by goinbacktocali » Mon Sep 13, 2010 08:39 pm
Seeking advice on how to handle a hostile insurance agent...
My wife's father recently passed away. Her father and her sister had auto insurance with Peter Kong on Long Beach, CA. He is a State Farm agent. My wife called to cancel her dad's policy because we sold his car, and the agent refused to do so over the phone. He said that her little sister had to come to the office.
Her sister and mother (the widow) then went to his office to cancel her dad's policy and also her own because she found a cheaper rate with our insurance provider - Mercury. He would not let them cancel, literally calling her sister stupid. He kept them there for THREE HOURS, insisting on knowing what the competing offer was. Finally, they got my wife on the phone at work, and she had to yell at this guy to get him to cancel the policy. Once they hung up, he then tried to convince them to buy life insurance. When they refused, he called her dumb for not getting a policy and for listening to her sister. They finally left thinking the issue was resolved.
We just got a letter from him in the mail. He did NOT cancel her father's policy as requested. He simply suspended it so that he didn't have to refund the difference of what they had paid in advance. He did actually cancel her sister's policy, but only provided a $6 refund when she had two months left on her policy and paid 6 months in advance.
This guy is obviously a jerk, but I would like to seek advice on what we can do about it? Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.
My wife's father recently passed away. Her father and her sister had auto insurance with Peter Kong on Long Beach, CA. He is a State Farm agent. My wife called to cancel her dad's policy because we sold his car, and the agent refused to do so over the phone. He said that her little sister had to come to the office.
Her sister and mother (the widow) then went to his office to cancel her dad's policy and also her own because she found a cheaper rate with our insurance provider - Mercury. He would not let them cancel, literally calling her sister stupid. He kept them there for THREE HOURS, insisting on knowing what the competing offer was. Finally, they got my wife on the phone at work, and she had to yell at this guy to get him to cancel the policy. Once they hung up, he then tried to convince them to buy life insurance. When they refused, he called her dumb for not getting a policy and for listening to her sister. They finally left thinking the issue was resolved.
We just got a letter from him in the mail. He did NOT cancel her father's policy as requested. He simply suspended it so that he didn't have to refund the difference of what they had paid in advance. He did actually cancel her sister's policy, but only provided a $6 refund when she had two months left on her policy and paid 6 months in advance.
This guy is obviously a jerk, but I would like to seek advice on what we can do about it? Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 08:54 pm Post Subject:
A letter needs to be sent to the agent making all requests in writing. Send it certified mail. Call your sates Dept of Insurance and file a complaint. Call State Farm and ask to speak to the regional manager for this agent. Let him.her know what happened.
Agents (especially for large carriers like this) can be a dime a dozen. They don't need to have any skills or knowledge.
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 07:29 pm Post Subject:
There is no need to involve the agent in a cancellation. It can be done by contacting the insurance company directly by phone or over their Internet website.
If you're interested in making a complaint to the CA Dept of Insurance, the website is www.insurance.ca.gov Click on the "Consumers" tab (first one on the left in the red bar under the Commissioner's portrait), and then on "Talk to Us" at the bottom of the drop down menu. You'll find a link to the online "Request for Assistance" form, as well as their consumer complaint phone number: (800) 927-HELP.
Filling out the online RFA form will get you the fastest response. According to your account, what the agent has done is a violation of the Insurance Code, under Section 790.02 (unfair acts or practices) and 790.03(c) (committing an act of intimidation). It is a civil offense for which the agent may be fined and have his license suspended or revoked.
But that can't happen if the Commissioner is not aware of the problem. Your complaint about the agent is the first step.
I'm not going to apologize for the agent in any way. The majority of us do not treat our clients in such a manner. We have too much respect for them.
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 07:56 pm Post Subject: Thanks!
Thanks very much for your responses. They are very helpful.
I completely agree with you. I have never heard of treatment like this. I've only had good experiences so far. This is not an agent issue, it is unfortunately an ethnic issue. It is a case of someone from a particular country who speaks a particular language that thinks he can intimidate women of the same origin. Unfortunate...
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 09:07 pm Post Subject:
There is no need to involve the agent in a cancellation. It can be done by contacting the insurance company directly by phone or over their Internet website
Unless you are insured with a company such as Allstate or another who mandates that agents are involved with any policy changes. I had a HO policy with Allstate and moved to a different area. I was 5 miles from one agent and 25 miles away from my original. After speaking to many people I finally had to get the regional manager on the phone in order to change agents. Even then he told me I needed to right a letter for this consideration. I simply changed insurance companies. It was a lot easier.Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 01:38 pm Post Subject:
I think the "office visit" is a State Farm trademark. They train their agents to get clients to stop every time they make a change...probably presents good selling opportunities. The "rude" part is certainly not a State Farm thing.
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