ComplaintsforThe General Insurance

• Initial Complaint

  02/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On October 23rd, 2021 I reported a new claim to my insurance company "The General." I received a call from an adjuster and he left a message for me. After several back and forth messages (adjuster never once answered his phone) he scheduled for someone to come out and look at the damage. The gentleman took pictures of the damage and sent them to the adjuster. The adjuster then called and spoke with me asking where I would like the repairs done. I gave him a body shop and address and he stated he would be sending me a check that I would have to sign over to the shop. After two weeks, I had not received a check. I called and left a message with the adjuster letting him know I had not received a check and asking if I had misunderstood the process. After another week of no response, I stopped into the body shop and asked if they had received a check and they stated yes, but I needed to speak to someone about the repair. One of the estimators came out and stated there was a problem with the estimate in that only half the damage was listed and the amount was going to be much more than the check. He also stated they "refuse" to work directly with this insurance company, so any further adjustments would have to be made by me and the The General. After that, I called the adjuster twice and left two e-mails with ZERO response. I then logged into my account (over a week ago) and left a customer service notification regarding the situation and stating this has now taken almost four (4) months to get resolved. Again, ZERO response. I then logged back in three days ago to state if no one responded to my complaint I would start filing complaints with the BBB and CDI. ZERO response. I decided to give them one last try today and called the customer service line. After explaining my issue, the agent stated she needed to transfer me to the claims department and sent me to an automated system where I could not get a living person on the line. FOUR MONTHS for a simple claim.

  

  Business response

  03/07/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2022/02/25) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above-referenced complaint. I have reviewed our file and offer the following response. On October 20, 2021, *************** reported this claim to Permanent General Assurance Corporation, herein PGAC, under his personal auto policy CAXXXXXXX. He reported that his 2016 **** F250 was parked and unoccupied when it was hit by an unknown driver and pushed into a pole in P*******, California on October 16, 2021. The adjuster contacted *************** on October 21, 2021, and left a message requesting a return call to provide an additional statement of the facts of the loss. The adjuster attempted to contact him again on October 22, 2021, and on October 27, 2021, with no success. The adjuster sent *************** a letter requesting he call in to discuss the claim. The adjuster called *************** on November 3, 2021 but was unable to leave a message as the mailbox was full. The adjuster left another message on November 11, 2021. Based on the lack of response, the adjuster sent a letter advising that the claim would be closed on November 19, 2021, if *************** did not respond. On November 21, 2021, the claim was closed. On November 22, 2021, *************** emailed in a written statement. The adjuster reviewed the written statement on December 6, 2021. In the statement, he explained that he had parked his 2016 **** truck at 5:00 pm on October 15, 2021, near a basketball pole. He later returned to his truck at 10:00 pm and drove home without issue. He further explained that due to it being dark, he did not see anything, but the following morning he noticed the damage. Specifically, he observed a large dent on the right front passenger’s side fender and that the damages had not been there prior. In response to the email statement, the adjuster called *************** on the same date and left a message to schedule an appraisal of the damage. The claim was reopened. The adjuster spoke with *************** on December 13, 2021 and set up an inspection for the damage. The following day, the estimate was complete for $1,967.18 less the $500.00 deductible for a net payment owed of 2 $1,467.18. The adjuster called *************** and explained the estimate and the repair process. The adjuster also advised that as he had a lienholder on the vehicle, a two-party check would be issued. A copy of the estimate was emailed to him. The file was closed on December 24, 2021. *************** emailed the adjuster on January 4, 2022, advising the check was not received. He emailed the adjuster again on January 11, 2022, to advise that the shop found additional damage. He also requested to know why the damage they found was not included in the original estimate. Upon receipt of this complaint, on February 18, 2022, the adjuster left *************** a message requesting a return call. The adjuster spoke to ***** at the shop, and he stated they had PGAC’s estimate but they did not have a scheduled repair date for the vehicle. The adjuster explained that if there was additional damage found on the truck when it was disassembled that they could send in a supplement for review. The adjuster spoke with ***** at the shop on February 24, 2022. He stated that they were waiting for a decal to arrive before they scheduled the repairs. He was unsure when it would arrived but estimated that they would schedule repairs within the next week. PGAC **** follow up with the shop for the status of repairs. Should they request a supplement, it **** promptly be reviewed for payment. We sincerely apologize for any frustration *************** felt during the handling of his claim and that the adjuster did not respond to his emails in a timely manner. It is our goal to provide excellent customer service and we regret we were unable to meet those expectations. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Sincerely,

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I filed a claim with the insurance and have tried to follow up with the company just basic dead ends and just flat answers. The claim adjuster ************** never answers any calls or emails gives the same excuse allbthe time.

  

  Business response

  03/07/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2022/02/23) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above-referenced complaint. I have reviewed the file and offer the following response. This loss was reported to Permanent General Assurance Corporation, herein PGAC, by **************** under the policy he shared with **** *** on November 22, 2021. He stated that on November 21, 2021, he backed into ********************’s 2001 ****** ******* while operating a 2021 ***** ******. As the 2021 ***** ****** was not listed on PGAC’s policy, the adjuster began a coverage investigation. The investigation revealed that there was coverage for the 2021 ***** ****** under a policy with *****. ***** accepted coverage and liability for the loss. ***** confirmed that they spoke with ******************** on February 10, 2022, and that they were working to resolve the vehicle’s damage. Should ******* *********** need anything regarding the repair of his vehicle, we encourage him to contact ***** regarding their claim ****************. We sincerely apologize for any frustration ******************** felt during the handling of this claim. It is our goal to provide excellent customer service and we regret those expectations were not met. Please contact me directly if any additional information is needed. Sincerely,

• Initial Complaint

  01/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The General automatically renewed my policy, without providing the lower premium I know I can be quoted, without my knowledge. They claim to have sent me a "Renewal Offer" but upon investigating, I found this offer only to have existed on their own app. The "Renewal Offer" was not sent to me by email or text message, for which I am subscribed. The business set a false precedent for the nature of my policy and its renewal by using misleading and deceptive diction in the email and text messages that were sent to me. I was led to believe that without any action, my policy would "expire" as they put it. I was also not warned via text message about the 249.05 dollar charge that would come on January 4th, as text message alerts had done for all subsequent charges. Because of this, I was unable to anticipate that my policy would be automatically renewed, and as a result my bank account was over drafted. Furthermore, I have reached out to The General's customer service and found little help and much discouragement. The first time I called on January 6th they offered a meager refund of approximately 80 dollars. When I had explained my predicament, the representative on the phone was not understanding or receptive of the information I was providing. I asked to be transferred to an employee with the authorization to help with my problem, and I was left on hold, only for the call to be disconnected some time later. I attempted to call back the next day, January 7th, and their phone service is either dysfunctional, or they are averting contact with me, as I could get no one to speak with me. I only want my refund, the actual expiration of my policy, and the business to word their messages accurately, so future patrons aren't deceived as I have been. I *** settle for a billing adjustment to satisfy the lower premium I know I can be quoted, but I would prefer a full refund/cancellation, so I can refrain from doing business with The General any longer than I must.

  

  Business response

  02/09/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/02/01) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above referenced complaint. I have reviewed our files and offer the following response. On July 4, 2021, Mr. ********* applied online for an auto insurance for a policy period of six (6) months. He chose to pay the total premium due in the amount of $1,544.00 on an installment basis by making a down payment of $334.87 plus five (5) future monthly installments due the 2nd of each month via auto debit from his **** card ending in ****. During the application process he set the policy up as ‘paperless’; meaning, all policy documents would be sent to the email address on file while certain documents would be sent to both the email and mailing addresses on file. He also chose to receive text notifications regarding his policy to phone number (***) ********. On December 2, 2021, we emailed and mailed Mr. ********* a Renewal Offer and payment voucher advising if he wanted to renew his policy for an additional six (6) month term, an electronic funds transfer for his renewal payment would automatically charge his account in the amount of $249.05, on January 4, 2022, as per our auto debit agreement. This offer stated in bold lettering that “because you are enrolled in Automatic Bank Draft, the Amount Due **** be drafted as an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payment on the Draft Date. We **** continue to automatically charge your credit card or bank account, as per our agreement”. The total premium due for his renewal term would be $1,494.00 which was less than the initial policy term. On December 30, 2021, we sent a Renewal text reminder to the phone number enrolled in our text notification program. 2 On January 4, 2022, we auto debited Mr. *********’s account in the amount of $249.05 and renewed his policy for another six (6) month term, effective 12:01 AM on January 4, 2022. We then emailed him a Renewal Policy Declarations page confirming the renewal along with updated policy documents for the January 4, 2022 through July 4, 2022 renewal term. On January 6, 2022, Mr. ********* called our office wanting to know why his policy renewed without his permission. We explained his policy was set up on the auto debit program which included auto debits for renewal down payments. We also explained we emailed and mailed him an Auto Debit Renewal Offer advising a renewal down payment in the amount of $249.05 would be drafted from his account on January 4, 2022. Per his request, we generated a cancellation quote and advised him that due to the early termination of his policy he would receive a partial refund of the down payment in the amount of $84.85 if he were to cancel as of the current date. He declined to cancel the policy and then requested to be transferred to a Supervisor. While waiting for this call to be transferred the call was disconnected. We have no record of any other communication with him after this date or that our phone system was experiencing any technical issues. Therefore, we are unable to speak to his statement “their phone service is either dysfunctional or they are averting contact with me”. On January 13, 2022, we emailed Mr. ********* an auto debit invoice advising premium payment of $257.03 would auto debit from his credit card on February 2, 2022. On January 17, 2022, we called Mr. ********* to inform him we received the complaint he filed with your office. As a one-time courtesy, we offered to honor his request to flat cancel (void) his policy effective the renewal date of January 4, 2022 and issue a full refund back to his **** card in the amount of $249.05 since he requested the cancellation within five (5) business days of the policy renewing. However, during this conversation he advised that he had not obtained insurance with another carrier. As such, we strongly encouraged him to contact the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles to ensure they would not impose any fines or fees because he would have a lapse in coverage if we proceeded with the flat cancellation of his policy. This call ended with the understanding we would send him an email that he would need to respond to authorizing the cancellation of his policy and that he would email or call us back once he spoke with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles to let us know how he wanted us to proceed. On January 19, 2022, no email or phone call having been received back from Mr. *********, we sent a follow-up email to see if he was able to speak with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). He responded back advising he was having trouble finding someone who knows how to answer his questions at the DMV. He then asked if it would be possible for us to adjust the premium on his existing policy, since he was now twenty-five (25) years old, to match a new quote he was able to obtain. We advised we could not price match quotes with other insurance carriers as our rates are filed and approved with the State of Nevada and that he was getting the best rate possible with our Company. On January 21, 2022, we received an email from Mr. ********* advising he obtained a new policy quote through our website, under quote number ********, which returned a price significantly lower than our renewal offer. Upon review of this quote, we determined the quote was incomplete; meaning, all the required information was not entered into the quoting system, and it had not been fully rated nor had any consumer reports been ordered such as a Motor Vehicle Report, Credit Report, etc., which are used as rating factors during the quoting process. We responded back by email to advise him of this and requested he complete the 3 quote then contact us back once that had been done so we could compare the quote with his renewal rate. On January 26, 2022, we received an email from Mr. ********* advising he found a lower premium elsewhere and requested that we proceed with the cancellation of his policy effective January 4, 2022. On January 31, 2022, Mr. *********’s policy was flat cancelled (voided) effective January 4, 2022, per his request. After the cancellation of his policy, a full refund **** be issued back to his **** card in the amount of $249.05 for the renewal payment that was auto debited as explained above. We find that Mr. *********’s policy was administered in accordance with the insurance guidelines for the state of Nevada and our normal policy procedures. All proper notices regarding his Renewal Offer and renewal down payment being auto drafted from his account on January 4, 2022, were sent in a timely manner to the mailing and email addresses he provided on his policy. Please note, both addresses are the same as provided on his complaint with your office. We have also been corresponding with him using the same email address in our effort to assist him with a resolution to this complaint. There has been no indication of returned mail or bounced emails by his email service. As such, we are unable to speak to his statement, “They claim to have sent me a "Renewal Offer" but upon investigating, I found this offer only to have existed on their own app. The "Renewal Offer" was not sent to me by email or text message, for which I am subscribed”. We have informed Mr. ********* a refund in the amount of $249.05 **** be issued back to his **** card ending in **** and that he should allow three (3) to five (5) business days to see this credit applied. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Sincerely

• Initial Complaint

  01/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I acquired insurance through the general insurance on 12/26/21 policy number *********. I then canceled my policy the next day 12/27/21 along with sending the proper paperwork to their underwriter. I was told I would get my refund back in 5 business days, well today is 1/7/22 and they keep giving me the runaround and have not given me my refund. This is unacceptable

  

  Business response

  01/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/01/12) */ We received your correspondence regarding the above referenced complaint and sincerely apologize for the delay that occurred in processing Mr. ********’s cancellation request. We affirm that Mr. ********’s policy has been cancelled, per Insured’s (his) Request, effective 12:01 AM on December 28, 2021, as that was the specific day he requested to cancel the policy. His cancellation was calculated on a pro-rata basis; meaning, no fees or penalties were assessed for early policy termination and his refund of $315.90 was issued to his ********** ending in **** on January 10, 2022. Please note that he did not receive a full refund of his original down payment ($359.11) because he was properly charged premium for two (2) days of coverage and fully earned fees totaling $43.21: $359.11 - $315.90 = $43.21. We find that while a processing delay did occur, Mr. ********’s policy cancellation request has been fully processed correctly and in accordance with the insurance guidelines for the state of Washington. We anticipate the refund issued to his credit card on January 10, 2022 **** fully resolve this matter to his satisfaction. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint.

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Was trying to get insured by this company, I accepted a quote given. Paid $90.60 as a deposit. Then they said my application was being reviewed by the underwriter after they already charged me. I went with a different company since I needed my vehicle insured right away. I notified their underwriter department to cancel my policy, which I was never able to use by the way. Now they want to charge me a cancellation fee and just want to refund me $25! Instead of the full amount.

  

  Business response

  11/30/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2021/11/28) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above referenced complaint. I have reviewed our files and offer the following response. On November 7, 2021, Mr. ***** applied online for an auto insurance policy through Permanent General Assurance Corporation for a policy period of six (6) months. He chose to pay the premium due on an installment basis by making a down payment of $90.60 plus four (4) future payments due via auto debit, from his credit card account, on the 27th of each month. At the end of the application process, he chose to electronically sign the entire application including the APPLICANT STATEMENT – READ BEFORE SIGNING section that stated, in part, “I acknowledge that cancellations at my request will be cancelled short-rate”. He was then presented with a button to ‘Print Forms’, including his identification (ID) cards, but our records indicate he did not choose to print his policy forms at that time. On November 9, 2021, Mr. *****’s policy was issued (activated) in our system and we emailed him his policy documents, ID cards, and initial auto debit invoice in the amount of $97.60, due November 27, 2021. Please note that while his policy was not issued in our system until November 9, 2021, he was fully insured with our company as of the time and date his down payment was made to bind policy coverage; namely, November 7, 2021 at 3:50 PM CST. Later that same day, Mr. ***** called to cancel his policy. Due to his policy being in activation status at the time of this call, we were unable to collect his voice signature to cancel over the phone. We confirmed his policy was in effect, or active, as of November 7, 2021, and provided him instruction on how to submit a signed, written request to cancel, to 2 our Underwriting Team. He then emailed us a request to cancel his policy as “I no longer need it”. However, this email was not immediately available, or indexed, into our imaging system as it needed to be processed by our Support Team then sent to the Underwriting Team for review. We apologize for any inconvenience this processing delay may have caused. On November 10, 2021, Mr. ***** called back to cancel due to obtaining coverage with another company. We began to instruct him on submitting a signed, written request to cancel but he advised that he had already provided us a signed, written request to cancel. As such, we asked he allow us three (3) to five (5) business days, after receipt of the cancellation request, to process his request. On November 16, 2021, Mr. ***** initiated three (3) separate chat sessions with our Customer Service Team. In the first chat, he wanted to check the status of his cancellation request. We advised his signed, written request to cancel and proof of replacement coverage was not yet showing in our imaging system. In the second session, he provided us an electronic statement to cancel along with proof documentation showing he obtained coverage with a new carrier effective November 10, 2021. As such, we cancelled the policy effective 12:01 AM on November 10, 2021, per Insured’s (his) Request, and advised his refund of $24.50 would be processed back to the credit card used to make his down payment. In the third chat session, he disputed the amount of his refund and accused us of “scamming people from their hard earn money”. We advised the refund amount was correct and his policy cancellation was subject to a Short Rate Fee because “the cancellation fee applies anytime the policy is cancelled prior to the expiration date”. To further clarify, Mr. ***** was properly charged $7.00 in premium for three (3) days of coverage, a fully earned MVLEF Fee of $5.00, a fully earned Installment Fee of $12.00, and a Short Rate Fee for early policy termination in the amount of $42.10 (calculated as 10% of the unearned premium balance of $421.00 at time of cancellation). This left a refund due in the amount of $24.50: $90.60 - $7.00 - $5.00 - $12.00 - $42.10 = $24.50. The Short Rate Fee for early policy termination is approved for use in the state of New York and is common in the insurance industry as it allows us to recover certain acquisition costs. This Fee was also disclosed to him on the application, as described above, and in the policy jacket. We find that our premium calculations and cancellation process on Mr. *****’s policy were correct and in accordance with the insurance guidelines for the state of New York. He was, in fact, charged a Short Rate Fee for early policy termination. We remain unable to issue him any additional refunds because his policy was in force for three (3) days and he did not obtain other coverage, through a different carrier, until November 10, 2021. However, if he provides us documentation showing he had other auto insurance coverage in effect on the date his policy with our Company began (November 7, 2021), we will gladly correct the cancellation date of his policy and reevaluate his account for any additional refunds due to him based on the corrected cancellation date. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Sincerely, Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2021/11/29) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) The attached document shows that I was insured by Geico effective 11/10/2021

• Initial Complaint

  11/12/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 10/15/21 I purchased a cheap vehicle with cash and called the General to insure it. We were quoted $92/mo. That is very high for a $3,000 car that isn't financed. Also with having a clean driving record. A couple days later, the premium doubled. Suddenly they want almost $200/mo!!! But none of the 3 people I spoke to could explain why. So I got a quote with Geico for $58 / mo - same coverage. So obviously I switched. When I canceled, I thought I would get a partial refund of the initial payment I made since I only had it a few weeks...NOPE! They are CHARGING me an ADDITIONAL $180+ dollars to cancel. This company is a scam. I **** make sure everyone knows. I hope the $180 is worth it Mr. General. Policy *******XXXXXXX

  

  Business response

  12/10/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/09) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above referenced complaint. I have reviewed our files and offer the following response. On October 15, 2021, Mr. **** purchased an auto insurance policy over the phone with an Agent through Permanent General Assurance Corporation for a policy period of twelve (12) months. He chose to pay the full-term premium of $1,104.00 by making a down payment of $92.00 plus eleven (11) future installments due on the 4th of each month. During the application process he chose to set the policy up as ‘paperless’; meaning all policy documents would be sent to the email address on file while certain documents would be sent to both the email and mailing addresses on file. He also requested to receive text notifications to phone number (***) ******** regarding his policy. During the quoting process with our Agent, Mr. **** advised he owned the home listed as his garaging address. As such, the Homeowner Discount was applied and the quoted amount he was presented included a reduction in premium due to this discount. A letter was then systematically generated, mailed and emailed to him, that advised the following: “Your automobile insurance policy was written with the Homeowner Discount. To qualify, you must submit proof of ownership in the form of: 1. A declaration page or binder for a home insurance policy 2. A copy of a property tax bill or deed 3. A copy of a mobile home registration”. This letter also advised that failure to submit proof of home ownership by the reply date on the letter will cause the Homeowner Discount to be removed “causing an increase in your premium”. 2 On October 20, 2021, our Underwriting Team issued (activated) Mr. ****’s policy in our system. Prior to activation, it was determined that Mr. ****’s application signatures had not been received. As per our normal procedures his coverages were updated to add/raise Liability Bodily Injury, Personal Injury Protection, and Uninsured Motorist coverages until we received his signature to reject/lower these coverages. This change caused an increase of $715.00 in the full-term premium that would be spread (applied) to each of his future installments. On October 20, 2021, we emailed Mr. **** his first invoice advising payment of $229.29 was due before November 4, 2021. Please note this amount was higher than his original payment schedule due to the added coverages, as described above. On October 29, 2021, our Underwriting Team followed up on Mr. ****’s policy to see if proof of homeownership had been submitted and determined we had not received proof documentation to continue this discount. As such, the Homeowner Discount was removed effective October 30, 2021 (letter reply date). This caused a total net premium increase of $61.00 that would be spread (applied) to each of his future installments. However, there was no change to the current amount due of $229.29 as we had already issued an invoice in that amount. On November 1, 2021, we sent Mr. **** a Payment Due text reminder to the phone number associated with his policy. On November 4, 2021, Mr. **** called our Customer Service Department to inquire on the missing information and was advised of the missing signatures needed. We then emailed these documents to the email address on file and advised him to send them back and we would forward them to our Underwriting Team for review. During this call Mr. **** put his fiancé, Tami Campbell, on the phone and provided authorization for her to receive information and speak on his behalf concerning his policy. They both were advised on how to register the policy online and further informed that all the documents could be signed through his online account. He then thanked our Representative and ended the call. Later this same day, he logged into his online account and provided electronic signatures for his application which were systematically forwarded to our Underwriting Team for review and processing. On November 6, 2021, our Customer Service Team reached out to Ms. Campbell as she requested a callback. She explained that she was trying to upload documents online and noticed the monthly payments increased. We then advised the premium increase was due to the Homeowner’s Discount being removed and the coverages that were added when no signed application had been received. We further explained that we received the application signatures on November 4, 2021 and asked her to allow us three (3) to five (5) business days for them to be reviewed and updates to be made to the policy. Ms. Campbell then advised she would be uploading a photo of the Deed to keep the Homeowner’s Discount. As we clearly specified that their premium increased due to added coverages and removal of the Homeowner Discount, we are unable to speak to Mr. ****’s statement to your Department that “none of the 3 people I spoke to could explain why” his installment amount had increased. On November 11, 2021, our Underwriting Team reviewed Mr. ****’s policy and determined all application signatures had been received. As such, his coverages were changed back to 3 what he originally selected, effective October 15, 2021 (policy inception date), causing a returned premium credit applied to his policy term in the amount of $715.00. This credit would be spread (applied) to each remaining payment. However, there was no change to the current amount due, as per our normal procedures, because we had already issued an invoice in the amount of $229.29. Please note, we still had not received proof of homeownership. Later this same day, Mr. **** called our Customer Service Department requesting to cancel his policy and was advised to send in a signed written request. On November 15, 2021, our Underwriting Team attempted to review Mr. ****’s request to cancel but were unable to view the document sent in due to an internal system error. As such, we reached out to the Representative that received his cancellation request to obtain a copy. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Later this same day, we received a copy of the Deed as proof of homeownership. On November 20, 2021, Mr. **** called our Customer Service Department inquiring on the status of his policy. We advised we were unable to view the cancellation document and asked that he resend it to us, while on the phone, so we could submit his request for processing that same day. On November 22, 2021, our Underwriting Team reviewed Mr. ****’s cancellation request and processed the cancellation of his policy effective 12:01 AM on November 11, 2021, per Insured’s (his) Request, as that was the date he specifically requested to cancel the policy. However, we missed the opportunity to re-add the Homeowner Discount to his policy, to reduce the total balance on the account, prior to cancelling the policy. We apologize for this oversight and will utilize this as a training opportunity for our Associates. Following cancellation of Mr. ****’s policy there was an outstanding balance owed in the amount of $51.92. When calculating the cancellation, we followed our normal procedure and processed the cancellation on a short rate basis. The short rate cancellation is approved for use by the state of Florida and is a common practice in the insurance industry, as it allows us to recover certain acquisition costs. This is described in his policy jacket on page five (5), under section G. Refund of Premium that states, “2. If the cancellation is at “your” request, “we” will refund 90% of the pro rata unearned premium.” At the time of cancellation, he was properly charged for twenty-six (26) days of policy coverage, all fully earned fees, and a Short Rate cancellation. We took the total premium and fees used for the days of coverage provided in the amount of $143.92 and subtracted the one (1) payment received in the amount of $92.00. This left an outstanding premium balance due in the amount of $51.92 for the days of coverage we provided: $143.92 - $92.00 = $51.92. We find that our cancellation process and premium calculations on Mr. ****’s policy were compliant and in accordance with Florida insurance regulations and our policy as filed and approved by the state. There were, in fact, two (2) uprates on his policy that have since been adjusted due to receiving the application signatures and proof of homeownership documentation we requested. Unfortunately, the premium adjustment for these policy corrections would not have been reflected until his second (2nd) invoice, as per our normal procedures, as his initial invoice was issued for an amount that included added premium for the coverages added, due to lack of his signature, at the time the invoice had generated. However, as explained above, his policy was properly cancelled on a short rate basis and the 4 outstanding balance owed remains valid for the days of coverage we provided and cannot be waived. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2021/12/09) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) $52 premium balance due is acceptable.The $180.00 we were quoted for early cancellation is not. I did upload the deed to the house at the same time the signatures were provided. The online system is not user friendly because nothing is verified when uploaded that it was successful. Also, one of them three people did say the proof of homeownership could be the reason for the increase but it was unbelievable to us both that owning a home accounts for 50% discount in car insurance. I am satisfied if, in fact balance is 50 and no $180 will be billed for cancellation.

• Initial Complaint

  11/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  i purchased this policy after a quote at the dealership and then upon receiving a lower rate after leaving the dealership i had several communications with customer service to request refund and cancellation of this policy this was done on Nov 6-8. i have made repeated attempts to clear up and resolve this matter of cancellation and a refund with the company and have no response or clarification of refund

  

  Business response

  12/07/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/30) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above referenced complaint. I have reviewed our files and offer the following response. On November 6, 2021, Ms. ***** applied online for an auto insurance policy with Permanent General Assurance Corporation for a policy period of twelve (12) months. She chose to pay the total premium due of $3,412.00 on an installment basis by making a down payment of $285.14 plus eleven (11) future payments due the 26th of each month. On November 8, 2021, Ms. ***** initiated an online chat session via our website to request a policy cancellation effective November 8, 2021, due to finding other coverage. We advised she will need to submit a signed, written request and provided our Underwriting Team’s email address. In addition to the chat session, our Customer Service Team received an unsecured email requesting a policy cancellation and a refund of the down payment. We replied to that email and advised along with a signed, written request we would need a copy of the identification card (I.D.) for the other policy, showing her other coverage was in effect on November 6, 2021, to cancel her policy and provide a full refund. On November 9, 2021, we received and submitted to our Underwriting Team an early policy cancellation request from Ms. *****. On this request she specified her policy cancellation should be “effective on 11/8/21”. On November 10, 2021, our Underwriting Team processed Ms. *****’s early policy cancellation request effective November 8, 2021, per Insured’s Request, as proof was never received to backdate cancellation effective November 6, 2021 and she specified in her 2 request that the cancellation date should be November 8, 2021, not November 6, 2021. After processing the cancellation there was a zero ($0) balance on the policy meaning, there was no refund due nor zero ($0) amount owed as a refund. To further clarify, the total premium balance remaining at the time of cancellation was $3,138.86 and ten (10) percent of this amount would have been $313.89. However, we charged Ms. ***** a Short Rate Fee of only $253.95, as per our normal procedures, as that was the amount of credit left on the policy at that time. Our usage of a Short Rate Fee for early policy termination has been approved by the state of Colorado and is common in the insurance industry because it allows us to recover certain acquisition costs. This fee was fully described on page twenty-five (25) of the policy jacket she was provided under section 3. Premium Refund Upon Cancellation. As such, she was charged premium for two (2) days of coverage, a fully earned CAPTA Fee of $1.00, a fully earned Installment Fee of $12.00, a pro-rated portion of the Policy Fee in the amount of $0.19, and a Short Rate Fee in the amount of $253.95 for early policy termination. Also, on November 9, 2021 and November 10, 2021, our Customer Service Team received additional emails from Ms. ***** requesting policy cancellation and a refund. We advised her policy cancellation was made effective November 8, 2021 and specified that she needed to provide us “proof of other insurance effective 11/06/21” for us to backdate her cancellation to November 6, 2021 (inception date of her policy with our Company) and refund her full down payment. Please note, no proof of other insurance documentation was received in response to these email correspondences. On November 11, 2021, we provided a response to Ms. *****’s Grade Us 1 Star Review explaining there was no refund due following her policy cancellation effective November 8, 2021. We, again, advised to flat cancel (void) her policy and issue a full refund of her down payment that we require her to provide us proof documentation showing she had other insurance coverage in effect on November 6, 2021, as per our normal procedures. She continued to disagree with our cancellation procedures and threatened legal action against our Company for “non compliance of canceling my policy” even though her policy was cancelled per her request, on the cancel date she requested. Upon receipt of Ms. *****’s complaint to your Department, we ordered an additional consumer report to determine the date she obtained other coverage. Unfortunately, this search did not yield any coverage in place effective November 6, 2021. As such, we remain unable to backdate the cancellation to November 6, 2021, and provide a full refund of her down payment. However, as an act of good faith, we recalculated her policy cancellation on a pro-rata basis effective November 8, 2021. As a result of this one-time exception to our normal procedures, we waived the Short Rate Fee for early policy termination and issued a refund to her credit card ending in ****, in the amount of $253.95, on November 30, 2021. While our initial premium calculations were correct and in accordance with the insurance guidelines for the state of Colorado and our normal policy procedures, we anticipate the decision to waive the Short Rate Fee and issuing her a refund will fully resolve this matter to her satisfaction. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Sincerely

• Initial Complaint

  09/29/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My claim number is ************** Guy was driving in Pittston Avenue and I fully stopped before I crossed Pittston avenue, And after I crossed Pittston avenue he hit my car in Saginaw street on 09/12/2021 @3:15 PM . He requested to not call police and handed me his insurance and he told me his insurance will fixed my car . I agreed his statement and trust him and i file claim with his insurance. When I opened claim on 09/12/2021 insurance guy gave me claim number ************** adjuster name (Stephane) phone number *************.and he said she will call me with in one business day and i waited till Monday 09/13 / and did not hear any things from her. i called her left Voice mail twice did not hear till Wednesday 09/15 and I called claim department and requested to speak Stéphane's supervisor, they said she is busy and told me, she will call me back. Cindy S**** supervisor call me back and asked me proof of cupel pictures and evidence that where the accident occurred.

  

  Business response

  10/21/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/11) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above-referenced complaint. I have reviewed our file and offer the following response. This loss was reported to Permanent General Assurance Corporation of Ohio, herein PGAC, by the complainant, ************, on September 12, 2021, under ******************’s personal auto policy *********. He indicated that he was involved in an intersection accident with our insured, on this same date, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. On September 13, 2021, our adjuster secured ******************’s statement. He advised that he was traveling straight on Pittston Avenue when the complainant proceeded from a stop sign to his right, on Saginaw Street. He took the evasive action of swerving into the oncoming lane of travel on Pittson Avenue, in an attempt to avoid colliding with the complainant’s vehicle, but the complainant sped up, resulting in ******************’s vehicle striking ************’s in the rear, driver-side door, and quarter-panel. On September 14, 2021, our adjuster left a voicemail message with ************, requesting a return call to discuss the claim. Shortly thereafter, another adjuster of ours answered a phone call from ************ and secured his statement. He advised that he proceeded from the stop sign on Saginaw Street and had completely crossed over Pittston Avenue and back onto Saginaw Street when our insured lost control of his vehicle and struck his in the rear, driver-side door. The adjuster informed ************ that our liability assessment was pending, as the file owner needed to review both drivers’ statements. On September 16, 2021, the file owner’s supervisor spoke with ************, advising that, based on both drivers’ statements and scene photos, he had the greater duty of care as he proceeded from a stop sign, whereas our insured had the right-of-way, and, consequently, the majority of, if not all, liability rested with him. ************ stated that our insured was speeding. The supervisor then asked why he proceeded from the stop sign if was unsafe to do so, to which ************ responded that he did not realize, in the moment, that our insured was speeding. ************ said that he had scene photos, which the supervisor asked that he email to her so that she may review them. 2 On September 24, 2021, the supervisor spoke with ******************, looking for clarification as to precisely where in the roadway the impact between the two vehicles occurred. He reiterated that he swerved into the oncoming lane of travel on Pittston Avenue, as there was no traffic oncoming from that direction, and that is where the vehicles collided. He said that he and ************ then drove their respective vehicles onto Saginaw Street to get out of traffic on Pittston Avenue. The supervisor informed ****************** that we would be denying ************’s claim based on liability, and, on September 28, 2021, we issued liability denials to both parties. We must respectfully maintain our denial of his claim as his failure to yield the right-of-way to our insured was the proximate cause of this accident. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Sincerely,

• Initial Complaint

  09/22/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of loss was reported April 2021. Insurance company finally deemed it as a total loss end of June ... This company advised me that a payoff check was sent July 27 and I called again to report that bank has not gotten the first check to resend it 09/03... bank is still waiting on a payoff check.. I've called and no one wants to help with deescalating this issue... Im still paying for a car that I don't have and paying additional interest... I advised company to overnight payoff check because of this inconvenience on thier end and says that they do not over night check. Insurance adjuster is no help customer service is no help asked to speak with a supervisor, manger or send me to escalation but keeps getting transferred to insurance adjuster line.. Im going around in circles with this company and I've been patient enough waiting for 5 months to get this resolved. Bank have not gotten any check because they said if they process the 1st check there would be a stop pay on check.

  

  Business response

  10/21/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2021/10/12) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above-referenced complaint. I have reviewed our file and offer the following response. ************** reported this claim to Permanent General Assurance Corporation, herein PGAC, on April 14, 2021. She reported her 2012 ************* C Class sustained water damage on April 12, 2021. ************** spoke to the initial adjuster on April 15, 2021, and a vehicle inspection was set up. After delays in getting the estimate and photos from the body shop, PGAC received them on June 15, 2021. PGAC determined the vehicle to be a total loss and the claim was assigned to the Total Loss Unit for resolution. The total loss adjuster called ************** on June 16, 2021 and left a voicemail message. On June 21, 2021, PGAC received an email from ************** advising she would be out of the country until July 7, 2021. The total loss adjuster called and left another voicemail message for ************** on July 8, 2021. On July 9, 2021, the total loss adjuster contacted ************** and extended the following settlement offers: PGAC RETAIN SETTLEMENT Actual Cash Value (ACV) = $7,389.00 Total Tax = 493.34 Title Fee = 70.00 Title Service Charge Fee = 4.25 Title Materials Fee = 1.00 Title Lien Assignment Fee = 3.00 Title Lien Notation Fee = 2.00 Transfer Fee = 4.50 Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund Fee = 2.00 Transfer Air Pollution Control Fee = 1.00 Transfer Registration Service Charge Fee = 2.50 Deductible = (1,000.00) Settlement Calculation = $6,972.59 2 OWNER RETAIN SETTLEMENT Actual Cash Value (ACV) = $7,389.00 Salvage Deduction = (1,556.00) Deductible = (1,000.00) Settlement Calculation = $4,833.00 ************** accepted the PGAC Retain settlement at that time. On July 22, 2021, PGAC received all necessary total loss documents to issue payments to both ************************ and **************. ************** called and spoke to the total loss adjuster on August 19, 2021 and asked if she had to pay her deductible. The total loss adjuster advised the settlement was paid less her deductible and nothing further was owed. On September 1, 2021, ************** called the total loss adjuster and advised ************************ had not received the payment for this claim. The total loss adjuster requested the initial payment be voided and confirmed PGAC had the correct address per the document received from ************************. The payment was confirmed voided was reissued on September 13, 2021. On September 21, 2021, PGAC received notice that *********** still had not received payment. A total loss adjuster voided the second payment and reissued a third payment to ************************. On September 29, 2021, the total loss adjuster contacted ************************ and confirmed the payment had been received and had been posted to **************’s account. The total loss adjuster called and left a message with ************** advising payment had cleared with ***********. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Sincerely,

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I'm trying to cancel my auto policy with The General. I've called 12-15 times and I either cannot get through to a representative or I'm put on hold and it hangs up on me. I read online, you have to send them a letter, which I did around 9/10. I'm on disability and need to make sure I'm not charged again this month. I have a new policy starting on 9/24.

  

  Business response

  10/21/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2021/10/11) */ We have received your correspondence regarding the above referenced complaint. After receiving this complaint, we thoroughly reviewed Ms. *****’s policy and determined the cancellation of her policy has already been resolved as per her request. As a courtesy, On October 4, 2021, we followed up with a phone call to Ms. ***** and confirmed she did receive the Notice of Cancellation regarding the requested termination of her policy effective September 24, 2021. She was understanding and appreciative of the resolution. We sincerely appreciate Ms. ***** allowing us the opportunity to resolve her concerns. We apologize for any frustrations she may have experienced with any technical issues regarding our phone system. This matter has been forwarded to our IT Department for further review. We have not received any other complaints about our phone system at this time. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information or documentation regarding this complaint. Sincerely,

*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. ↩