Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Beware “Bamboo Insurance” will prove itself to be a stereotypical “Made in China”, ”Delay, Deny, Defend” bogus. They disappear, policy falls apart as soon as you file a claim, they lack fair intentions. Let’s take a look at the Sponsored material from Bamboo, copy attached incase weblink stops working Source: ********************************************************************************************************** In the PR article openly admits “This is key to Bamboo’s success: Many insurers get in trouble when rates are inadequate, and losses paid are greater than premiums earned.“ For a consumer/Policy owner this means unreasonable loss denials because agency never intended paying consumers. Their focus is on ensuring losses paid are lesser than the premium earned. PR Article further claims “We want to continue growing profitably and doing the right thing for the company.” Further affirmation that consumers/policy holders are just puppets signed up for the fraudulent denials because carrier is focused on “doing the right thing for the company profitability”. PR Content claims “The company also has found success partnering with other insurance providers, leveraging innovative technology and an easy-to-use platform Chu developed.” This platform is designed with a goal of 1. “losses paid should be lesser than the premium earned” & 2. ”doing the needful for the company profitability” 3. “Insurance needed disruption” which means that claim status isn’t based on facts/circumstances/evidence/lawful/good faith practice. 75K+ consumers are at the mercy of legitimacy of the algorithm developed by the founder and partnering with other insurance provider is a defrauding conspiracy. Consumers reviews are documenting struggles, dissatisfaction, false marketing and lack of fair loss settlements- this should call for a thorough investigation into the legitimacy of the algorithm/platform/partnership etc. practices.

• Initial Complaint

  11/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have been an active paying customer to ********************** and discovered a water leak last month and called plumbing and remediation company to fix issue. In the same time, we reached out to Insurance company to file a claim. Since then, we have been met with lack of follow up and response from adjuster. Emails are left unreplied. Calls go straight to voicemail. Multiple vendors (360 scan, estimate, remediation, asbestos tester) have called me because they could not get in contact with adjuster to get response or payment. I tried to set up a scheduled call between adjuster and remediation company to get my claim moved forward and was told he was "too busy" and have multiple other clients. I made multiple escalations to the general claims department, which is the only number that I can actually reach a human being. They said they would send message to supervisor but I often don't hear anything back from them etiher. It should not take multiple escalations and 1+ weeks time to get any correspondence with Adjuster. Severely disappointed in service provided.

  Business response

  12/06/2024

  Thank you for taking our recent calls to address the concerns outlined within your inquiry with the BBB. We sincerely apologize for claims experience you described and will be working with you to finalize the claim process as soon as possible. As you are aware, the claim has been reassigned to a new Claim Advocate and a Team Manager has been in communication with you to explain the next steps in the process. We are proactively trying to receive the necessary documentation from your Mitigation vendor to accurately confirm the scope of repairs covered by the policy. We hope to receive their cooperation by next week so that we can finalize settlement for your claim. In the meantime, please feel free to contact Team Manager **** ****** with any additional concerns or questions.

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 8/3/24 I filed an emergency water leak claim for my ********************************************************************* home with a Bamboo insurance representative. The water district emergency service was able to shut off and lock my water line but I am now completely without water. No shower, no bath, no flushing. Bamboo assured me that due to the urgent nature of my problem, that I would hear from an agent within 24 hours. It has been almost 48 hrs and as this business day progresses, I am losing time and still do not know what to do or whom to call nor what is covered. This is unacceptable and I am feeling very discouraged by the lack of care or concern from my Home insurance company. I would greatly appreciate your assistance with this matter. Thank you kindly, ********

  Business response

  08/09/2024

  Good afternoon ******************.

  We received notification of the inquiry you filed with the Better Business Bureau. In review of claim notes I see the Claim Advocate contacted you on Monday after you first reported the claim on Saturday. I do apologize for the lack of a phone call on Sunday. In an effort fully understand your claim experience I requested a Team Manager contact you. I see that Mr. ***************** has attempted to reach you a couple time this week. If you wish to discuss your claim further, please contact ************ at the phone number he provided. Once again, I apologize for the initial miscommunication and thank you for being a part of the Bamboo Insurance family.

  *************************
  Vice President of Claims
  Bamboo Insurance
  Office: **************
  On Behalf of ********************* Insurance Company
  -----
  CA License #******* | NPN ********  

• Initial Complaint

  07/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Prior to my annual renewal, the company increased my insurance coverage on my home without my approval. They also removed a discount I had received the previous year. I spoke to customer service on the phone and was told that my coverage would be returned to the previous year's coverage and the discount included if I sent a request to customer service. I did this, but no changes were made and I'm being charged $800 more for my insurance as a result. I have emailed customer service repeatedly for the last two months and no action has been taken to correct my coverage and adjust the premium. They simply sent me a copy of the declaration with the increased coverage I didn't request in response to one inquiry. They have not responded to my many other inquiries.

  Business response

  07/03/2024

  Hello ****,
  We regret to hear that this was your experience with us; however, we truly appreciate you letting us know about it. We have identified a gap in communication between the phone calls and emails that you sent and will address these immediately with the team. As for the premium increase, after review we are not able to decrease your coverages to match the previous years, as you requested. There was a rate increase that went into effect 9/17/23 that was approved by the CA Department of Insurance which has caused the increase.
  Although, we can add the alarm discount back, once we receive certificate of alarm clearly showing a fire and/or burglary monitoring service. The alarm must be a full perimeter or motion detecting system connected to a remote 24-hour central station service, or police and fire department. You must have an active subscription to the monitoring service. Please send to [email protected]. Also, loss assessment automatically is included in the policy, but we can remove the personal injury and extended replacement coverage as you recently requested. These would lower your premium to $3,908.
  
  

  Customer response

  07/10/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I received the message you forwarded to me and followed all the instructions Bamboo gave. That was on July 3. It is now July 10 and I have not received any more communications from Bamboo.

  You should note that they agreed to remove two coverages that I did not ask for and am not required to carry. Apparenlty, Bamboo is adding coverages clients do not request. They also refused to remove a coverage that is required

  for assessments for condo owners, even though I do not own a condo. The underwriters at Bambo are either incompetent or cheating their customers by adding unnecessary coverages that have not been requested. I have attached

  the content of my reply to Bamboo.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  06/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  We have an open insurance claim that I have been attempting to get an update regarding. I've tried to call and email John S*******, Clint C*****, Carolina G*****, and their regular 800 # every day for the last 14 days with no response.

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 5/10/24 we filed a claim with our home owners insurance. We had an incident in our kitchen around the sink area. At this point we have been living without a useable kitchen, a sink and drinking water for 3+ weeks. The insurance originally refused to relocate us. They have been extremely slow to respond and approve the full claim to get our kitchen fixed. We had repeatedly requested an Airbnb given that we had no kitchen or drinking water and they refused to provide alternate living arrangements. Just recently they provided an allotted amount for us to find an Airbnb when the construction begins in the kitchen. However, the amount provided is half of the cost of an Airbnb in our area. This entire process has been awful and Bamboo knowingly delayed the process. We have a 5 month old baby and a 14 year old in our home. That has not mattered to them and they have been negligent in their handling of the claim. We still do not have an agreed upon resolution for alternative living arrangements. Additionally, we have incurred excessive food expenses as a result of not having a kitchen to use. We submitted our receipts for reimbursement and they have not reimbursed us. This is causing a big financial strain for us around food.

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On or about January 22nd My roof had a leak due to bad wind and weather here in California. I filed the claim and Bamboo sent out a company to inspect the next day call service master. The employees from service master quickly spotted out the moisture in the ceiling along with under the flooring in my living room due to the leak. Service master sent the report over to bamboo who then informed me they were going to send another adjuster because they didnt like the initial report which stated what damage had occurred and what needed to replace mind you those things were covered. They then sent a lady over she had to he atleast 60+ I had to literally help her up the ladder both in and outside the house. She was not very aware of what she was doing. The following days I called to check my claim status only for them to tell me it was denied due to wear and tear , deteriorating & heat damage my roof was replaced in 2021 it is only 2 years and a few months old. I was then told that if I wanted the claim to be approve I need to pay for a roofer to give me an estimate of the cost to replace the roof. Reading my police the repairs are definitely covered even both inspectors stated that however they chose to go with the report of the second adjuster who frankly had no idea of what she was doing and I should have expected that because why would they want to pay out a claim. I am now looking into options I should/could take against this company.

  Business response

  02/01/2024

  On 01/30/2024 ********************************* with Bamboo spoke with Mr. ********** regarding our coverage determination on his claim.  We appreciate his disappointment with the situation, however after the discussion ************************ understood and agreed that the determination was correct.  Accordingly we believe this matter has now been resolved, if you have information to the contrary please advise.

• Initial Complaint

  12/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This started September 2023.After looking the the email and seeing the amount suppose to given, it is evident that Bamboo insurance is working in bad faith when it comes to covering our food expenses. We first were told that our meals would be covered. So we kept our receipts. From that we experience communication that did not provide and understanding what it is that we were suppose to do and even what coverage we had. We were then told an amount of $5 per meal per person is to be covered. That itself is ridiculous and incredibly unrealistic. Never have a I heard of a partial coverage that low. There is a receipt in there for about $4 for a water that my daughter purchased on her way to school. You can't even purchase a happy meal at ********** for under $5. I would like and understanding on why that is acceptable. Could you feed a family of 6 with 5 adults who eat very well for $30?On top of that we have various schedules eating together is a challenge so it unrealistic to expect us to eat together.There was lack of transparency on our coverage and what we are entitled to.I am not gonna let my family suffer and eat dollar store meals when our habits of eating have always been what they are and reflected in the receipts.And even then we were asked to provide receipts of our habits from months prior. We did.now getting reimbursed family of 6 for 65 days $978 . Is such a ridiculous amount. But my apologies for not predicting the flooding of my house. Overall I am extremely disappointed. I have been patient and provided all the information I could. I even provided personal bank statements from 3 people of my household and there habits of food spending prior to the disaster. If anything we spent less on food since the being displaced. So the amount of $978 for a family of 6 for almost three months seems fair? I really would like and understanding on how that amount is feasible.

  Business response

  01/09/2024

  We are unable to locate a claim for this matter.  Please have ******************** provide the claim number or policy number to assist us in locating his claim.

  Thank you,
  *******************
  Chief Advocacy Officer
  Bamboo Insurance
  ********************************
  O: **************

   

• Initial Complaint

  08/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a letter from the company with the option of renewing my policy. I completed the paperwork, enclosed a check, and mailed it in. Shortly after, I received a call from my lender saying that they had not received proof of coverage from my home insurance company. They also said that they had made three attempts to contact the company, all of which were unsuccessful and unreturned. I then tried to reach out by phone, each time waiting for over 20 minutes without an answer. I have also reached out by email and the contact request form on their website. There has been no attempt on their part to get in contact with me. The check was cashed on 8/17, and still no proof of insurance, notice of sudden policy cancellation, or any attempt to return my communications. I will be deeply disappointed and dissatisfied if this is what it takes to get a response.

  Business response

  09/03/2023

  Hello, *****! We regret to hear that this was your experience with us; however, we truly appreciate you letting us know about it. We’ve had an incredible influx of requests and our call volume has increased substantially, which has directly impacted wait times for those who call in to us. Our Customer Service team is working as fast as they can to address everyone. We apologize for the inconvenience and have emailed you the renewal documents and mailed them to the lender listed on the policy. 

  Customer response

  09/06/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  08/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  This company is highly unprofessional. They have had and acknowledged that due to an influx of business that they are swamped with cases. This company or the people who run it have done nothing that any adult with critical thinking skills would do in such a situation. They have one phone number and email address for all customer inquiries and outside insurance agent interactions. They take weeks to open and review simple emails. They ignore emails and phone calls. They require things for underwriting and then proceed to ignore all emails and make no effort to improve customer relations. When calling to get clarification from underwriting, you will often receive conflicting answers.

*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. ↩