What is Digg?77 Comments
- emeriste, on 10/12/2007, -3/+66They should change their slogan to, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm don't care."
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+28Linkage:
>Hum.. Its called business?
No it's not. That's Libertarian/Republican logic, where everything in the universe is dictated by making a buck and greed.
My business, for example, although it requires a profit, does the best job it can, supplying a good quality service NOT so that in the end it can make a buck, but so that I and my employees can have pride and enjoyment in what we do.
Making a buck has little or nothing to do with the work we do. I would rather shut the business down than to only be motivated by economics -- there is so much more to life and the world than simple, mindless, rat like greed. - muggin, on 10/12/2007, -3/+27It makes me sad to think thier commercials that claim to care for people are just put on the air to exploit the trust of consumers in order to make money.
- kazem, on 10/12/2007, -0/+22Everyone forgets that huge lawsuit against state farm in the late '90's. They would use 2nd hand auto parts to repair cars in insurance claims. And even then, it was found that they would do everything in their power to avoid paying up. State farm is a terrible terrible company.
- shoop008, on 10/12/2007, -3/+21That means that this bad publicity will cause tons of policy holders to switch to a more reliable and honest company. HEY, its capitalism!!!
- Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17The insurance industry is an enormous layer of bureaucracy between actual insurance funds and those who require compensation. This layer sucks up about 85% of the available funds, funneling much of it to compulsively lying insurance agents who act in bad faith for a living.
Insurance ought to be nationalized, computerized, decommercialized, and the funds ought to be funneled to victims who deserve compensation, rather than constant commercials featuring animated gecko's, cheap comedy and dramatic actors.
The insurance system in this country is antiquated, producing profits and liars rather than services. - Chompy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18Oh they care.. about your money.
- scratched, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18Do major corporations do anything other than try to make people 'think' they care?
- Ivand, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16and I just saved 15% in car insurance by swtching to GEICO
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -7/+19But hey, it's capitalism! State Farm's only duty is to maximize shareholder profit, and they went about this with aplomb, disregarding the unprofitable pangs of conscience they no doubt had. They should receive a friggin' medal or something.
- shawnblog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10State Farm sucks. After my family insured vehicles with them for many years, I had three not-at-fault incidents in a less than a year (a car-jacking at gunpoint, a rental car window break-in and then broadsided in the snow with the replacement rental car) and those rat bastards dropped me and excluded me from driving any cars on my family policy. Even if they were less expensive, I would never give State Farm my business for any reason.
- smitting, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Heh, and I was just thinking this morning that I oughta check in with my State Farm rep about health insurance. I guess I won't be doing that.
Yay capitalism. When you get bad press, your shareholders lose money. - Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10I'm not entertained by the concept of homeless families who payed hard-earned cash for years to insurance companies who never intended to pay claims, providing instead, worthless policies filled with ambiguous language.
- 4NDr01D, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9insurance should pay you a large portion of your money back quarterly, if you don't have any accidents.
- Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10The first rule for Insurance Claims Adjusters:
Don't talk about Insurance Claims Adjustment. - jguy584, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9I sure hope this becomes a big deal, i love when these huge corperations get rod rammed right up their arse.
- andreo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10@Linkage155:
It's called lying. With an extra large side order of greed.
I'm happy that there are people like the two sisters in the story that have the courage to speak up when they see crap like this going on.
And my hope, although I know it won't happen, is that everybody hears about what State Farm did to policy holders and either stay away from doing business with them or change to a different insurer if they are a current customer. It will send a message that you cannot screw people over. The policy holders kept up their end of the deal by paying the premium. Now it's the insurance company's turn to pay up. - noahhoward, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7"State Farm's employees are committed to conducting themselves in an ethical and appropriate manner," Supple said. "Any suggestions to the contrary are simply wrong."
Overcoming denial is the first step to recovery Mr. Supple. - Kagero13, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Hmm. I know capitalism is vicious competition. But I thought the idea was to actually compete. You know, beat out your competition by being... better. I don't think the concept was based on 'see how much you can screw helpless people and still get paid'. And as for helping the shareholders? Keeping up profit margins? Any business is going to suffer when they try to wiggle out of contractual responsibilities, especially those that have been paid in advance for years or even decades. State Farm was paid to help people in case of disaster. That's their job, it's what they are paid for. It's called stealing if they don't do the job they are paid for, not capitalism. It's called evil when they ruin other people's lives to better their own. And 'capitalism' is going to stomp all over State Farm for it.
- Nesh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"so now I'm looking at Progressive. Anyone ever have any problems with them?"
I had a hail damage claim denied by Progressive, yet the paid for the rental while my car was in the shop. They told me which shop to take my car to, and when I did, the lady at the body shop instantly started dismissing my claim. "This doesn't look like hail damage I've ever seen" etc. even though there were other cars there with hail damage from the same storm.
My next insurance agent even said it was suspicious that they paid my rental while denying my claim, and had I pressed on, I could have probably successfully appealed their denial. - SilverRocket, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Welcome to the concept of advertising. You'll be hard-pressed to find any advertising that isn't pulling the wool over your eyes. Anyone who thinks they are getting truth from an advertisement is um, out to lunch.
- andreo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6That's not always the case. I blew the whistle on a company once. It resulted in a successful class action lawsuit. I gave my deposition that was presented as evidence in the trail. I didn't even get my parking validated for the trip to downtown Chicago.
But I did it because people were being bilked and didn't expect any type of compensation. - benhocking, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4USAA is the best, if you qualify. If you are a member of the military, you qualify. If your parents are members of USAA, you qualify.
- kingchad1989, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Yes, he's just a computer-generated corporate logo with a bad British accent who's trying to sell you car insurance. But I still love that freakin' gecko.
- andreo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@4NDr01D:
Actually I was just thinking that the other day. Maybe even keep track of everything that you've paid into it and when you get to a certain point the money is kept in a fund and you become self insured. Or at least your premium goes down. But you should get something for paying in what can be lots of money depending on where you live and staying with a company for years. I know people that have been with the same insurance company for 15 years. They get squat. I've been with my insurance company for about 5 years. The only thing I got was a 10% auto premium increase when some bone head ran into me last summer. Oh and the fact that for the next 3 years it would cost me a fortune to switch insurance companies now.
What a scam. - soco, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5They do get paid if they actually are a whistle-blower, not a witness. And they can only get paid after the successful lawsuit,,, not before. They are just drawing salary now until the successful lawsuit goes through, that's when the big bucks come.
- Kniggit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3State Farm gave a cancellation notice for the insurance of a guy up in Canada because he put lowering springs on his Pontiac Sunfire. No engine modifications, no window tint, nothing. Just lowering springs, and not really low either (maybe 1"). They restored it once one of the State Farm adjusters verified that he changed it back.
Remember that insurance companies have two key goals:
1. Bump up premiums using as many ridiculous excuses as they can come up with.
2. Deny as much of a claim and as many claims outright as is possible.
This industry, along with the credit reporting industry, require major overhauls in the way they're regulated. No surprise here. - BWhaler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'll drop my policy tomorrow. House, car, everything.
Not that I am from New Orleans. But I don't support companies like this. - zirtbow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I was thinking of switching to State Farm but now I DEFINITELY won't. Allstate is too expensive for me... so now I'm looking at Progressive. Anyone ever have any problems with them?
- zirtbow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"State Farm's claims-handling practices have been in a public fishbowl," he said. "With the world watching, we've done what we do every day, and that's be fully up front in all aspects of our claims work."
Hey relax guys... it looks like they screw people over all the time. So its nothing new for State Farm. - DSPGeek, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4RTFA. The sisters are getting paid LESS than they were making with State Farm: they spoke out because they wanted to see their neighbors treated right.
- phenolholic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3all i have to say is i live in florida (miami) and we've seen SEVERAL hurricanes in the last three years. state farm paid tons of money as a result to its policy holders. they recently changed acceptance of new policies, limiting to homes built in 2000 or better. most of these homes in new orleans are OLD, with old construction and architecture. however, because of location and real estate boom, they cost quite a penny. that means insurance companies are covering expensive homes with old, out-dated construction, which in a time of natural disaster, will be the first ones to go. secondly, most of the damage in new orleans WASNT from wind damage, but flood damage. a seperate flood policy is needed (apart from home owners insurance which covers wind) would've been liable for a considerable (majority) amount of damage as a result of the hurricane. my experience with state farm has been nothing but great, they're quick with handling claims and pay out WAY MORE then what is expected.
- poipoipoi, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Urusai and Shoop are both correct. Capitalism FTW!
- pintomp3, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3silverocket. ever heard of false advertising? i don't understand ppl who stick up for big corporations over people. they already have the support of our politicians, they don't need ours.
- Nonleg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Insurance companies by default have to doubt the veracity of claims, and exhibit extreme "professional skepticism." I'm sure no one that's posted here has been rear ended, and gone along with the repair shop, "You had a chrome bumper here, not a flat black one" wink wink...
Everyone that lives south of I-10 should have been signed up for that BS gift program that is "National Flood Insurance." (Want your house rebuilt three times in ten years? Move to the coast and get federally backed flood insurance, they'll never drop you, woo hoo!)
I don't care if you're in flood zone X, unless you've studied elevation maps, buy it anyway. Then none of this would be an issue, because the taxpayer would be paying anyway (oh, wait, they are, but Babblin Blanco is holding money in an effort to release it closer to her re-election bid http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/3744391.html?showAll=y&c=y)
The bulk of you folks are the types that don't read contracts, or ask questions when your own interests are involved. You believe that with enough whining, people will just give you what you want, your culpability be damned. You may pull it off on a small scale, but it's not really an option when you have hundreds of thousands of people trying to fake their way through it. - dougbdl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@BWhaler
Allstate does it, State Farm does it, they ALL do it. It is the big business way of competition. Allstate knows they will piss some people off who will go to say, State Farm. State Farm knows they will piss people off and they will go to say, Nationwide. Nationwide knows they will piss some people off and they will go to say, Allstate.
It is hard to find a clean corporation, especially in a select few industries (financial), and insurance is certainly one of them.
Good luck! - twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@andreo:
Let me see, State Farm takes and keeps all your money OR they hold it for you and give back half of it later ... which do you think would make more sense???
Better yet, instead of expecting a company to be your piggy bank mommy for nearly free, why don't you put your own money away each month and insure yourself? - kylebrothert, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3"I was thinking of switching to State Farm but now I DEFINITELY won't. Allstate is too expensive for me... so now I'm looking at Progressive. Anyone ever have any problems with them?"
I can probably think of better ways to find good insurance coverage than posting a comment on digg. All you'll get are anecdotal stories. - uzusan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@thealphaone
so just because someone has a really bad time of it and has threee really bad things happen to him in a short space of time, he shouldn't get a payout?
thats what insurance is for after all, to compensate you when things go wrong. Which they obviously did in this guys case. - patientzero, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It's caveat emptor.
So, you're saying "let the buyer beware" and that all insurance is a scam. Your comment really makes you sound like an expert. So what's your solution, twinklyJesus? Say you were to put thousands of dollars into disaster insurance over the span of several years and a freak hurricane destroys your home and your job.
Do you just throw up your hands and spit out another trite little French idiom while the insurance agent holds the phone and lightly chuckles?
"C'est la vie!" - daldredge, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2you can replace those two terrible with the word insurance and it will not change the meaning of your sentence one bit.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Alphaone:
>Then I suggest he move out of whatever ***** HOLE he lives in if he is getting his vehicle's stolen / broken into multiple times in such a short time period.
Right, no one ever has three bad things happen to them in a row! Sheesh!
On behalf of the entire group I'd like to say "You need to be beaten so you never reproduce." Line, please form to the left to kick the crap out of alphaone. I would like to go first. - altidude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2State Farm was sued for using non-OEM parts, not for using second-hand parts. The suit was based on the idea that non-OEM parts can't return a vehicle to its pre-crash condition.
- roeboedog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2hasnt' State Farm Stopped offering Home Owners Insurence in Calif. Due to mold probs?
- Koosebane, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You know....if I lived in an area that was under sea level and had the potential to be hit by a hurricane, I'd have flood insurance.
As far as car insurance goes, you are far better off raising your comprehensive deductible on silly crap like broken windows and stashing the savings away into an emergency funds account. Paying an extra fifty bucks a month for twelve months a year to have someone else pay for a few hundred dollars worth of glass once every blue moon is ridiculous.
Insurance is meant for catastrophic occurrences and medical costs, not to cover the little crap.
It's like having medical insurance that pays for your routine doctor visits and occasional prescriptions. I would rather have the wages to put away than automatically give someone a cut of what I earn just so I can go to the doctor and feel as though it doesn't cost anything.
Insurance dependency is getting way out of hand. It's no wonder these companies have so much power and control over our lives. We just hand it over to them. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Considering that insurance companies take a risk on providing insurance, and that you, in a short time, proved that you are an insurance liability, I can see why they dropped you. Nothing says that they must insure you; you can get insurance from a competitor. What happened to you also sucked and most likely wasn't your fault. But while State Farm might have done something to make you angry I can understand why they dropped you. With your track record I sure wouldn't insure you.
This might be harsh but them's the breaks. Sometimes things, through no fault of your own, make a situation go bad for you. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3soco:
>They are just drawing salary now until the successful lawsuit goes through, that's when the big bucks come.
This is called "projection." In other words, you are disgusted by what you think they are motivated by, but really are telling us what YOU are motivated by. Essentially, you are telling us that you disgust yourself. - twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I guarantee that for each person State Farms scams, there are probably 3 out there trying to scam State Farm. The insurance business is really like a knife fight between to guys tied at the wrists. It's just a matter of who can stick the knife in first!
I don't like State Farm, but can tell you they're no worse than any other insurance company. Caviat Emptor! - brufleth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have to question if you read the article. It was concerned primarily with Mississippi and not New Orleans where flooding was quite obviously the cause of much of the destruction.
The sisters found evidence that engineering reports stating that wind was the primary reason for damage were re-written to claim that water was what caused the damage. This of course meant that State Farm could get out of paying the claims. It is up to the courts to decide if the allegations are true.
The article is not about people who built their houses in natural flood planes expecting to have their houses rebuilt. The article states that policy owners didn't see original engineering reports that pointed to wind as the damaging factor. Instead they only saw reports stating that water was the problem. In many cases (provided any of this is true) people probably didn't even know they were being swindled but had faith that the insurance company wasn't screwing them. - kd1s, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That's the problem with any insurance company. They're in it to make a profit, not to help people. You know, people would be better off taking say a couple hundred a month over the term of their mortgage and putting it into an interest bearing account, a CD or even a money market account.
They'd be more likely to collect vs. scooping that same couple of hundred to an insurance company. -
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