If I could recommend a company to NEVER use, it’s Safeco, a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual. Their rates are cheap, but their service is absolute shit. We’ve had them for the past 9 years or so, never made a claim, until three weeks ago. Someone backed into my wife’s car while we were parked as a restaurant at the beach. Called my agent Monday and told him about it, he called and said I had to call and file the claim, he couldn’t. I said, ‘isn’t that what I pay you for?’, and he agreed, but still, I had to do it. So I call, they send me to a body shop to get an estimate. Get the estimate and send it to the insurance company. $1425. Well then they ask for pictures of the car. I send them and they email me with an estimate for ~$550 and say they won’t pay any more than that. We go back and forth and they tell me I’d have to pay the difference, I call their BS on it, etc. Three days later, still a pissing match. Mind you, they have never sent anyone to look at my car.
Finally, after 3 days, they email and tell me to schedule my repairs with the shop (that they sent me to), then send me a check for the lower amount. I call and talk to the estimator in CA, and he says they are only paying the $550, despite the shop saying it is more. 3 more days of round and round with me emailing the body shop, adjuster, claims person, and my agent. I politely express my displeasure, to no avail.
So finally, after two weeks of having nothing else work and our vehicle still damaged, I have a local attorney send a message to all of them, on letterhead, requesting their names, official titles, and service addresses for subpoenas. Within 5 hours I have a call from another local shop and multiple emails, saying that my repair is approved for what the new shop says it will cost ($1195), and I have a date to drop it off. I called my agent and told him that, once this is over, I expect to be switched to a new carrier or I will find a new agent. He assured me they were trying to get away from Safeco, however, we will see in time what gets done.
End rant.
Finally, after 3 days, they email and tell me to schedule my repairs with the shop (that they sent me to), then send me a check for the lower amount. I call and talk to the estimator in CA, and he says they are only paying the $550, despite the shop saying it is more. 3 more days of round and round with me emailing the body shop, adjuster, claims person, and my agent. I politely express my displeasure, to no avail.
So finally, after two weeks of having nothing else work and our vehicle still damaged, I have a local attorney send a message to all of them, on letterhead, requesting their names, official titles, and service addresses for subpoenas. Within 5 hours I have a call from another local shop and multiple emails, saying that my repair is approved for what the new shop says it will cost ($1195), and I have a date to drop it off. I called my agent and told him that, once this is over, I expect to be switched to a new carrier or I will find a new agent. He assured me they were trying to get away from Safeco, however, we will see in time what gets done.
End rant.
2010 Dodge Ram 1500
2019 Ford Mustang
2019 Ford Mustang