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In my illustious day to day outings, I've stumbled across some items that have completely fueled my feelings for the insurance nation as a whole.

As you all know, I found a puddle that ended up being a pond when Alberto visited us unwantingly. That ended up OK at first but in the end was not so good. My initial dealings with my insurance company (name withheld to protect the innocent so I shall just call them smart-ones form here on out) was very well. They were very sympathetic and took down all the information and got on the ball immediately. They tried to get in touch with the rental agency since that is part of my policy, but smart-ones didn't realize that the agencies usually close down around 6ish and here it is going on 8PM.

The next day I contacted the rental agency as instructed because they would have all the information available to them and could get me a car. They proceeded to tell me that 1 they don't have any on the lot currently and 2 smart-ones will need to fax them the necessary information for them to process the request for a car covered by my policy. So I call the claims line again and they "get right on it" (10 AM). I make it into work and then the quick response of smart-ones is very impressive shortly afterwards. Around 3PM I receive a phone call from the rental agency saying that they have all the information needed to get the car ready for me and will have it for me by 5PM. Good thing I didn't need to go anywhere. While this is going on, the smart-ones towing portion are trying to contact SS so they can confirm that the car can be delivered the next day. Unfortunately they keep getting a busy signal. That I could see since they were just under water also.

The next day the towing side calls me and informs me that they aren't going to pick up the car because they can't get an answer from SS! I ask what number they are dialing and they give me some strange number that I've never seen before. I give them SS number (funny how I just started working for smart-ones) and they try it. They come back on the line and inform me that when they press the button for the Nissan side, it's stuck in a loop. Um, why are you trying to contact Nissan when I own a Subaru? They say they'll pick up the car Monday morning first thing no questions asked so that the dealership has time to get back on their feet. I then call SS myself and viola, I have a live person on the phone! I call the smart-ones claims line again and proceed to leave a message with my claims agent informing them that I helped them with their job and found out that there is someone there and that they are indeed waiting for the car. I receive a prompt phone call back (4 hours) informing me that the towing side has already set it up to pick up the car Monday morning and there is nothing else that can be done.

Weekend comes and goes.

The next day I leave keys in the car (in case Jen is not around when smart-ones pick it up this morning) and a note as to who the car is to be delivered to. I go to work and it leaves my mind. I get a call from Kevin asking where my car is and it's 12:30. So I call home to discover that the car is still in the driveway. At that exact moment, I get a call from smart-ones saying they are at the house to pick up the car and want to know which car it is. Um, the one that your sheet says to pick up? Ok so they pick up the car and have an hour to go to drop the car off, getting better even though I was unaware that 12:30 consists of first thing in the morning nowadays. I continue to work and get another call from Kevin asking where the car is, and it's now 3:30! I call home to make sure that smart-ones did indeed pick up the car. I then call the smart-ones claim line and leave a message with my adjuster about my car. I then call smart-ones claim line again after 20 minutes and talk to a real person asking where my car is, they give me the number for the towing side of things (again, I'm glad that I'm PAYING for this level of service where I need to do their work for them). I call the towing side and they say the car has been delivered to the Collision Center! I do believe that the Collision Center that they wanted to take it to and the Subaru dealership that I told them to take it too are the one in the same, NOT! They give me the number to call them to check (more service that I am paying for remember). I call the Collision Center to see where my car is, they don't have it. They try to make sure, but I assure them that if they saw a yellow Subaru, they would remember it so it can't be there. I call the smart-ones towing again and inform them that the car is not in fact where they claim it to be. Oh really? That can't be, let me contact the driver (finally they are doing something on their own). The driver gets on the phone, "Yes as a matter of fact I do have the car with me. Traffic was bad and I'm on my way out of Durham right now and should be there soon". Durham!?! How do you get from Benson to Durham without dropping the car you currently are toting around off at the predestined location? Which still according to them is the Collision Center. After a few minutes of talking to smart-ones, they come to the realization that they need to take the car to where I told them to 5 days ago. So at 5PM I get a call from Kevin saying "The car is here" which means that 5PM is also still first thing in the morning, at least according to smart-ones. And, keeping with smart-ones speedy customer service, I get a call at 5:30 from the claims persom that I called saying that they are about to try and find my car for me. At which point I inform them that there was no need since I did their job for them and found it myself and it is now in the correct location which is the Subaru dealership. Which then brings up the fact that it was suppose to go to the Collision Center that somehow got magically entered into the equation. Amazing how when I'm asked where I want the car taken that it still doesn't end up at that location unless I hold smart-ones hand.

So, I've learned that even though I'm paying for this great insurance service from smart-ones, when it comes time for them to actually work that it isn't the smart-ones that work but the idiot paying the bill.

Wah.

Just tell me that it isn't Allstate and I'll go on my little way believing that 'my insurance guys are better than that'.

Oh and when it's important it's alway up to you no matter what the issue is.

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Colin O'Connell

'94 BMW NASA SPEC 3
'02 F350 tow vehicle (not bad for a tow vehicle)
'97 Miata STO (autoX and sunny day spoils vehicle)
'97 BMW 328i (loaner to the kids when their cars don't work vehicle)
'05 Toyota Highlander

Oh, the sales guy that I'm talking to at SS sucks, he's a complete idiot.

So far I've never had to deal with Allstate so you're safe Colin.

My next task is going to be that I find a way for them to repair the car instead of totalling it. Since they've put me through all this anguish I feel I have that right. Especially if all they are going to do is feel a wet seat and stop the investigation right there. I'm sorry, but wet seats do not a totaled car make always.

I think the fact that the car thought it was a 'yellow submarine' DOES, in fact, total it when it wont TURN ON anymore.

I hear the San Remo Red WRX TRs are quite lovely

- dow

Coz, I assume you'll be switching insurance agencies?

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Vincent Keene
'06 Ford Mustang GT (track rat)
'15 Dodge Charger R/T (yeah, it's got a HEMI!)
'07 Ford Fusion SE (205,000 miles and counting)
'98 Chevy Z-24 (retired)
'93 Acura Integra (Team SWB 24HOL Car)

Oh Brian, the car runs just fine. The car has a faint odor though for some reason.

Most definitely Vincent. After they repair the car (I do not think I will settle for a check unless it's a very LARGE check that I know they won't hand out) then I will be finding a new insurance agent to bend me over the next time.

Why don't you take the total and keep the car for its salvage value? STi swap for cheap, eh? Just swap the _entire_ STi wiring harness and dash instead of merging the harness like most people do. I personally think moving the entire harness over is easier than merging anyway --I helped pull/reinstall the harness in MJ's rally car. It wasn't that bad. Time consuming but not hard.

--Kevin H.

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2003 WRX (again!)

I'd be careful. Flooded cars tend to have a lot of strange problems afterwards. My mother's new Accord (back in 1997) was flooded up to about the bottom of the seats when it had about 5k miles on it. It was 'fixed' at the local Honda dealer, and then spent many trips back there... electrical problems, tranny problems, etc. I would be hoping they total it and you take off all the go fast stuff and buy a different car. - AB

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'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

Well Kevin, if you are volunteering for doing the wiring swap, then you're welcome to it if that's what it comes down to. But if it goes the way I want, then the dealership will be doing that for me as part of the repairs.

Aaron, most of that is what I'm banking on which is why I'm also pushing for those to be repaired as well when the time comes. Right now I'm just going to be in as good of a mood as possible and wait for these people to get back with me on their estimate.

Hey, I've been telling him to try to talk them into totalling it and then get a 2.5RS.

You can't tell people with yellow cars anything, though.

Cosby, total the scoobie and buy a truck. yes it does suck to drive a truck all day every day, but it will tow the toys. sorry to hear of your plight bubba.

Ah, there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. In preparation for keeping up with the speedy tradition, I was not anticipating the adjuster to show up today before 5PM let along at all. But amazingly enough, he was there at a reasonable hour. The reason why, he is not directly affiliated with the insurance company! Independent contractor's, God I love them! Well, he gets to SS, looks the car over, talks to Ryan, and they both come to the agreement that the car is salvageable. SS will begin on the prelim repairs and if anything else shows up because of the flood, it gets reported and repaired. I get a check in the mail within a couple of days and get to pass it right along to SS. It'll be nice to have some extra money for a little while.

P.S. Wes, yes I'm still interested, don't forget please.

Finally, over 3 weeks after a little rain, the yellow submarine is about to come home. In just over 12 hours, I have the pleasure of driving to the dealership to make sure that everything is to my liking. If it is, I get to bring my underwater explorer back to dry land. If it isn't complete as far as I'm concerned, then it stays docked I'm really hoping that it's complete and I can bring it back. I really despise driving the rental

Hey Cos, that's good news.

One question -- Did they replace the seats, and if so any way I can find out if I could buy the squishy ones?

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Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1