Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Wawanesa Insurance's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 62 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 18 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/19/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am writing to address an urgent matter regarding an unauthorized charge of $379 that was debited from my account despite my prior cancellation of the policy. I had already informed your company of the cancellation via email, but it appears that this was overlooked.This unexpected withdrawal has left me unable to cover an upcoming transaction of $2,100 with *************. If this transaction fails, it will place me in a difficult financial situation, and I will hold your company responsible for any resulting consequences.Please prioritize this issue and process the refund immediately. Additionally, I request confirmation that my policy has been fully canceled to avoid further complications. If this matter is not resolved promptly, I will be forced to escalate the issue and take legal action to address the financial impact caused by your companys mistake.I trust this matter will be handled with the urgency it requires, and I look forward to your prompt response.?Business Response
Date: 11/20/2024
Please be advised that complaint ID ******** is for a Canadian policy/claim. We are unable to access any Canada policies/claims and the complaint has been forwarded to the Canada branch for handlingCustomer Answer
Date: 11/20/2024
Better Business Bureau:
Dear Hana,
Thank you for your prompt response and clarification regarding the role of brokers in handling Wawanesa policies.
I understand that Wawanesa operates through a broker distribution model and that policy changes must be handled by my broker at BrokerLink. However, I believe that the charges and refund issues are significant, and I want to ensure they are addressed promptly.
Could you please provide direct assistance in connecting me with the appropriate representative at **********? Additionally, I would appreciate it if you could confirm the exact steps I need to take to expedite this process.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Best regards,
Regards,
****** ********
Initial Complaint
Date:12/05/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I got insurance with wawanesa through a broker for an audi 2007. I was asked to bring a mechanic inspection paper which I couldn't get because my car failed inspection. 15 days with insurance I cancelled and I had asked my broker ******************************* if I would be charged and what it would come out to. She never responded to Mt emails or to my calls. I was then charged 498$ on November 27th 2023 which is the payment they would take the first month ad a double payment.I will give them time to respond or I will filr a chargebackBusiness Response
Date: 12/06/2023
COMPLAINT ID ******** has been forwarded to our office in ****** for handling. The U.S. Branch does not have access to any claims or policies for ******.Initial Complaint
Date:09/24/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My car was stolen from me last year in the month of May. The car is a 2016 ***** ** ******* and my insurance is Wawanesa of *** *****. I am in the middle of an insurance claim and with history of wrongful actions based on Wawanesa I am making this report today asking for help in the completion of my claim. My claim # is *******. I have reports with DMV Investigations of *** ***** ** that investigated and deemed my car to be stolen along with a fraudulent lien sale of the vehicle. I am actively making all payments since the theft of my vehicle and in no way have possession. My car was fully insured at the time of the theft and in no way do they have reason to decline my claim. I have gone to *** ******* Police Department, Department of Justice and POST (Peace Officers Standards & Training) as well as the FBI. The FBI told me my vehicle is either in ****** or cut up in a million pieces verbatim. I bought this vehicle directly from ***** as a certified pre owned vehicle and have only had it serviced at Lexus. This is very expensive, in total roughly $****** - $****** of my money has gone into this vehicle and I have all receipts and invoices regarding. Wawanesa has once denied one of my claims prior and I am asking BBB for help to hold this insurance company to their obligations as I have all necessary documentation for a rightful claim. The police has had me mail an official demand letter via certified mail I have done so. My policy number on the vehicle is ******** my vin # on the vehicle is ***************** my license plate # is ******* the ********** DMV has put a block on the title of my car from being transferred until I get the return of my vehicle. I am very tired of being a discretion of this multi million dollar insurance company and have every right to file a claim with BBB as such. Again to shorten things my car was stolen & insured, it has been reported and investigated with law enforcement. I am in the middle of and insurance claim. My name, **** *****.Business Response
Date: 09/29/2023
Dear **** *****,
We are in receipt of your inquiry submitted to the Better Business Bureau regarding the above
referenced claim. They have requested we respond to you directly.
We have reviewed the matter in its entirety. Questions arose during our efforts to substantiate the
claim that we are required, by regulations, to refer to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). A
review of the investigation to date indicates that the investigation is compliant with the
regulations. While we understand that you may not agree with lines of inquiry and feel that the
questions are only related to you personally, we can assure you that the questions are relevant.
We are required to conduct a thorough investigation; these questions are both reasonable and
necessary to complete a thorough investigation. Please note we may request additional records
and follow-up interviews with you, or other witnesses as needed as additional information
becomes available. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to resolving this matter as
soon as possible but can only do so once the required investigation is completed.
We apologize for any frustration you experienced during the handling of your claim and thank
you for the opportunity to respond to your inquiry. If you have any questions or wish to discuss
this matter further in the meantime, please feel free to contact me at the number listed below.
Sincerely,
WAWANESA GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANYBusiness Response
Date: 10/06/2023
We received your follow-up correspondence, dated September 29, 2023.
As we’ve previously explained, we are required by statutes and regulations in the State of
********** to investigate and substantiate any claim that is submitted for reimbursement. These
regulations were put in place to protect the interests of all of our policyholders and the public in
general.
While we understand that Mr. ***** may see this as an unfair process, we are doing what we are
required to do to fully substantiate the facts of the claim. Our investigation is still pending so we
have not yet made a decision on this claim, however, we are in regular communication with Mr.
***** to move our investigation towards completion.
We are unable to provide further details regarding the claim in this forum, but again, have been in
regular communication with Mr. ***** as to the status of our investigation and working towards
completion.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter further in the meantime, please feel free
to contact me at the number listed below.
Sincerely,
WAWANESA GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANYCustomer Answer
Date: 10/19/2023
I’ve never stated anything was unfair, I’ve answered all questions and given all documents as requested. Thank you all for your time. I am still current on my payments of this vehicle to this day. As you can see the attached document this has already been investigated by Law Enforcement and they determined my cat was stolen along with a fraudulent lien sale of the vehicle. Both of these crimes are against the law and I am the registered owner of this vehicle without possession. Best RegardsInitial Complaint
Date:08/12/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have an auto policy with Wawanesa. I filed a claim for an accident in May 2023, which has not been paid out yet and I have not been able to get my vehicle fixed because: Wawanesa adjuster ***** ****** would not allow me to choose my own body shop for repair. I was told on June 5 that an assignment could not be set up at *** since I was choosing an auto body shop that was out of their network. Wawanesa told *** on June 21 that they would not approve any supplements submitted for repairs and then told the body shop not to fix my car. On June 22 I was also told by *** that Wawanesa would not pay for certain repairs. Therefore, the amount that Wawanesa is willing to pay is not sufficient to cover the cost of the repairs. My cost of repairs totals $********. Wawanesa is only willing to pay $********. Applicable Law: ********** Insurance Code §758.5 states that: "If the vehicle is repaired in a shop chosen by the consumer, then the insurance company must pay the reasonable costs to repair the vehicle made in accordance with accepted trade standards for good and workmanlike automotive repairs." "The insurance company is prohibited from limiting or discounting reasonable repair costs based on charges that would have occurred if the vehicle had been repaired at the company’s recommended repair shop. Also, the insurance company must stand behind the repairs of the recommended shop if the vehicle is not repaired properly." (e) No insurer shall: (1) require that an automobile be repaired at a specific repair shop; or, (2) after a claimant has chosen an automotive repair shop, suggest or recommend that the claimant select a different repair shop, except as permitted by ********** Insurance Code section 758.5.Business Response
Date: 08/18/2023
We are in receipt of your letter dated August 12, 2023. The Customer’s Statement of the Problem
was attached.
The consumer filed a complaint citing “repair issues” due to a disagreement on the cost to repair
her vehicle, which was damaged in a November 28, 2021, accident.
When the consumer filed the claim, she chose her own body shop to do the repairs. We set up a
field inspection, spoke to her chosen shop, and advised them our appraiser was coming out to the
shop to inspect the vehicle. The shop mistakenly thought they were a part of our preferred network
of shops and wanted us to use their system to send them an assignment so they could write an
estimate, but we advised them we were not set up to send the assignment through their system and
we would need to send out an appraiser to inspect the vehicle. The shop sent us their estimate and
we wrote our own estimate after the appraiser inspected your vehicle. There were some differences
between the two estimates that we worked out with this shop, and they agreed to handle the repairs
to the consumer’s vehicle.
Our adjuster emailed the shop with a copy of the original estimate, and we issued a payment to the
consumer. In that email, the adjuster advised the shop to follow the instructions on the top of the
estimate for any supplements that might arise. The consumer informed us that they did not want to
accept a payment from us and so we voided the initial check, and we called the body shop to inform
them. They said they would contact the consumer to discuss the estimate and the repairs more in
depth with her.
Recently, the consumer submitted another estimate to us from her shop of choice, we have reviewed
it and there are some differences which we have outlined in a letter to the consumer dated August
17, 2023. Please note we have confirmed that the consumer’s shop has agreed with the estimate
amount of $******** which covers all known visible damage to the insured vehicle at this time.
Should there be any unknown damage or part price increases during the process of repair, any additional costs will be addressed as a supplement during the repair process.
We have issued a payment to the consumer today in the amount of $*******, which is less their
$****** deductible, and mailed it to the consumer’s address.
Thank you for the opportunity to review this matter. We are sincerely sorry that we were unable to
meet the expectations of the consumer on this claim.
Should you have any questions relative to this matter, please contact the undersigned at ***** **** ****, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may also email
me at: ***********************
Sincerely,
WAWANESA GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANYBusiness Response
Date: 08/25/2023
We are in receipt of your letter, dated August 19, 2023, wherein we were informed of the customer’s
follow up inquiry to your office regarding the above-captioned claim.
The customer spoke to a claims supervisor on August 24, 2023. We discussed her concerns
regarding the miscommunication between her body shop of choice and Wawanesa. We have
clarified these misunderstandings on multiple occasions.
Wawanesa’s position is that she can have her vehicle repaired at any licensed body shop that she
would like. The email from our adjuster that she is referencing is regarding the type of appraisal
assignment we could send to the body shop of choice. It does not say anything about where she
can repair her vehicle.
The customer’s body shop of choice has given her incorrect information. We never told the shop
that we would not pay for any supplements. Our initial estimate gives instructions for how the shop
can submit any needed supplements. We called the customer’s body shop of choice on June 21,
2023, to clarify with them, and they were unable to tell us whom from our office told them that
information. We are prepared to review any supplements sent by the body shop repairing the
vehicle.
Our initial check for $******* is the initial estimate to repair the vehicle. We confirmed with the
customer’s body shop on June 16, 2023, that they agreed with our rates being charged on the
estimate and the total estimate amount for the repairs of the customer’s vehicle. We confirmed
again in an email to the body shop on August 16, 2023, and August 24, 2023 that they agree with
our estimate amount, and they did agree. The shop is aware that if they find any additional damages
during the repair process, they should submit those to us for review of additional payments. We
have advised the customer that the next step in the process is for her to take her vehicle to the body shop of choice to begin the repair process. If they find additional damages after they start repairs,
they can submit supplements to us following the process outlined on the Wawanesa estimate. This
is a standard process in claims and most body shops are very familiar with it. We’ll work with any
shop the customer chooses to use for her repair.
We sincerely hope this clears up any confusion that may have transpired during the claims process.
Sincerely,
WAWANESA GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANYCustomer Answer
Date: 09/07/2023
Wawanesa has been untruthful throughout this entire claims process and I am pursuing bad faith claims in court.Initial Complaint
Date:03/02/2023
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My vehicle was stolen in ******** and I reported to Wawanesa insurance on September 5, 2022. (Claim#: *******) The car was found 2 days later with various damages to interior and exterior. Today is March 2nd, 2023 and there are still outstanding repairs due to lack of communication and professionalism of Wawanesa staff. In the past 6 months, I have called and emailed the adjustor (Victoria **** numerous times. After not getting response from her, I tried to contact her manager (*******************************) who did not bother to return calls or email back even once. This is absolutely unacceptable to ignore customers like this and not providing the services that I have been paying for all these years.Business Response
Date: 03/02/2023
Complaint ID ******** has been forwarded to our office in ****** for handling. The U.S. branch does not have access to any claims or policies for ******.Initial Complaint
Date:10/26/2022
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Literal nightmare experience, would not recommend their service to anyone. We recently bought a home and within the first month the water tank in the basement had a leak and flooded a portion of our basement. ***************** of about 50% of the basement were soaked and the water got into a couple of the walls. We submitted a claim and they sent someone to ***** the damage within a week but it's been absolute silence since then and it's been over a month now!I have a newborn baby at home, was 2 weeks old at the time is now over 6 weeks, and I was worried sick about mold starting to grow in the carpet and walls so have been forced to start repairs on my own. I ripped up the carpet, removed the underlay and rented my own dehumidifier to begin the drying process. I don't have the skills or tools to cut open the walls so that part is still left festering. My wife and I have both called Wawanesa multiple times a week and either don't get an answer or get told to deal with a remediation company on our own!? Seriously confused on what we pay them for as we've been left to fend for ourselves. We're at a loss of words for the horrific service that has potentially left my family's health and safety at risk.Business Response
Date: 10/27/2022
Good morning, please be advised that Complaint ID ******** has been forwarded to our office in ****** for handling. The US branch has no access to this claim/policy
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