Geico Complaint - Lack of long time customer loyalty - vehicle insurance

vehicle insurance - Complaint

Review by sofreemosomo23 on 2011-09-18

I have been with Geico about 17 yrs. have had 2 speeding tickets back in the early '90s, have never been in an accident that I caused, never any DUIs. Last November my car wasn't running well so I decided to park it and called Geico, the representative told me that I could put my status as "inactive" as I did not want to cancel but intended to re-activate my coverage later. As I told the representative I did not want to lose my longevity with Geico...she assured me that as long as I re-activated my insurance withing 6 mos. that I would not be considered cancelled, merely, in-active. In April, thankfully, my car was ok mechanically enough to drive it again so I called Geico. This time I was told that my car insurance had been cancelled and a new policy (the same type of policy as before) was going to cost me quite a bit more per year. I really had to press the issue that I had not cancelled, to no avail, and it took some questioning about why the increase with my good driving record and my vehicle being parked in a well lit area with surveilance cameras. How could it go up in just a matter of a few months..finally the representative said that it was because I lived in a tornado area. I live in the mid-west...she said that since they had had to pay out for so many damages to others it raised the rates for everyone. I needed my insurance so I reluctantly,'opened' a new policy with Geico over the phone, with a one-time auto-pay from my checking acct. My coverage is paid to October 6th, but they sent me a payment due in August...if I initially, paid the total amount due I would still have to pay a $5.00 installment charge. I decided to not pay until the amount is due in Oct., pay the full 6 mos. amount minus the $5.00 installment charge..as it will be the full amount due not an installment. I fully intend to change my car insurance company from Geico...I don't know what happened to the customer friendly, great company Geico used to be and the once great experience I had (for 17 years). That is obviously gone, and I need to accept it and hopefully, find a new company to have better car insurance coverage/experience than the shaft that Geico has given a long time customer of good standing...