So I get a phone call on 8/29/14 from Helen at Ashee Candelaria's office and she says, "We want to review your coverage." So I'm thinking why would an agent be calling me to review my coverage for a policy I bought from a different agent online last week? Red Flag #1: I've never had a call from a second agent EVER after I bought an insurance policy. Never in 30+ years.
So, in a show of brilliance, I say, "What?" And she says something to the effect that I may not have enough coverage. She says, "You're covered for personal property." So I say, "What's personal property?" And she says, "Clothes." And I say, "What about the range and fridge?" And she says, "Hold on". And all this time Helen is stammering, hemming and hawing and I start getting mad. Because when I bought the policy last week, I assumed (stupidly) that I was covered for the walls in. And she comes back on the phone and says that I'm covered for everything I can carry out. Now think about that: I'm covered for everything I can carry out, which to me means everything inside the unit: furniture, clothes. fridge, washer, drier, kitchen cabinets.
Red Flag #2: I ask her a couple of other questions and she keeps hemming and hawing, and finally I ask her, "Why are you hemming and hawing?" And she says, "I'll put the agent on." All this time I think I'm talking to an agent, and I can't believe this totally incompetent person at Farmers who isn't a licensed agent is telling me I don't have enough coverage. Ashlee Candelaria is my assigned agent, and she was too lazy to call me, so she had the receptionist call and tell me I don't have enough coverage. This must be a violation of insurance ethics. (I know...oxymoron...insurance + ethics = does not compute.)
By the time Ashlee Candelaria gets on the phone, I'm totally and completely aggravated. I tell her a condo policy normally covers from the walls in. And Ashlee Candelaria says, "All the policies are different because HOAs cover different things."
RED FLAG #3: All the policies are different because HOAs cover different things. So if all the policies are different, why assume I don't have enough coverage? Why didn't you assume my HOA covers a lot, and my Farmers policy has all the coverage I need? And I say, "Bait and switch." TIME OUT: Someone sold me a policy that's no good, and now you're calling to get more money from me.
So Ashlee Candelaria says, "We don't want something to happen and then you're not covered for it." And then she asks me, "What do your CC&Rs say?" Ashlee Candelaria, by the way, is going to think twice before she ever asks anyone this question again. And I say, "I don't have a copy of the CC&Rs in my back pocket. Let me send you a copy". So I send her a link to the CC&Rs, which are online. She confirms that she received the link. I ask Ashlee Candelaria for the name of the agent who sold me the policy and she says she doesn't have this information. And I say, "Bait and switch." And I say it several times.
I can't remember the exact order of things, but she brings on a 2nd person from Farmers, Catherine Hamad. I demand that someone provide the name of the agent that sold me the policy. Ashlee Candelaria and Catherine Hamad say they don't have this information. Someone says, "Corporate does." So I ask for the corporate phone number and Catherine tells me, "Google it". So I google it, and I get an 800 number. And I say, "Is this the corporate number?" And Catherine says she is looking this up. After a few minutes Catherine tells me 1888 327 6335. This is not the corporate #. If you call this number, get a cup of coffee while you're' waiting... you'll be waiting a long time.
They ask to see my previous policy, which I refuse - it's not relevant.
I live in Phoenix; Ashlee Candalaria's office is in Tempe. So I say, "I'm in Phoenix, why did I get assigned an agent in Tempe?" And Ashlee Candelaria, smooth as butter, says to Catherine, "How do agents get assigned?" And Catherine blithely says,"I'm in billing, I don't know how they get assigned." Hold on: You both work for Farmers, Ashlee - you're' a licensed agent - and you don't know how agents are assigned? Are you playing dumb, or just really dumb?
And I end up telling them to fix this. That I bought a policy and it should've been for walls in and if it wasn't they need to pay the difference. And they say they won't add additional coverage if I don't pay for it. And I say how furious I am and have the whole week to write letters and make phone calls and they don't say anything.
So someone asks me how much coverage I need. So I tell Ashlee Candelaria, "You have the CCRs, you tell me." And Ashlee Candelaria says, "It's 55 pages." And I say, "When you figure it out, let me know." It's a long weekend Ashlee. I realize it will take some time and effort on your part, but THAT'S YOUR JOB. Red Flag #4: The price of the updated quote is $1,394.85. The policy I paid for last week was $199.85. WOW!! read more
