I Asked the Executive Vice President the Following Questions...
Written: Jul 25 '04
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Customer Service: |
 |
|
| Web Site Experience: |
 |
|
| Web Site Load Time: |
|
|
| Price Confidence: |
 |
|
|
Pros: They are better than many other insurance companies.
Cons: Service like this at any price is not worth the money.
The Bottom Line: Not happy at all
|
|
|
| Schlamozzel's Full Review: AMICA - Auto |
Hi there,
Schlamozzel here with a review that truly breaks my heart to have to write. This has very little to do with Slumlord Brand (TM) business. But there is a connection here I'll elaborate upon later.
The Questions
(Note: This is a direct quote. Due to the nature of my unimaginable frustration I'll ask for some latitude here folks.)
"When the hell did you people become an obtuse corporation? What the hell are you people doing down there?"
As you may recall, "Mrs. Schlamozzel was involved in a motor vehicle accident. She was rear ended in her new 2004 Volvo XC70 Cross Country. (See the "Epinion" entitled, It Saved The Most Important Thing") Although the vehicle does not show much for physical damage, "Mrs. Schlamozzel" does.
So we called Amica Insurance to report the accident. They sent out an "appraiser" to look at the vehicle. At the time of the appraiser's visit, "Mrs. Schlamozzel" told the fellow (a contract appraiser, not an Amica employee) all of what she knew was wrong with the car. The car would not drive straight anymore. The car has problems with an unexplained "squeaking" sound when going over bumps now. There is now a door issue. Riding in the car it doesn't "feel right". After having driven it 7,000 miles before the accident took place I guess she would know these things. The fellow took pictures and left.
3 days later the appraisal comes with a check. The appraisal only accounted for a rear bumper cover.
Some Background History Here
The vehicle that struck "Mrs. Schlamozzel" was approx. 3,000 pounds. It left 18 feet of skid marks in the road before making contact. This tells us that the vehicle's approximate velocity at the point of impact had to be about 35 miles per hour. (conservative estimation) All of this was photographically documented. All of this was given to the appraiser.
Now I'll say this again. The appraiser only wrote to replace a bumper cover. The IDIOT never documented 1 damned thing "Mrs. Schlamozzel" reported. (Sorry, a little frustrated here) So I called Amica. (Again, this is quoting and you'll see some more frustration evidenced in my language)
"Okay, so this guy leaves 18 feet of skid marks in the road before making contact and your appraiser only writes for a bumper cover???"
"Well sir this is a certified appraiser and I'm sure you aren't so..."
"Well after 10 years in the fire service lady I THINK I KNOW A WRECKED CAR WHEN I SEE ONE. Now get someone out here to properly assess this vehicle before it completely blows to (expletave)! The last time we had a rear end accident we started out with a $700.00 claim with you people. $7,000.00 later a 6 year old car that originally sold for a $16,000.00 sticker price and SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALED TO BEGIN WITH WAS NOT! I'M NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN TO A $42,000.00 AUTOMOBILE."
So Amica sends out another appraiser. This time one of their own. (I'm as impressed as I would be if I met a maple leaf) The second appraisal report comes in. This one is for roughly $100.00 more to adjust for frame measuring and a 4 wheel alignment. By this time I know in my heart that I will soon die of a cerebral hemmorage. None of the other "issues" "Mrs. Schlamozzel" continuously reports have been addressed. But she gets the name of a repair shop from the dealership. (This is another blistering "Epinion" waiting to happen folks) I get the car to them. The repairs are "completed" (yeah right, in a rat's hole) and bring the car home to "Mrs. Schlamozzel".
The car is still fighting to stay on the road. The squeaky noise is still there. The door is still a problem. As a matter of fact, it is more of a problem than before. This goes on for another couple of weeks until a friend looks over the repair job. It is so bad that the rear hatch door is rubbing against the bumper and had worn through the paint to the bare fiberglass. There is no indication the frame alignment was ever checked.
I call Amica back who promptly informs me that if there is an issue with a repair shop that is my problem not theirs. So I furiously look through the paperwork. Then it becomes apparent as to why the frame measurement wasn't done. The appraiser didn't write for it. Now I'm not only (expletave), but I'm (expletave expletave)! I call back and try to get to a supervisor. Now the dance begins.
"Oh just give me your claim number and I'll help you."
"You can help me by putting this call through to a supervisor."
"Well I can't help you if I don't know what this is about."
"I'm not interested in talking about this with any more of you claims representatives. It is my business to speak with a supervisor, NOW.
"Well I'm trying to understand what the problem is sir and can't help you unless you..."
"Put me through to an (expletave) supervisor you (expletave expletave) moron. That is how you can help me with my call! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE (EXPLETAVE) WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY (EXPLETAVE) MOUTH YOU STUPID (EXPLETAVE) IDIOT?"
What the "Supervisor" did...
... amounted to sending the same appraisal idiot to another auto body shop with me. This time this shop put the car on a laser operated alignment rack. Again I stress the frame "concern" is not the only problem. The car is pulling to the RIGHT now. Originally it was pulling left. There was an alignment done. Now it is pulling right.
"Well let's get it up on the rack and we'll see if there is a problem", said the full of himself dolt.
After an hour and a half the results were in. The car had no areas that were "off beyond factory tollerance". This does not mean nothing is wrong. It means that of the misaligned members, none were misaligned far enough for them to consider the car "damaged". (By now that stress induced cerebral hemmorage is looking mighty good to me)
"Well what about the car going to the right?", I asked, mistakenly expecting these people would actually do something.
"Well the auto repair shop has agreed to fix whatever is wrong. If the car is off then the wheel alignment rack is probably out of calibration."
This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If that were true, EVERY CAR THEY HAD ALIGNED WOULD BE COMING BACK FOR ADJUSTMENT!
"And what about the damned squeaking noise? You still haven't assessed the car for the damned squeaking!"
"Oh the repair shop will take care of that."
The repair shop
I'll make this short and sweet because a detailed "Epinion" is being crafted as we speak. After this fine quality re-repair I had a choice. "Take what you got or "F*** y**, sue me!" is what I was told.
I called the Amica "adjuster" (Stuart Carter is his name) and told him the auto dealership itself has determined that there is a problem with the tires. That is the cause of the car pulling. I was informed by him that Amica would not replace the tires, since there was no evidence that an accident of this nature would damage the tires. I hung up the phone and stormed out of my house. I filed the suit against the repair shop as soon as I got to the courthouse.
I immediately called Amica back from inside the court building. I dialed 1 800 992 6422. This time I get the Executive Vice President's office.
"Well Mr. DiMuccio is not in right now he is in a meeting may I take a message and have him..."
"No! Find him. If he is in a meeting PULL HIM OUT OF IT."
"Well if I know what this is in regards..."
"Madam, you've got one awfully (expletave) off customer here who is about to cancel every policy. Lets do less talking and more FINDING of this DiMuccio fellow and I mean do it right now!"
I won't go into our whole conversation. But this tidbit will give you a flavor of why I call them "obtuse".
"Mr. DiMuccio instead of worrying about my wife who was indeed injured I'm chasing my (backside) over glass and plastic and metal. My spouse of 15 years who is flesh and blood and bone is in need of 2 rounds of surgery at least. But I have to (expletave) around with insurance adjusters over an inanimate object instead of focusing my concern on her."
After some other useless and otherwise non-productive conversation DiMuccio says, "So is your wife injured at all?"
"What the hell are you people doing down there? Have you listened to one (expletave) word I have said? When the hell did you people become an obtuse corporation?"
I was assurred the problem would be looked into immediately. I was assurred to have a return call by 12:00 noon Eastern Daylight Time.
At nearly 1:00 pm guess who calles me. The same sr. claims rep that apparently couldn't find his butt with two hands and a flashlight. His story, the insurance company has done everything it is required to do. If I want I can appeal the decision through an "arbitration" type process.
Now I'm completely (expletave)! After 9 repeat calls to DiMuccio's office he finally calls me back. I told him give me 10 minutes of his time. Name the place and time and day, I'll be there with the car. He can have his experts ride with him. He can drive the car himself. I'll ride in the back cargo area to be sure he feels safe and no ills would befall him. Alas, he refused.
What Actions I have taken
Effective immediately all tenants are no longer being given Amica's number for their renters insurance.
I have initiated a search for a new insurance agency for our homeowners policy and automobile insurance as well.
I don't care that Amica gives you a "dividend" check which is nothing more than a kick back of some of your own money. I don't care about their "A.M. Best" rating. I couldn't give a fiddler's fart about J.D. Powers and Associates giving them a thumbs up. All of that means absolutely nothing when you are on the phone and getting a blood pressure reading the size of the gross national product.
I'll update as soon as the arbitration takes place. This should be good!
Cheers,
Schlamozzel
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Schlamozzel
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Member: Jeff B
Location: Elsewhere
Reviews written: 156
Trusted by: 96 members
About Me:
Hi there Ron C you internet-stalking, woman-beating whale dung! Have your friends come read THIS!
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.