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Follows is an email written to Tony Not-so-Nicely, CEO of Geico, which was ignored completely. Below that is an essay about Geico that was sent to every major newspaper in the US. What a shame that we as consumers have no recourse and companies like Geico can do whatever they please.Dear Mr. Nicely:
This is in regard to a claim which Geico denied and about which I wrote an Op-Ed piece which was sent to every major newspaper in the US, including The Washington Post who is also copied on this email.
The article follows below but before you (or whoevery gets your email) reads it, I'd like you to know that in addition to always paying my bill on time, my son who is now on my policy because he cannot afford his own insurance is a disabled veteran who receives partial disability (and is applying for full disability) from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
While on duty in Virginia in 2005, Alex seriously injured his back. Since then he has had problems with painkillers and the downward spiral that results from that. He has lost his wife through divorce, is facing bankruptcy and because of assorted health problems (including the most recent, a blood infection that left him hospitalized for several days a couple of weeks ago) cannot hold a job or even do something as simple as donating blood to make money. He is also receiving help for his problems and plans on attend a second quarter at Franklin University in Columbus (he completed Fall Quarter but was too sick to attend in the Winter) through the GI Bill.
Although Alex was cited in the February accident, the lawyer who is working pro bono on the case and also the policemen who was on the scene believe that the other driver was extremely careless in sitting in the dark on a major street without her lights and possibly only (she says) her blinkers. Therefore the ticket is being contested and all agree that the accident was not a result of carelessness or negligence.
That said, Geico cruelly denied my claim but made no bones about doubling my premium and emailing me the bill yesterday, over a month in advance. They didn't even bother to refund the $75 or so that I paid to reinstate the insurance and instead have sent me several threatening certified letters which I sent back unopened on my lawyer's advice.
Meanwhile, my son now has no car because his was totaled (both airbags deployed and the engine block is cracked) and no transportation to school or to the VA clinic to get the help he so desperately needs (I need my car for work and sharing is extremely difficult). Like many veterans, he was injured in the line of duty, and is trying to get his life back. His is very fragile and to be honest, I am not optimistic about his chances of him seeing age 30 (he will soon be 27).
So Mr. Nicely, I wanted you to know how your company helped contribute to this tragedy. Of course you didn't cause it but had you approved the claim as you should have, Alex's life would be much more manageable because we could use the settlement to get him another car.
So please read the Op-ed piece below with an open mind and also remember how very fragile my son Alex is and that soon he may slip away or just give up. It would have been so much easier for Geico to have approved the claim. It also would have been the right thing to do.
Sincerely,
SG
****
OP-ED: GORDON GEICO AND HIS LEVEL 10 SERVICE
Consider the common gecko. They’re cute and green, and if you watch TV, they speak with a Cockney accent. I hadn’t given geckos much thought until recently, when my son Alex had a car accident. Then I had close encounter of the gecko, I mean Geico, kind.
Frankly, I messed up. I was supposed to pay my son’s car insurance as soon as he got it out of storage on Monday, February 1, but I forgot. Actually, I forgot to remind my ex-husband strongly enough to give me the money to pay for it, because I’d already shelled out almost $300 for new tires and a license renewal.
No instead I went to Washington DC on business the next day, came back just before the weekend of the Great Blizzard of 2010, February 5th edition. It wasn’t until Sunday, after we’d dug out of 10 inches of snow, that I remembered to call Gordon Geico and renew my son’s car insurance. I was on my way to bowling, phoned the ex for at least some remuneration and was told to get full coverage, which was fine with me as long as he was willing to foot the bill. So I did.
That same night, Alex rear-ended a car that he said was sitting with its lights off in a major street in the chilly dark. The other driver had a different tune --Think “You Saw My Blinker” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, only with warning flashers. As with many accidents, you take your eyes off the road for a second and then someone’s vehicle is in your face. You swerve like *** to avoid it and chaos ensues. Fortunately no one was hurt, but both airbags in Alex’s 2000 Toyota deployed and the front end was seriously damaged, so death by junkyard loomed imminent. Perhaps the new tires and recent battery could be salvaged, and being as he ran into her – flashers or no – he was cited.
All seemed well until I got a copy of the police report. The friendly Geico gecko had taken statements from both myself and my son (“How can we provide you with Level 10 service today?”) but when I looked at the time the accident occurred and saw that it was a half an hour before I called, I sensed trouble ahead.
So I pointed out the discrepancy to Sue Jones, which is about the most generic name I can think of to disguise the identity of my agent. She promised to investigate and called me back a few days later with the optimistic news that she was going to approve my claim.
But here’s the thing about geckos. Being lizards, they’ve been around for eons. They are quick and adaptable and actually pretty useful if you live in a tropical climate, since they eat mosquitoes and other bugs. But if they feel threatened in any way, they drop their tails in defense, a form of self-amputation ironically called autotomy (auto-tomy, get it?). So if you try to capture one, you may be standing there holding its bumper and nothing else.
Which is what happened to us. After two weeks of hemming and hawing, with the eminent, compassionate, and efficient Sue Jones pleading our case to ever higher levels of management, the Gecko (aka The Man) said “no.” The accident occurred at approximately 6:30 PM; I called at approximately 7, and the car wasn’t covered". Sorry, Charlie, your kid’s without transportation and it doesn’t matter if he’s trying to get his life together and needs his vehicle to go to school, the doctors (and please God, let this some day happen) get a job when he’s well enough/. Now if he needs to go the VA for medical help or college, he’ll just have to take the bus or walk..
In my 10 years as a Geico customer, I never had an accident (knocking wood, crossing all appendages, and theoretically throwing salt over my left shoulder as I write this)|. I paid nearly $8,000 in premiums and always on time, with exception of the six weeks or so that Alex’s car was in storage (I thought the policy was “on hold,” they said it was “canceled”);. Yes, there was a lapse of coverage of a few days, but even if the company paid $3000 to cover the book value of the car, they still made $5000 on me, one of several million customers,.
Ah, greed, it is good|. There’s a logical reason Geico why has a revenue of almost $10 billion a year?. Because when you’re dealing with a lizard, even a cute green one with an appealing shtick, it’s gonna do what the species does when protecting its own best interests: Spray crap all over your face.
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 Comments (73) |
| 1. Written by Geico Policyholder on May 7, 2012 from san diego, california, US My car was vandalized withat least 4 other Navigators and now Geico is "reviewing" my claim for what reason I don't know. They try to sugar coat what they are doing. I am waiting to see the results. My insirance is current and this is my first claim in the years that I've had them. I want to call the police on Geico because they are victimizing me!! |
| 2. Written by pattyl on December 14, 2011 from richmond hill, georgia, US I can tell you Geico is not a good company. I think most of you are jerks. This is what has happened to this country. She said the lady was sitting with her lights off in a dark place...dah. I think compassion and honesty is a thing of the past. |
| 3. Written by robbyjoe on September 27, 2011 from renton, washington, US First of all can empathize with Alex, being a disabled Vietnam vet, I realize the pain & anguish he's going thru. I also had a painkiler/alcohol problem, which I overcame & now have 10 years sobriety. I heartily thank Alex for his service to our great nation. But, unfortuneatly he was at fault as practically all rear-enders, the vehicle in the rear is at fault, and is compounded by the fact that his car was uninsured at the time of the accident. |
| 4. Written by Tara Snow on August 18, 2011 from seattle, washington, US Geico has always been there for me when needed, which has often been helpful seeing how my girlfriend is a terrible driver, but I keep coming across stories of people who have had really bad experiences with the company. There are some really funny vents about it here. |
| 5. Written by TerriTee on August 6, 2011 from -, -, US Geico is a good insurance company. They stick to their word, which means if you fail to list a driver they are surely not going to pay for an accident that they might have caused while driving your vehicle. You are responsible for that yourself. I am sorry to hear about your down fall, but allowing a teenager to drive is liability. It might cause more to have the teenager on your insurance, but as you probably see now; it is a wise choice to do so. I recommend geico to everyone that I know, because they are resonable, claims are processed in a timely manner, rates are not heighten, and you do not have a wait time to talk to a customer services representative. Most people choose insurance company for name sake, and most of those companies sent you through a preliminary company before you are even reconginzed as "their" customer. The insurance companies for automoblies, etc. are a dime a dozen. You get what you pay for, and the most expensive is not always the best. So for those that is reading this complaint; read it closely, because if you have been a customer with car insurance you know the rules and guidelines of uninsured motorist. I found this complain, while searcing for electronics, because I look for valid faults, before I make online purchases for any company. I wish you well. |
6. Written by Really on June 18, 2011 from schaumburg, illinois, US It doesn't really matter if you called at 5pm or 7pm, the insurance doesn't start until 12:00am the next morning. I am sorry this happened to you and your son, but I agree with some of the other comments, take responsibilty of your and your sons actions and move on. |
| 7. Written by FiredByGeico - Hates Geico and on June 4, 2011 from new york, new york, US Are you kidding? You didn't tell your insurance company about your son who would be driving your car! And then he hit somebody else's car with it. People like you with your hidden driver kid are the reason that everybody else has to pay more, and you're taking it to the CEO and writing newspapers with this garbage? Its no wonder your "brilliant" essay was never published. Did it ever occur to you that by not declaring your son on your policy that you were committing a minor form of insurance fraud? Get a life. |
| 8. Written by Rich on May 25, 2011 from indianapolis, indiana, US Gieco is in the business to make money like all businesses. What would if everyone called 30 minutes AFTER an accident to get insurance? Sad story but life is a tough place |
| 9. Written by Mike on May 11, 2011 from rochester, new york, US I will not use another auto insurance company. When I was rear ended on the freeway twice in the same year and had to have surgery on my neck, Geico was there for me and handled everything perfectly. My rates weren't jacked up and they were very pleasant throughout the entire process.A few of my friends and family haven't been as fortunate when they have had an accident. |
| 10. Written by pit girl on May 6, 2011 from chandler, arizona, US I am sorry that these things have happened to your son, but HE hit someone, and He didn't have insurance. Why would Geico pay you if he is not covered and and was responsible. They are not even responsible to cover the person he hit, the other driver hopefuly had uninsured motorist protection because they cannot go after geico. If a car is broken down in the street, the lights do not need to be on, only the hazards, which the other person said they would be. Again, I hope your son gets better. |
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