could either take my vehicle to one of State Farm approved shop or get one of their adjusters to look at my vehicle, s damage, I opted to have an adjuster to look at my vehicle.

Prior to the adjuster showing up at my home I took my vehicle to one of State Farm approved shop for a separate estimate of damages. When the adjuster showed up to look at my vehicle I had to end up showing him the estimate from the shop of their choice because he could not understand why their estimate were different. The adjuster then stated to me, that "Black was Black and White was white in his book and he would not pay for tint in an estimate.

When I called the Claims adjusters supervisor and stated the problem to her, she got very rude and said, I could take my vehicle to a shop to get it repaired and they could consider a supplemental claim but not necessarily pay for tint to paint my car back to the way it was. I asked for another adjuster of their choice to re-examine my vehicle since I felt that the first adjuster apparently must have been new or just didn't know what they were doing and I was told their estimate was final that if I didn't like it.. Well it was too bad because there was nothing I could do about it.