Warning, Progressive Insurance

[ediddy]

A few weeks after V-Goose posted about the way progressive handled the claim for Cyote61 my territory sales manager with progressive came in the office. I told about the way the claim was handled and I went on this web site and let him read the responses and I told him there were over 6,000 members of this site. I asked him if he would be willing to talk to the higher ups with progressive about the way this claim was handled. He was upset just like me and agreed to see if someone with progressive would look into this. He also asked if it would be OK for the "higher ups" to go on this web site and read the posts about this claim. I told him I wish they would and I gave him the name of the post and where to find it. Today the territory sales manager was in the office and he said this site was looked at by someone up the line with progressive. He also said a claims manager was supposed to look into the handling of the claim and make contact or have someone contact Cyote61. He didn't know what would be done but said someone was supposed to look into the handling of this claim. I just wanted you all to know that progressive did look at the reponses on this site.

[Guest seuadr]

good. mistakes happen, it's natural. it's how a company makes them right that defines the quality of the company, though. Sounds like they are smart enough to realize this.

 

it's just like the old retail rule:

 

if you make one customer happy, they may tell 10 friends. if you make one customer angry, they will tell 50 friends.

[Wanderer]

That's good to know. I do not have Progressive, but GEICO, and can only speak for GEICO.

Those folks at GEICO treated me right when I wrecked my Boulevard a couple a years back. Even gave me permission to use after market parts for those items on back order from Suzuki. I can't speak highly enough of the way GEICO treats their patrons; at least

my experience with them.

[Guest cyote61]

A few weeks after V-Goose posted about the way progressive handled the claim for Cyote61 my territory sales manager with progressive came in the office. I told about the way the claim was handled and I went on this web site and let him read the responses and I told him there were over 6,000 members of this site. I asked him if he would be willing to talk to the higher ups with progressive about the way this claim was handled. He was upset just like me and agreed to see if someone with progressive would look into this. He also asked if it would be OK for the "higher ups" to go on this web site and read the posts about this claim. I told him I wish they would and I gave him the name of the post and where to find it. Today the territory sales manager was in the office and he said this site was looked at by someone up the line with progressive. He also said a claims manager was supposed to look into the handling of the claim and make contact or have someone contact Cyote61. He didn't know what would be done but said someone was supposed to look into the handling of this claim. I just wanted you all to know that progressive did look at the reponses on this site.

ediddyediddy

, thank you for taking the time to mention this to someone in Progressive. Fact is, and I'm very sorry to have to say this, no one but the normal case worker and his or her boss has called me. I requested a V.P. level or higher call me, after I got the same run around. "sorry it ain't in your contract to pay you any expenses" My response that many times has been, quote," and was it in my contract that you could tell me to sit tight for over five days and never return my call?" Response, "sorry, but can't help you." In ending I ask for $300 USD. That would be about 1/3 of my actual expenses due to their failure to return my calls. They

admitted

the employees failed but said, "sorry that's all you get is a sorry, no

reimbursement

.

Once again, all my communication with them were with witnesses listing.

Lastly, I will add that the final incident I talked about down in the Brownsville area office, were I stopped at after leaving El Paso and was treated like dirt in their office while I was standing there in a fair deal of pain. That item was never addressed by Progressive. The pain is no small exaggeration! After arriving home in GA I was sent to the emergency room and test showed, three broken ribs, a fractured scapula, and a chest cavity full of blood. Also a small broken bone in my hand plus several nasty contusions. However, I have healed well, thank you for asking.

I am sorry if this report hurts any ones business but truth needs to be told. I gave them what I considered a cheap way out at $300 for a total failure on their part. They did not care in my opinion and still don't.

[BuddyRich]

After all that I have read here I certainly will not consider Progressive. Maybe they outta take "word of mouth" advertising seriously. Its much stronger than any TV commercial.

[Aimhigh]

good. mistakes happen, it's natural. it's how a company makes them right that defines the quality of the company, though. Sounds like they are smart enough to realize this.

 

it's just like the old retail rule:

 

if you make one customer happy, they may tell 10 friends. if you make one customer angry, they will tell 50 friends.

 

 

in our case...they will tell over 7000 friends!

[ediddy]

Hey Cyote61,

I don't understand. What is the $300.00 for that you asked progressive to pay.

Thanks

[Guest Saddletramp]

:no-no-no:I have progressive. Last year I dropped my bike in a parking lot like so many others have done before me. The engine gaurd bar folded causing the lower fairing to break and a few other cosmetic damages. I contacted progressive and was very pleased with the handling and settlement of the claim which by the way was placed against my collision. Now I kept the claim under $1000. This spring when I renewed my policy I was expecting to get socked with a healthy increase. Much to my surprise and joy my policy not only declined in cost but I was also advised that my accessory coverage was increased to $3000 at no additional costs to me. The agent and estimator I used were both pro-bike people and I would have absoulutely no qualms about recommending Progressive to a freind. You can't neccessarily damn the entire company due to one or two poor representitives of the same. I wish you luck with your receipt of poor service but do not agree overall with negative judgement against the entire company. I will be happy to supply anyone interested with the name of my agent and damage evaluation rep.

[1BigDog]

I have been with Geico now for several years now with no issues. I originally had the bike insured with Progressive, who, living up to their name, Progressivly raised my rates every year even though there was never any claims. By the 3rd year my rates doubles for the same coverage. At least with Geico, my rates are usually in the same ballpark as when I first signed with them.

[Guest cyote61]

Hey Cyote61,

I don't understand. What is the $300.00 for that you asked progressive to pay.

Thanks

 

That was about 1/3 of my out of pocket expenses for motels, meals and transportation while I sat and waited for a lousy call back to tell me what they intended to do next. My bike was totaled and then some. When I did hear from them I was getting ready to leave El Paso after buying a Goldwing to get out of their with. I figured they should have paid something even a dollar, but no offer was made or counter. They told me, "I'm sorry we screwed up was all I was gonna get". And yes, before you ask they did pay me for the totaled 07 Venture. That is why I had to stop down by Brownsville to pick up a check. They were not happy about that.

Any other questions feel free to ask before I put it all to bed. Like Progressive love to use the phrase, "it ain't in the Contract" same here, It's not in my contract to lie for them either.

7,000 members here and over 20,000 on my other forum I'm very active in. My post count there is at about 5000!

[Guest Saddletramp]

I guess I'm just one of the lucky ones out there. I don't have a problem with Progressive Insurance and I also run Metzlers without a problem. Good thing these corporations only need a few good customers to stay in business. Or is it only a few that are experiencing problems and just being loud about their problem? By the way you didn't say if you had a clean license or had been involved in accidents or claims.

[BigBoyinMS]

You can't neccessarily damn the entire company due to one or two poor representitives of the same.

 

I haven't had a comment before now but the way I see it, you CAN "damn the entire company". They should step up and make it right.

Think about it... a multimillion dollar company and now they know this one incident is being hashed out by a forum with 7000 members. What would I do if I was in charge, and knew a representative of the company screwed up? I would make sure the company took responsibility and did what it took to correct it. They should do it even if it had never been posted about here.

Any insurance company can (and HAS to) pay a claim. It's how they handle these uncommon situations that shows what kind of company they are.

[Guest cyote61]

I guess I'm just one of the lucky ones out there. I don't have a problem with Progressive Insurance and I also run Metzlers without a problem. Good thing these corporations only need a few good customers to stay in business. Or is it only a few that are experiencing problems and just being loud about their problem? By the way you didn't say if you had a clean license or had been involved in accidents or claims.

Well now Mr

Saddletramp

, I see you are a real peach of a fellow. Your question also is rather improper, but 40 years no accidents and no ticket for over 20 years. Sorry to let you down. I'm also 65 years old, any thing else you'd like to know?

[Lonehunter]

By the way you didn't say if you had a clean license or had been involved in accidents or claims.

 

 

Even,If he did have a bad driving record and even caused the accident, how would that make a difference in how the case was handled. They chose to cover him and he paid for the coverage. A policy was issued and the cost of that policy was decided before hand, after that time all policy's should be treated the same.

 

 

Jeff

[edger]

I have only had one dealing with Progressive. The claim was handled HORRIBLY!! They tried to cheat me out of anything they could with very poor reasons. I wrote a letter detailing out the entire thing to the Ne. State Ins. governing body and was shortly thereafter contacted by someone higher up in the Progressive company who then made good on the claim. You should not have to get the state government involved to get a fair settlement on a claim. That is just rediculous. Now, that said, I do beleive that it was just simply the agent here that was a jerk and really probably not the "company" as a whole.

[flb_78]

I have only had one dealing with Progressive. The claim was handled HORRIBLY!! They tried to cheat me out of anything they could with very poor reasons. I wrote a letter detailing out the entire thing to the Ne. State Ins. governing body and was shortly thereafter contacted by someone higher up in the Progressive company who then made good on the claim. You should not have to get the state government involved to get a fair settlement on a claim. That is just rediculous. Now, that said, I do beleive that it was just simply the agent here that was a jerk and really probably not the "company" as a whole.

 

The adjuster's job and the claim person's job is to save the company as much as possible. If they can get you to agree to a lower total by dicking you around until you get so pissed off you agree to their lower total to get it over with, guess what they're going to do...

 

BTW, I have Progressive Insurance.

[Jethroish]

After reading the original "Progressive" story, I began shopping for another insurance carrier. Suprisingly, Allstate was $45 cheaper with better coverage. I now have 2 bikes insured for $348/year. I will say, Allstate also has my autos, home, and camper insurance. Can you say "multi-policy discount?"

I have also heard (from a dealer service dept.) that when Progessive does fix a bike, they try to use as many used parts as possible and fix what can ve fixed rather than replace parts (ie. straighten swing arm instead of replace.)

[Guest Saddletramp]

The question of clean license and accidents on your record was in reference to the posting which stated his rates had steadily increased not, in reference to the claim being handled improperly. Sorry if that was misunderstood as it obviously was. There is no doubt that this claim was mishandled, I merely wanted to say that there are good adjusters and agents out there who will and do properly handle claims. A lot of the Progressive Agents in my area are independent agents who sell as a broker of several companies. And yes I do agree that Progressive themselves should be stepping in on such flagrant cases of error. The adjuster that I came in contact with was driving a company vehicle with the Progressive logo across the side of it which would prompt me to believe they are company employees and not agents. I used to write estimates at an automobile dealership. I would continually go to bat for the customer to recieve new OEM parts for their collision jobs. Adjusters,dependent on who they were representing at the time, either would or would not push for aftermarket parts or salvage parts. I made the owners aware of this as well as a law that governed these usages. Face it, insurance companies are in business to make money and if the unscrupulous emplyee of same can smoke someone to get ahead they will likely attempt to do so. I wasn't attempting to ruffle feathers and apoligize for doing so. I was merely stating the company in question had been good for me.

[REDRIDER52]

After reading the first thread on progressive my ins came due went up another $60.00 made it over $500.00 a year went to bact to my agent look for some thing else found AEIGS Securty Ins.Co. same coverage for less than $200.00 a year with discounts for different bike groups and MSF traing:banana:

[The Black Pearl]

I go through a company called Victoria (sold at over 60 LOOK! insurance office in michigan) and they have been wonderful!!! only had 1 claim in the 4 years I have been with them and it went soooo smooth and prices couldnt be better for my 05 would recommend them to EVERYONE

[ediddy]

I represent Victoria also. They are owned by Nationwide. Nationwide agents can only represent Nationwide so Nationwide formed Victoria for independent agents like myself that do business with many companies. Nationwide claim reps handle the Victoria claims. When Victoria first introduced their motorcycle program they gave you a free membership in AMA the first year and were endorsed by the AMA. They have discontinued that program and aren't as competetive as they were at first. Out of 10 quotes they will be competetive 0nce or twice. I just insured an 06 Goldwing that was with GEICO paying $585.00 per year with $2,500 accessory coverage. The owner put a special suspension system on the goldwing that cost $2,500 and just purchased an aluma trailer that he paid $2,000 for. I gave him $5,000 accessory coverage and Victoria was only $285.00 per year. But they aren't this competetive every time.