Normally, I try to steer clear of posting particular personal frustrations, but this one has been particularly aggravating, and consuming a good deal of my time this week.

In short, someone backed into my automobile, and I continue to receive “the run-around” from the gentleman’s insurance company, State Farm Insurance, as well as the estimate quotes not matching up from Carl’s Body Shop of Dayton.

I have never had to present a claim before, and this is all entirely new to me. If anyone has any further suggestions, please feel free to share them. I am not saying I am on “the right” in this – I am still researching, and gathering facts before I proceed.

Details of the accident, as well as the dealings with Carl’s Body Shop and State Farm

Police Report filed for the accident (names of individuals, other than myself, are left blank)

Car Estimate from Carl’s Body Shop & Towing in Dayton, Ohio

State Farm letter received today, 07/29/2010, indicating all repairs to the damaged vehicle will be covered

Similar reports regarding State Farm Insurance:

Michael of Butler, KY July 31, 2009

My vehicle was damaged by another driver having State Farm Insurance as his provider. At first all was going along well and vehicle was repaired and returned to me in near perfect condition. Then, 3 weeks later, I get a call telling me that my car is totaled and needs to be signed over to State Farm to be scrapped. This is my main transportation and only vehicle that my family will fit in (6). I tried to negotiate with them, but they would not communicate and had no intentions working something out.

I have now been driving the car to work everyday without problems for the last 2 months. They are now harrassing me to sign the paperwork to release the title to them. I did not have gap insurance and now I will be stuck paying for a car I do not own.

Chris of Adamsville, AL May 21, 2009

I was involved in an accident with on of their insured. The accident was ruled their insured’s fault. It took over 2 months just for them to settle on my truck despite it not meeting their percentage requirement they insisted on totaling my truck and gave me way less than I had in the vehicle. Since then I have not heard a single word from the adjuster.

This is continuing to cost me initially I lost one new contract (towing) since I was unable to work without a wrecker. It also cost me a fortune in lost wages/income and continues to cost me in co-payments, doctors and physical therapy cost for my wife, who has not worked since the accident.

Nina of Des Plaines, IL April 15, 2009

The side of my vehicle was hit at a four way stop by their insured. The car was able to get back home, but was not safe to drive. The officer who arrived on the scene wrote their insured a ticket, and on the police report stated clearly that she hit me, and that the approximate cause of this could only be by failure her failure to yield. (I was going westbound, she was going south, I had to completely cross over the northbound lane of traffic before she hit me.) I had done everything in my power to prevent the accident i.e. horned. She told me that she was denying liability because her insured told her that we arrived at the stop at the same time, and that I had made a recorded statement(Please keep in mind I speak three languages, and english is not my first) also that she told me that if I did not make the recorded statement I would be violating my duty to cooperate and she would have grounds to terminate my claim without further investigation.

I was left without a vehicle through the winter (we live in Chicago) including christmas. I have four children. Yosvany (2 years old) with a serious congenital condition who was unable to attend vital doctors appointments due to the lack of a vehicle and unable to take public transportation due to severe weather, a three week old baby (at the time of the accident) and a five, and seven year old children who missed so much school (we were not eligible for free bus services) that they are now in mandatory preventative tutoring classes, my husband was forced to take a taxi to and from work for a month and a half(50.00 per day) until in late February we were able to save up for a car. Also, as a result I was unable to return to work after my maternity leave, and consequently lost my job.

Theresa of Cheektowaga, NY March 30, 2009

I was rear-ended by a state farm client. I was rushed through the entire process and harassed through the entire process. I was called every day I had the rented car which was three days total. They did not want to provide the rented car for the time needed. There estimate guy did not show up until friday at 4:30. They expected me to take there word for it

I was made to feel like I was the one that ran into someone

Paul of Yuma, AZ March 4, 2009

My vehicle was rearended six months ago by a State Farm 18 year old insured. I also have State Farm. My car was hit at 50 mph, while I was at a stop light. The adjuster for State Farm has made me feel terrible. She has questioned everything I have said and she even suggested I get an attorney. I only had 2,000 in medical bills I wanted paid, and 600 in lost wages. She offered me 1500, this does not even give me enough money to pay the medical bills.

This is outragous. why isn’t someone monitoring what they do? This is bad faith, and now I totally have more respect for those ambulance chasing attorneys. I would suggest to everyone dealing with State Farm, HIRE AN ATTORNEY. There are attorneys who do not charge until it is over with, and if they do not recover for you, no fee is charged. State Farm is awful!

O, Yescas of Clovis, CA February 20, 2009

An elderly gentleman ran a stop sign and hit me Dec 21, 2008. He admitted fault. The parts are on back order. The older man was cover by State Farm. And I have Triple A or California State Auto Association. Well, I was given the option of either my insurance or State Farm to handle my case. A woman named Trish called me. Instead of seeing me as the victim, she harassed me on the phone. Demanding why I was in that part of town at the time of the accident. And then inferring that I knew the two witnesses who saw the elderly gentleman run the stop sign at 40 mph. She asked me if I knew one of the witnesses phone numbers. I said how should I know that? And then making fun of my hip injury, calling it weird after I described the pain around my hip. After that I decided to let my insurance company handle the claim.

Also, she wanted to know my profession. Things that had nothing to do with the accident. And I had a very difficult time getting a rental car. It’s coming to 30 days now since I’ve had the rental. And the shop is waiting on parts. State Farm, Trish, sent me a medical form for me to fill out, and they gave me two years to settle with them. But I don’t trust them. I made a mistake of telling them that I was on disability. And what I had. I’m afraid they will use that against me. Even though it was the older man’s fault who is covered by State Farm. It is a difficult task they are asking me to do. I’m fairly young and am covered by medicare and medical for the disabled. They want all sorts of forms for my doctor and medical and medicare to fill out. It is too time consuming, and I feel it’s not worth pursuing. Since my disability benefits may drop if pursue a claim for my hip injury. They say that medical medicare will put a lien on whatever they give me. I don’t know if I believe them after the questions I was asked by phone.

I really need transportation right now. The van has electrical damage right now. And the fender hasn’t even been fixed yet. My insurance covers up to 750.00 for a rental car. My insurance company said they will go after State Farm for the money, not just rental. My question is that I don’t know State Farm’s maximum on a rental. And the maximum for Triple A is almost up. I need transportation for me and my family.

Deborah of Federal Way, WA February 16, 2009

My son was pedestrian and struck by a State Farm driver. In trying to discuss the liability of this situation with their rep A. Burk (she said they do not feel they are really all that responsible) with the adjuster, she continually interrupted me and would not allow me to speak and I felt she was trying to bully me into accepting the liability percentage and said that I should just get an attorney. I don’t know if it is just this adjuster or the company’s standard operating procedure but I felt that she was trying to push me into retaining legal counsel and turning a situation that should have been easily settled into a long drawn out mess.

I am also an adjuster for another company and we try hard to work with our customers to settle claims. There is really no need for dragging out a claim and retaining attornies if the claims handling was done in fair and professional manner. With claims handling like I am experiencing – no wonder insurance premiums are so high and attornies are getting rich suing them! Still ongoing.

Jeniffer of Miami, FL February 9, 2009

Ok, I was involved in a car accident on November 18th 2008. The person who hit me was given the ticket and she was found to be at fault for the accident. My car was taken to All Pro Collision, Miami, Fl 33142. The adjuster for State Farm went out and gave the final estimate on my car on November 24th. The body shop workers began working on my car and according to the shop manager, Hector, they worked 4 hours a day, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and weekends.

The month approved as per State Farm should have ended in mid January, in which at that point, they were given an additional two weeks to complete the work whoch should have been completed on January 31st. At that time, the car was fully assembled but Nissan did not have the seat belt retractor in stock needed as the final part to be installed in my car. The part was then placed on back order and it is arriving tomorrow morning meaning my car can be picked up tomorrow, February 10th.

The issue at hand is State Farm is trying to make me pay for the balance of the rental of the car which is coming out to approximatly 700.00. This was not my fault , not the accident, nor the time it took for my car to be repaired and I feel it is unfair that they are making me pay for this balance. I need to know what can be done in order for this debt be paid.

Ronald of Forest Grove, OR February 8, 2009

a truck hit our 2007 mustang when i was in a store and my wife was in the car. i went to mike h’s office to report it and they told me to take care of it myself, they told me to go to the guys insurance that hit us and file a claim. i thought that is what i paid them for so i did not have to deal with all the footwork. we have been with state farm for 25 years. i tries to find a website for their coorporate headquarters to file a complaint but came up blank.

damage to our 2007 mustang, my wife has strained mussels in her neck and i am going in for back surgury on 2/16/09 so it is hard for me to do all this footwork (because it is hard for me to walk)

Lorna B Abbott of Chillicothe, OH January 29, 2009

My 2004 Chevrolet Malibu was parked legally in front of my house. The street was covered with black ice. The driver of a 1999 Ford Ranger Truck slipped on the ice and hit the front of my car. His auto insurance, State Farm, paid for a rental car for 40 days and paid 5,338.10 in body repairs, including replacing the radiator. However, when it came time to pay 527.18 to replace the steering shaft and the gear shifter, they refused.

The reason given was that these parts in the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu have a history of wearing out prematurely. I was told that I could have the car torn down at a cost of 212 so that the damage from the accident could be seen. I was amazed to think that they could pay for a rental car for 40 days, pay 5,338.19 in body work and not expect that there would probably be some damage to the working components of the car.

I cannot afford the 527.18 to replace the steering shaft and the gear shift. I bought this car as a GM Certified Used Vehicle on August 2, 2007 from Plaza Chevrolet in Chillicothe, Ohio. Their service department is the one who made the estimate. The car had 31,720 miles on it when I bought it and 34,517 miles at the time of the accident, a difference of 2,797 miles. The car ran fine before the accident. I think people should know that State Farm Auto Insurance will not pay for certain components on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu.

Genevieve of Dallas, TX December 31, 2008

On 8-13-08 I was involved in a car accident. The client represented by State Farm was on the cell phone caused a 3 car collision. She hit a car without even breaking in which that car hit my car. I had just purchased my car on 8-4-08 Rio LX 2008. Mileage at the time of accident 338.0. I have attempted to get compensated for demised value.I was required by State Farm reps. to get a demised quote from car dealer. I obtained the first quote as instructed. Car Max valued it at 6500. Total expense repair was approx. 3200.

And on 10-31-08 State Farm Rep. Kim agree to a demised value of 1500. I informed her I could not agree to such a low amount. I was instructed to get a second I got the second from Toyota at 6500. I have sent in my sticker itemized price I paid for the car 14400. and the two quotes. I have researched the Kelly Blue book quote range is 13748.00 to 14166.00 I have spent time & research to come to a fair and justifiable demised value without success. My faxes and request to State Farm is that we resolve this issue before the end of this year.

Now we are approaching the new year of 2009. Not only am I loosing value in the car but will not be able to get the value now nor in 3 yrs for a justifiable amount of trade in, and bank payments will not be adjusted.It has come to this level of requiring an outside source to solve this issue. Please feel free to contact me if you require any documentation you may need I have all the repair, quotes, faxes and dates if you should need them. Thank you for your assistance in the matter.

Driver side bumper, tire, grill, light and door damage 3200

Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/insurance/statefarm_auto_p6.html#ixzz0v6M4V5vJ

Ugh… I was not completely keen on going to Wal-mart for glasses; however, my vision plan included the optometrist from the nearby Wal-mart. Some of the other optometrists were in Centerville, Beavercreek, and Vandalia.

I was being lazy.

However, when I met the doctor, he was fantastic. He had a number of Wittenburg University music teachers as patients, and was telling me about how he had worked with quite few who needed certain prescriptions for playing piano, reading from a music stand, and conducting. I was thrilled because I was in good hands. And he was very personable.

From the examining room to the frame selection. I had already picked out my frames, so now it was just writing up the order.

The agreed items:

1. The trifocal for reading piano music and my computer screen would be at the top of the lens
2. The middle section would be for distance
3. The bifocal, at the very bottom, would be identical to my previous glasses since that is where I read, and use for conducting – and my previous prescription for the past 3 years has been awesome – for any one who has conducted, you know how wonderful it is to be able to see your music from the stand

I do not wish to change glasses when I need to do basic things and then play the piano or work from the computer. The optometrist assured me this is what could be done.

Sunday, I learned my glasses were in. Jose and I trotted off to get them.

The trifocal was in the middle. The bifocal prescription was completely different, and I could only read when the material was 0′-5″-0′-7″ away from my face! I could not read anything past a foot away. With my old pair of bifocals, I could see up to a good 8′-” to 10′-0″.

When I tried to explain to the sales associate she was clueless. I understood that this was probably a bit more tedious than most requests, so I was patient.

Today I get a call to speak with the optical manager.

Now, I am told that there is no way the trifocal can be placed at the top, and that if I wanted my bifocal prescription changed, I would have to see the doctor again to have it changed!

I kept my cool, but I let her know I am extremely disappointed in the promised service that obviously failed. The associate said, “Well, it sounds like there was just some miscommunication.”

So, if I wish to see the optometrist again, it is from my own wallet!

I bit my tongue, and told her I would have to think about continuing with their services before setting up an appointment.

Wal-mart Optical = FAIL.