A South Carolina collision repairer has written a letter to State Farm CEO Ed Rust, Jr., complaining about the wait time and lack of response from State Farm personnel on State Farm claims.
David Montanaro of Coastal Collision Works in Charleston, S.C., believes State Farm is intentionally making his customers’ claims an "administrative nightmare" because he is not on Select Service.
The letter reads as follows:
As of today’s date, we’ve been waiting 12 days on additional damage supplement approval for your policyholder/our customer. After sending numerous emails and leaving several voicemail messages for your supplements person, we still have no response. Every time my supplement coordinator inquires about how to correct the ‘no response’ problem (with not only State Farm claimants but with State Farm insured customers as well), he’s directed back to your supplements person. But the number of days it takes her to finally respond to a supplement request only increases. When we find additional damage, we typically stop repairs, document and send the pictures and/or video via email to State Farm for approval. But State Farm says they have to actually see the damage in person before they can approve it. The most ridiculous thing about this is that even though a State Farm adjuster is in our shop every other day looking at a vehicle right next to the vehicle we need a supplement approval on, they refuse to look at it without your supplement person’s approval, which is nearly impossible to get in reasonable time. What kind of customer service is that?
We’re a small business and it’s astonishing how many administrative hours we spend just trying to take care of our State Farm customers. And do you realize how this hurts your State Farm policyholders who want us to repair their vehicles? They’re becoming very educated on the way State Farm really feels about their policyholders. It also seems to me that this procedure is expensive and a complete waste of a State Farm adjuster’s time when they have to come back multiple times, instead of approving a supplement while he’s already here looking at another claim. By the way, we have all of the supporting dated emails and fax confirmations to show that State Farm is, in fact, receiving our requests.
Coastal Collision Works has a commitment to handle every damage claim that comes through our doors with integrity and speed. Our customers have come to expect the highest quality in repairs, paint and customer service from us. We actually explain to them all of the procedures during the length of time their vehicle is in our shop. Therefore, when State Farm makes you wait indefinitely for a supplement approval, our customers are informed of the details. What the customers deserve and should expect from State Farm is a quick and professional response on their claims because that’s what they think they’re paying for when they choose you to protect their vehicles. As a matter of fact, according to the State Farm website under ‘State Farm’s Commitment to Our Policyholders,’ it states, ‘State Farm promises to be consistent, act promptly, explain decisions that are made with claims and to ensure their policyholders obtain all benefits available provided by the insurance policy.’ Perhaps this commitment should be taught and instilled in each of your State Farm representatives because they’re obviously not honoring State Farm’s commitment to your policyholders.
Montanaro wrote Rust on April 23, 2013, as well to explain what he called “serious issues” concerning State Farm’s treatment of his customers’ claims.
