If you have rental car reimbursement coverage on your auto insurance policy, your insurance company may give you a hard time extending the coverage past the typical 30 days that is allowed by your policy. This article may help you get your rental coverage extended if your insurer caused the delay in getting your car fixed.
Question
I have State Farm auto insurance. I was at fault for an accident 1/9/13. I believe that on 2/5/13 the auto repair company (body shop) – that I chose – discovered the car was having a problem with its computer. My insurance company, State Farm, tried searching for a used part which took about 1 week.
My car is still at the body shop and it is not working. My rental coverage was for 30 days and State Farm is giving me a hard time extending the coverage, but I don’t think it is my fault that it has taken this long. I think State Farm is partially to blame, because they chose to look for a used computer. What do you recommend that I do?
Answer
Most policies usually limit you to get reimbursed for about 30 days. It seems to me that your auto insurance policy allows for 30 days. You should check the reimbursement coverage section of your auto policy to see if it limits your rental for 30 days. Assuming it does, I would do the following:
1. Speak with a supervisor of the claims adjuster and tell him or her that you feel that State Farm is partially to blame, because they chose to look for a used computer when they could have just authorized a new computer. If this does not work, then go to Step #2.
2. Speak with a supervisor’s supervisor and use the same argument mentioned in #1. If this does not work, go to Step #3. If you cannot get in contact with a supervisor, go to Step #3.
3. Go online and Submit a Request for Insurance Assistance. Although I think it is very easy to do, you can read about how to submit a request for Insurance Assistance. You can also do #4 in addition to #3. Once State Farm receives the civil remedy notice, it will trigger a review by the claims manager at the claims office.
4. File a civil remedy notice. Be sure to email it to State Farm. State Farm’s email address in Florida is florida.auto.customer@statefarm.com. Be sure to choose “get delivery confirmation” and “request a read receipt” so that you can be sure that State Farm received your email. I use Microsoft Outlook and I have these options. Once State Farm receives the civil remedy notice, it will trigger a review by the claims manager at the claims office.
If you do not send the civil remedy notice to State Farm, the notice will not be valid and they do not have to respond. This notice gives the insurer 60 days to fix the violation, but in this particular case the main purpose of the notice is to put pressure to be fair. Once State Farm receives this notice, it will trigger a review by the claims manager at the claims office.
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