State Harm Is There!!

12/5/12               State the Facts and do no Harm State Farm.

 

So I just heard the jingle from the State Farm Commercial, “That like a good neighbor Start Farm is there”. And I just had the worst experience ever with them. So my take on that song is, “Is Like a bad Neighbor Start Harm is not there…..”   They have a horrible billing and customer service system. Basically it went down like this. I bought a new car last month and In order for my insurance to go right into effect while I was still at the dealer I had to sign up with auto pay where a certain amount was deducted from my checking account per month. The amount was only for $87.00  If I had not signed up for auto pay I  would have had to pay double the amount of  $161.00 even though I was a previous customer. Well I wanted to save the extra eighty dollars so I agreed, thinking I would just cancel auto pay the following month. I do not like to have things taken out of my account because it is too hard to keep track of it. I like to pay my bills on line or over the phone when they are due, that way I can keep track of it and keep in control. So this new month rolls around and I called STFM and the snippy customer service rep on the line said, “yes, I could cancel auto pay but I would still have to pay double". The double amount was still going to be for $161.00.  I said that’s bull pucky for I just paid a months dues the previous month. It was not like I was behind on my payments. So I sent a check for $81.00 in, thinking it would just suffice.  Well I got a call stating that I was up for cancelation because I only sent it the $81.00 amount. So I said, Ok OK, I will send another $80.00 to cover the complete amount of $161.00 since my $81.00 check cleared. And this is where State Farm was not there. She said, " No way, that my check will be sent back and that I needed to pay the $161.00 right then and there because I was in some kind of cancelation mode status". I said no way! You already have this months dues of $81.00. I will only pay $80.00 which would equal the $161.00 and she said that my check will be sent back regardless and that $80.00 will not do. And on and on she went being rude and uncompromising so I hung up on her. She treated me very badly and I did not get what I wanted. I then called another State Farm agency and he said he would check. He then called me back and said the same thing. (I know he checked with her) that I needed to make the whole entire amount $161.00 even though they had $81.00 of it all ready cashed and sitting on the account. So out of complete fear and desperation of being canceled I sent them $161.00. This neighbor now felt angry, and fearful. Then the following Tuesday the day before cancelation, another rep called me and said, that she could take my payment of $80.00 over the phone. I said WHAT!!!??  You mean this could have been taken care of on the following week and now you’re saying I can do this?! I said it was too late. I already mailed in the $161.00 and it would bounce if I paid her another $80.00 over the phone. I did not know if the check had cleared or not.  She said if it did not post in time I would be a few days without coverage. Well, as of this writing it has not posted as cleared from my account on the cancelation day of today. So I guess I do not have coverage. Yes, State Farm is there to take all your money and leave you without coverage. So I wrote the California State Insurance Department and filed a complaint. I am not sure I know what else to do since Start Farm is there to keep my money hostage. I cannot cancel my check nor can I get it back. So I guess they will keep my $161. Plus my $81.00. State Farm is there like a greedy neighbor! They now have $242. Of my money and I have no coverage. State farm can keep the buffalo away from my car but not rude customer service reps who take revenge on you by complicating your life. All she had to do was take my payment over the phone a week ago and we’d all be happy neighbors. Instead she got bitchy and took my money as hostage. So people State Harm is there to do you wrong! UPDATE: 1/11/13 So my $161. 00 cleared on the same day I got my $81.00 back in the mail. I was cancelled for 3 days. Thank God no fender benders. The next day I got another bill for $81.00 due the same day. I let it go and now I owe $164.00. So I slipped it in their front office mail slot because of all days, it is due on the 13th which is a Sunday. What they do not know is I am canceling them in April when my 6 month is up and going to another Insurance company that will give me more in coverage and less in monthy installments. Trust me, at this point if State Farm were my neighbor, I would move~! I am also going to persue action from the State Insurance Board in April. I will let you all know the outcome.