Complain about a product or service

Farmers Insurance

As the complaints below indicate, Farmers is not always first in line when its policyholders need help. In Texas, a Farmers subsidiary was fined $20,000 for illegally demanding income-tax returns when processing claims.

James of Hesperia CA (04/28/08)
I repaired a home due to small kitchen fire and Farmers Insurance issued a check made out to the homeowner and Chase Bank. Its been over 45 days since weve completed the project and have not been paid. Ive called Farmers Ins. and Chase Bank and neither will help. Farmers say they have fulfilled their obligation and Chase Bank is just rude and will not answer any questions. The homeowner has not returned any of my phone calls in 3 weeks.

Being a small contractor in these tough times I stand to lose my home and business.

Jacob of Mcminnvile OR (04/23/08)
I went to Farmers and inquired about coverage for my property which included my recording studio equipment I use for work. Long story short, I told them very specifically what my needs were, was told what kind of policy I needed to cover my belongings, and purchased it.

Flash forward a year, my house gets burglarized, the bulk of my equipment stolen, and now apparently I have been paying for the wrong coverage and they aren't replacing ANY of the items stolen because I needed a business endorsement to cover the gear stolen. What? Well it only cost a pittance more than I was already paying, so why wasn't I told first of all, and second of all, why am I paying for insurance that doesn't cover me?

I built my studio piece by piece over the course of six years. Finally I had my own business. Now I go back in time six years, get a day job, and start all over again, six years older and way behind schedule.

Alana of Issaquah WA (02/04/08)
Following a fire loss on May 1, 2006, we met with the agent and Farmers claims adjuster and were given a post fire claims packet. The Farmers adjuster told us he that public disclosure laws stated he had to tell us that we did not have to have him adjust the claim. We thought info on public adjusters came in this packet. But Farmers stated that it didn't. Anyway, a page with a local public adjuster and 2 page list of his clients appeared, and after calling many of the clients and hearing report after report of people who stated they could not repair with like kind and materials from what the insurance company offered, which can be half or less than they have coming, we hired a public adjuster.

The PA said his plans called for a total new roof. The Farmers Large Loss Claims adjuster flew in and collaborated with Belfor Construction Services, with building inspector, and man from an engineering firm, to arrive at a cheapened scope of loss to repair only a smaller grandfathered portion of the roof. The PA stated the insurance company had failed to insure the home 100% to value, and we'd be living in a tent in the backyard by winter. That the living expense fell far short of what we were entitled to during the repair process. He stated it would be necessary to have the home appraised. With this, he stated we were now entitled to the full Loss of Use portion of the policy, for apt rent and rental furniture. Farmers mailed an ACV check to the PA and we endorsed it in his presence.

On Nov. 3, 2006, the Belfor construction company wrote Farmers that they were in possession of this check, and cited the check number. They did not begin work or even tarp the fire loss as promised that year, or the entire next year. In the early part of the year they said they'd never been paid and placed a lien against the home which remained till Nov. 2007.

Recently Blue lake Builders told us the entire roof, not the grandfathered portion Farmers wanted to repair, none of which is repaired, is stressed and visibly sagging. We are left with an expensive set of Farmers cheap and manipulated plans, that it took two engineering companies to come up with. When we tried to repair the home with them using like kind and materials as the Farmers policy promises, this was not possible. The plans call for various synthetic materials, we'd not okayed for our historic home on the Register of Historic Places in our city. We were given the insurance file based on public disclosure laws and were amazed to see these guys thanking each other in emails for this collaboration to cheapen the repairs.

We've contacted the insurance commission twice but this has not proved successful. Farmers writes letters stating that the public adjuster and themselves have resolved all differences. This is the PA we paid 10% of the structure settlement to help us after the loss, and whose building plans Farmers overturned. They state numbers on paper regarding the house contents that they state they have paid out dollar amounts, such as $65,000.00 for Service masters cleaning and transporting to their warehouse, where they held contents which amounted to 5/6 of house contents. This was boxed or packaged at times while still damp and boxed or wrapped in plastic, so that it molded in storage, and we could not been able to have it serviced, such as photo or art work restoration. Our public adjuster fired the Service masters and told them NOT to clean, because he heard them state they would clean items that could not be cleaned. The historic cottage has now had four different engineers, but to date the roof has not been repaired. The homes $100,000 in original lathe and three coat Venetian lime plaster was gutted by Belfor Construction company and we did not want it replaced with blueboard. So to date this also is unrepaired. The additional water damage the Farmers coalition has helped to cause has also damaged first growth fir floors.

We told Farmers they sold us a policy which could not repair the home with like kind and materials as promised and that the two years of insurance company fraud has caused our family much pain, injury and suffering. The house that plays a vital role in the community, and has been listed on tours and such, but we have not been able to be the host for these celebrations, which are educational for tourists, locals and especially school children. As an artist, I have spent hundreds of hours typing letters to the insurance company and others, conducting inventory, doing research on smoke and fire damage, instead of painting as I once did before the fire. My husband has had to do work that the construction company failed to do. We aren't quite sure why the insurance company has behaved this way. Little rascals that they are, it's not that they haven't done anything nice, but for all practical purposes, it seems their intent was to bring the house down, and not to rebuild it. It's in far worse shape now after two years of Farmers intervention, than it was following the fire loss.

Barbara of Afton TN (12/11/07)
I canceled my umbrella policy and all my insurance with Farmers as it was triple the price of other insurance. My problem is with Danny Shaw as I canceled in January in writing as requested. I did this 2 times and never got a refund of 9 months of the premiums. I have now called and written many times. He and his wife told me it was taken care of. I've never gotten my refund. They are hardly ever in the office, and when they are they selectively screen their calls. So most of the time you must go down there. I would like to receive my refund as it has been 11 mos. now, with one excuse after another. Their answer is that the company has not sent it, and they are still waiting. Because of them I had to go 30 miles to get insurance from an honest agent. They also owe me for another refund on mobile home insurance that I bought from them.

My insurance tripled right after my husband died 6 years ago. I did have a water claim, but my insurance sky rocketed then. They basically stole my refund. I think I've waited long enough. 

Alexis of Atlanta GA (10/03/07)
I had a house fire on 1/27/2007- I contacted Farmers Insurance the next day. I was given guidelines for submitting claims and thats when I began to get the run a round. First I was told that I must make contact with 2 different adjusters. I made contact with a structure person and a contents person. The structure person came out on Feb 28,07 and I was issued my first check for the rebuilding of my home in late March. I understood because there were investigations (Farmers) and contractor bids to be accepted. I was told that my coverage did include a place to rent while my primary was being completed. I did get compensation after two to three weeks for that. I had contacted the contents person at the same time Jan 28. I waited until April for a partial check (1/10). I was told since all of my files had burned with ALL th rest of my contents that I would have to take depreciation cost instead of actual cash value (I paid for enhancement with Homeowners policy).I made my third submission on July 16,2007, I am still waiting today Oct 3,get a check finally in

I work from home using telephone services and computer etc. I waited so long for my contents that I lost 3 months pay aprox another 6,000.00

Carl of Suffolk VA (09/25/07)
While waiting for the fire department to arrive. I used 3 of my fire extinguishers worth a total of $50 to try and put out a fire on my neighbors deck. The flames were 4 ft high and about 5 ft from the house before I used the fire extinguishers. My neighbor who has Farmers Insurance tried to include my fire extinguishers in his claim but they refused to cover them. I e-mailed Farmers 4 days ago and have not heard from them. To me its the more the principle of the thing than the money. If I had not used my fire extinguishers the flames might have reached the house and the amount of the claim would have been much higher.

Nakia of Spring TX (07/02/07)
Someone broke into my home on 4/24/07 and i filed my claim on 4/25/07 with my homeowners insurance. Since then my claim has been reassigned i have done recorded investigation in which i was asked personal questions regarding my criminal history, items on my credit report etc. On 5/25/07 i had to do an INTERROGATION under oath in which i was interrogated for 6 1/2 hrs. I was questioned about credit, background employement history. it was the worst experience in my life.

On 6/29/07 i recieved a package from this attorney requesting bank statement from 2006, phone records from 2006 authotization to release payment history from previos and past employment, authorization to diffent creditors to release information on my credit report, autorizion to release tax information on my home, authorization to release loan info on my vehicle from 2006-present, copy of my work calendar for the month of april authorization to release my electric and water records. authorization to release my parking garage pass card records for work. This has been a complete nightmare, and has literally made me sick Farmers insurance is making me feel like a criminal.

David of Clarksville, TN (1/21/03):
We have homeowners insurance with Farmers. Just today, we recieved a bill for the next year on our insurance. It went from $658.18 in 2002 to $1,371.74 for the year 2003. When we contacted our agent, he told us that the company has started using credit ratings to base the premiums on. I have had this company for almost 10 years and am insured for the same amount of coverage as the previous years but the increase of $713.56 for the next year is based solely on credit ratings. How is the average homeowner supposed to pay the increase and no extra coverage at all? How can this be legal? Arent we being discriminated against?

The cost is so high I dont think we can afford it. It is very cost prohibitive. If we dont pay it our mortgage company will forclose because we arent insuring the property. What can we do?

Paul of Prescott Valley, AZ, writes:
On August 1, we had a fire in our garage caused by spontanous combustion due to rags that we used to stain our deck. Our 2000 Nissan Xtera was parked in the garage. The following day our insurance adjuster came to inspect the vehicle.

Diane told me that the vehicle was a total loss, due to severe smoke and heat damage. On August 4, I recieved a call from Diane that they were going to detail and ozone the vehicle. At that point I called the branch claims supervisor to ask him what the point was in detailing and ozoning the vehicle. He did not believe that the vehicle was that bad by looking at the pictures. At that point I asked him to come and look at the vehicle for himself.

He then asked me how the fire started. I told him it was spontanous combustion. He commented that he didn't believe that's how the fire started and that he wants to send a fire inspector. I told him that it was their fire inspector that determined that the fire started from spontanous combustion. At that point I told him that he had no right accusing me of arson.

I agreed to let them detail and ozone the truck. He told me if detailing and ozoning the truck did not help the vehicle then it would be a total loss. After the vechicle was detailed and ozoned it showed that the vehicle had damage to the paint, glass was pitted and the interior was discolored and smelled of toxic smoke. The airbags are warped and the airbag light, abs light and the engine light are on. Which tells me that the vehicle has sustained severe smoke and heat damage that would be hard to reverse.

When Kevin B. inspected the vehicle he denied damages that were obvious and did not want to repair the vehicle back to the condition it was before the loss. I believe that Kevin, the "branch claims supervisor," is being biased because of the fact that I confronted him for accusing me of arson. I told him that my wife and I were sleeping and if I have not awakened up we would have been killed in the fire. All I want is my vehicle replaced or repaired like it was the day before the loss.

Insurance companies are always suspicious of fires. Paul needs to remain calm and try to press, firmly but politely, for the best deal he can get, which may not be nearly what he wants. Even if the vehicle is totaled, Paul will get a settlement that reflects much more depreciation than he's prepared for.

Judie of Carson City, NV, writes:
In Feb. 1997 I had an accident. My car was rear-ended. I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. I had a previous injury and surgery on my neck that made me susceptible to injury. State Farm Insurance (the other driver's company) informed me that their client was at fault but they weren't paying my medical bills and if I didn't like it, I could take them to court.

I didn't have the $10,000 to finance the suit so I turned to my insurance company (Farmers) to pay my unpaid medical bills. This was two years after the accident (1999). I was told by Farmers that I wasn't covered for medical. I had requested that my agent find a way to lower my premiums in early 1998 or late 1997. I didn't know he dropped my medical coverage to lower the premiums. I was covered for medical at the time of the 1997 accident.

Farmers claims that their records don't go back that far. The California Insurance Commissioner's office says the insurance company must keep full records for a minimum of 5 years. I tell Farmers this and they say they will check and get in touch with me. In the meantime, another year has passed and if they wait long enough, the 5 years will be up and they will be in the clear.

So I got back in touch with him the first of December and told him I had not received a bill. He said don't worry about it, it takes a while to get through the system you will get it soon.

On January 14 1998 our home burnt down! I called Mr. G. and no one was there.  So my son got on the computer and found a regional office trying to find out what we should do.

We spoke to James R. and he told us that the only B. that he had listed was Arnold B. (not the right one)   So we continued to call Deon G.  Finally on the 15th his wife said that he was on his way home and he would call us as soon as he got there.

He called that evening and said what's wrong, We told him about the house and that we had talked to Mr. R. and that he had told us that there was no insurance in our name.

Deon then told us, "Oh he wouldnt have it ... It isnt through Farmers, I put it through another insurance company. Can I come and inspect the house?"

We told him yes, we would meet him at 7/11 in Elkton and show him the way . So the next day we met him and took him to the house . Me, my husband and my son and daughter were there. He got out of the car and walked up to the house and just looked around not saying anything.

So I said, "Deon what do we do, I never received a policy?"

He turned and said, "I am so sorry. It was the holidays and hunting season and I just forgot.  But you come and see me on Monday and we will backdate an insurance policy."

We went to his office on Monday with tape recorder hidden, not intending to sign anything but to catch him in his lies. He had changed his mind and wasn't going to back date the papers,

But he said he knew some Mennonites that would build our home back (ha ha).  With no money where will the material come from? We are not that dumb.

So we then filed a lawsuit against him and the insurance company. We had a court date on May the 14th.  It was put off until August the 3rd and now it has been put off again until God knows when.

We have been without a home since Jan., 1998 . We have been through hell trying to keep going until we find out what the outcome is going to be. My huband has had recurring heart problems caused by stress, two slight strokes and is not in good health.

We are both trying to work to be able to rent a home . We had put every penny we own into that house and now we have nothing.

To sum up our situation, we have until Aug. 31st at our currunt residence, at which time we will have to relocate once again. Everything in our lives at this point is temporary and we would appreciate your help.

Despite the misfortunes that have befallen you, you seem to be managing pretty well on our own.  You did the right thing in hiring a lawyer and going to court.  Good luck.

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