Insurance rant, what would you do? (long)

Joined
Jan 3, 2006
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Location
Ohio
I'm a little steamed because this seems like it should have been relatively simple, but somehow ended up way too complicated. I may have made a minor mistake, but I think I finally have a resolution, though the last one I spoke with made me want to beat my head on my desk.

End of September, tree branch fell on my truck. Shattered the windshield. Miraculously, only put a half-dollar sized dent in the A-pillar, and found the much larger branch that also fell managed to miss it completely. Had been planning to drive out to Arizona within a week's time to tow a U-haul back while my parents are cleaning out their old house. First adjuster I spoke to said go ahead and line up a body shop to fix it. Explained that I can't drive the truck, and because of our time frame and impending trip, asked if I could have Safelite come and replace the windshield, and I'll deal with the dent when we get back from the trip. She was OK with that, and said go ahead and schedule with Safelite. Booked the appointment online with Safelite, and they start calling me saying the repair is not approved by my insurance, and that I should call adjuster #2. Called adjuster #2, he says if there's body damage too, they usually just do both at the body shop and I should drive it there. I explain the windshield is shattered, it's not driveable, I need it fixed ASAP for our trip, and that I'm doing what adjuster #1 told me to do. He doesn't know who adjuster #1 is, asks me how Safelite is supposed to get paid 🤨. I flat out told him I'll pay it out of pocket if I have to since it's already scheduled, and he can reimburse me, minus the deductible. He agreed to that. This is key, because it comes into play later.

I call Safelite back, explain the situation, said I'll just pay it out of pocket. They came, had it fixed in an hour, and the bill came to $560.24. I send the receipt off to adjuster #2, and said I'll see about the dent repair when I get back. I get back from the trip, and adjuster #2 comes out to do the estimate. He comes up with an estimate of $791.35, which covers the windshield replacement and he thinks they can do paintless dent removal. He sends me a check for $541.35, which is that estimate minus my $250 deductible. I didn't pay a lot of attention to that figure at the time, and had forgotten the figure I had paid to Safelite (my mistake) so I deposited it. He assures me to just schedule with the body shop and that the deductible has been met.

Body shop says they can't do paintless dent removal because of where the dent is, it's going to cost considerably more than what adjuster #2 estimated. I call adjuster #2 back, he says he'll talk to the body shop. Body shop calls me back shortly after that and says it's approved, so they schedule me in. They've done an outstanding job of fixing the dent and detailing the truck when I picked it up. Looks spotless, no trace of the dent, and even though they had to remove the door and the trim to fix the dent, it looks like nothing happened. Good for them, they do nice work. I go to sign the paperwork, and they say I owe them the $250 deductible. No, it has already been met. They were OK with that, we figured it was just a simple miscommunication.

Now this is where things get complicated. I get home, realize the amount I was reimbursed was way more than my windshield cost minus the deductible. Indeed, I'm only out $18.89 at this point. I call the body shop back, since their work order showed the amount they billed my insurance was exactly $250 less than the total figure, and I explain that somehow I've paid way less than my deductible, so I pay them the $250 with my card over the phone so they're paid in full, and I figured I'll take it up with the adjuster to sort out this $18.89 difference. Also stop by their shop to pick up the receipt for the $250 just in case.

This is the part I'm steamed about. I spent a good 10 minutes on the phone with adjuster #2, and he explains the $541.35 was based on his estimate minus the deductible, that I didn't need to pay the body shop anything, they don't owe me anything, and that I should just have the body shop refund the $250. I point out that there would still be a problem because I would have paid $560.24, been reimbursed $541.35, and if I hadn't paid the body shop, they would be coming to him for the $250, and I've only paid $18.89. Took entirely too long to get him to add things up, but then he saw the light, agreed I've paid more than the deductible, and said he'd talk to his supervisor to cut me a check for the difference.

Fast forward a couple weeks. Haven't heard anything, and since they were able to cut the first check and mail it to me in less than week, I figured something was up. I e-mailed adjuster #2. No reply in a week. I e-mailed again, and politely but firmly pointed out that I've paid $560.24, got reimbursed for $541.35, and paid $250 to the body shop, so I figure he still owes me $18.89. I get a phone call from adjuster #3, and had to spend 20 minutes on the phone, where she explains again where the $541.35 figure comes from. I explain that I understand how they calculated that number, I just point out that if I hadn't paid the body shop my deductible, then I've paid way less than my deductible. She still insists they don't owe me anything, but implies it's my fault for not paying the body shop only $231.11 so I arrive at $250. :oops: I calmly pointed out that I did not have the exact figures in my head when picked up the truck, and that in my mind, it would have made much more sense for them to reimburse me $310.24, and if I had only paid the body shop $231.11, then they would be the ones asking for $18.89, but she maintains that they based it all on the estimate. It took lots of back and forth and having her actually calculate $560.24 - $541.35 + $250, but she finally agreed that yes, my cost should only be $250, I'm actually out $268.89, the body shop is paid in full, I've met my deductible, and "in the interest of customer relations", she will cut me a check for $18.89. :rolleyes: Gee, thanks.

Rant off. My wife, the math major, is also shaking her head.
 
He assures me to just schedule with the body shop and that the deductible has been met.

You should have followed this advice. Never pay anyone until they send you an invoice. What if you never got the dent fixed? How would they have worked out your deductible?
 
I'm confused.

Is the windshield on the estimate?

Why didn't they just pay you your invoice for the W/S and deduct the deductible from the estimate which should not include the already replaced W/S.

I presume they paid the shop direct for the suppplement?
 
Any three figure number is down in the noise to them.

When it's not driveable have it towed in.
 
Did you have rental included in your policy? Perfect time for that. Let them have your truck and handle the repairs, and they can hassle over the payout. Everyone should get ready for all insurance companies to nickel and dime their way out of a claim due to all the claims from catastrophic storm damage etc. Also, I was told that if you see commercials on TV for big name companies, you're gonna pay for that advertising sooner or later with YOUR premiums. It's one of the main reasons I got rid of the large, sunglass wearing, flightless bird and his dorky sidekick. My rates kept going up to pay for those stupid commercials. Also why I won't deal with Mayhem, Jake, Flo, Jimmy, Mara, or Alan.
 
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