Geico advertises the lowest rates on car insurance and yes you do get the lowest "quote" when you sign up at their website but buyer beware.
They use bait and switch tactics to scam their customers.
In my case I signed up for Geico at the end of August as like they advertised they had the best rates. My premium for 6 months was $568 for 2 cars with my spouse and I insured which was excellent.
I decided on paying the premium at $142 a month for 4 months and then have no payments for the other 2 months.
I paid my first premium on 8/29/06, second premium 9/30/06,3rd premium 10/31/06 all on time.
My 3rd payment cleared 11/2/06 THEN I get an email requesting more information on myself as they could not get a driving history before 2004. Being a UK citizen I submitted the information giving my previous 8 years experience in the UK with a clean record, sorry one speeding ticket which is erased anyway as it was 4 years ago for doing 35 in a 30 zone.
Geico then emailed me back saying that seeing as I had not a US license for 3 years (Only 2 years 4 months without incident) and my UK experience did not count that my premiums would now be increasing to $1016 every 6 months so my premiums have now nearly doubled.
As you can imagine my blood pressure shot through the roof and I called them immediately wondering if it was legal to use this bait and switch tactic and why it conveniently took them 3 billing periods to request this information.
By the end of the conversation I told them I would find another insurance company and that as soon as I did I would be cancelling the policy.
Which brings me to today 11/7/06 I went back to my previous insurance company (Farm Bureau) who actually gave me credit for my UK experience.
I called Geico first and told them I wanted to cancel my policy they then told me I would have to use the online form to cancel and I asked about them pro-rating my policy seeing as I was paid up to 11/30/06 and she said yes you will be pro-rated that amount that was unused.
I emailed Geico and told them to cancel my policy effective immediately 11/07, I got a response within the hour telling me my policy had been cancelled AND that I had a balance of $72 and to pay it as soon as I can.
A balance of $72???
I called them immediately again and asked them how that was possible that I had a balance. Gwen Anderson (who answered the phone at the wrong time) then proceeded to try and justify why I owed $72 which she put down to earned premium from 11/1 to 11/7.
I told her that I had paid my premium for 11/1 to 11/30 and that if anything they owe me money.
I then explained that it does not take a mathematical genius to figure out that if I have paid $426 in premium in between 8/31/06 and 11/7/06 (a little over 2 months) and my 6 month premium is $1016 that I do not owe them money. I asked her to multiply 426 by 3 which she replied was over 1200 so I said how do I owe you money. 3 months should be $508 owed and 2 months should be $338 owed, so just say I owe 2 and a half months that would be $422. But I don't I have paid 2 months 1 week so that is $380 so Geico YOU owe me money.
NOT TO MENTION that I was quoted $568 in the first place and then had my premiums upped because i came from another country.
Gwen gave me a "I want to get off the phone response" that the billing was just updated 20 minutes ago so give it 24 hours and that balance should clear or you should be credited after she admitted that Geico should owe me money.
Well Geico you have 24 hours to update your billing in my favour or you will be hearing from my lawyer, I guess it definitely won't be the first time.
They were quick to deactivate my online account, but guess what I have my bank statements and all the emails involved so Guess what Geico you pissed off the wrong Englishman and to think one of my fellow countrymen is doing the advertising for these bunch of crooks.
Anthony
Bladenboro, North Carolina
U.S.A.
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