The customer whose vehicle was the subject of a recent story on BodyShopBusiness.com has spoken out on her experience with her insurer, State Farm.
In an email dated March 14th to media members and State Farm executives, “Erin” spoke of the disappointment, pain and frustration with the claims process after she received what she felt were substandard repairs at a State Farm Select Service shop, then took it to Ascue’s Auto Body & Paint Shop in Charleston, South Carolina for an inspection.
“I am very disappointed as a customer and claimant with State Farm that my car has spent more time in a shop than in my own driveway,” Erin said.
She explained that her husband was driving their car last fall just five days after purchase and with less than 500 miles on the odometer when a State Farm customer rear ended him. They took their car to a Select Service shop, and the car remained at the shop for a month. She picked the car up, assuming it was “like new” or the way it was prior to the accident, and had it evaluated by Ascue’s.
“The [expert/appraiser] pointed out the worst possible problem just from a quick glance at its exterior surfaces,” said Erin.
According to Erin, Ascue’s wrote their own estimate and State Farm sent out an adjuster who arrived with the owner and three technicians from the original shop. All agreed on the findings of Ascue’s, and the State Farm adjuster offered less than 15 percent of the estimate to Ascue’s.
“Not even to include the repair that would, at minimum, straighten my bent frame to what is within safe parameters to drive myself and my children around in,” said Erin.
“This entire debacle has gone on for six months. I have lost time and endured stress trying to resolve and manage the punches being thrown at me with regard to my car that which, to no fault of my own, was damaged by your State Farm client. I am so dissatisfied with State Farm that I will be dropping all of my coverage with State Farm as quickly as I can get it done. I have every instance of insurance you can get with State Farm as it applies, as does my entire family, since I was born. You can bet they already know, and they will follow my lead after this debacle you have put me through, not just as a claimant, but also as your very own customer.
“Why pay more when it means nothing to be with the so-called brand name ‘State Farm’? This week, I will blast this debacle on my own social media (personal business) page in which I have over 1,000 national followers; add another 450 of my friends and family on my personal page. I have already shared the woes of this debacle throughout my professional environment; that which, is one of precedence, here in the low country.”
Erin closed her email by saying she would file suit against the State Farm defendant in this incident’s claim and against the Select Service shop within the week if there was no resolution within 72 hours.
