Scammed
A year and a half ago I had purchased a used car warranty from Penn Warranty Corp. Of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania for $300.00 per year. (total $600.00)
Two weeks ago the car was running poorly so I brought it to a reputable repair shop. The automotive repair shop found that I had leaking cylinder head gaskets and it would cost $1,300.00 to tear down the engine to replace them, including all associated and necessary work that comes with replacing head gaskets. Three other shops gave me almost the same price for the job, within a hundred or so.
I called Penn Warranty Corp. To open a claim and gave them the phone number to the repair shop. The person taking the claim information had no clue to what a cylinder head gasket was! After about 5 hours both the repair shop and myself received a call from an adjuster. (I come to find out later that this was not an adjuster it was just another information taker that posed as an adjuster). Who ever they were, they gave the shop permission to tear down the engine and find the problem was and if Penn Warr Corp covered it.
Here is the clincher: Penn Warranty Corp still hadn't approved the claim as yet! I come to find out that if Penn Warranty Corp., after the tear down did not like what the repair shop findings/diagnostics were, they would have denied the claim and I would be stuck for the engine tear down and diagnostic!
This is not told to you when you initiate a claim..!!
Three days after the findings/diagnostics were faxed to Penn Warranty Corp.By the repair shop; we had not heard a word from them. I had to call and chase the claim down, since they never issued a claim number? Why, because 4 days into the repair the CLAIM still had not been approved..!!!
Come to find out that supposedly LOST the paper work that was given to their supervisor and they had to redo all the paperwork.
Wait, the best screw-ups and scams are yet to come!!!
Finally, Penn Warranty Corp. Says that the work is approved and tells the shop to go ahead with the job.
I called and asked for a claim number but they said that they would have to get back to me, Hmmm, very curious!
I then asked what they were going to cover and how much? I was told that they would have to get back to me, Hmmm, very curious again.
About an hour later I receive a call from the repair shop. They were given the go ahead for $690.00 of the $1,300.00 that was quoted for the job. Penn Warranty Corp. Did not call me with the covered amount they called the repair shop!
Why, because they were not covering the entire job and they make it a practice of giving the low-balled number to the repair shop and let the repair shop argue with the owner!
The following is why they only cover $690.00 of the $ 1,300.00. I will list them from the very bad to the not so good!
A) They don't cover having the cylinder heads pressured tested or milled.
Now, any second rate mechanic knows that when you go to the expense and effort to take apart an engine and remove the heads due to a cylinder head gasket leak, the heads could be warped or cracked! Putting the same heads back on the engine with out being tested, repaired or replaced is just plain stupid or fraudulent of the Penn Warranty Corp.
Here is the clincher:
THEY DON'T CARE, because if the repair goes bad a week after it is done the fine print: on the Penn Warranty states; that they WILL NOT cover the same repair twice! Hello.!!!
So, if you are stupid enough or cannot afford to spend another $200 to $ 300 and you allow the shop to install the UN-TESTED cylinder heads back on the engine, it's tough fecal matter on you!
Here is the second clincher:
The repair shop won't guarantee their work unless the heads are tested, repaired or the in worse case replaced.
So, if you are stupid enough or cannot afford to spend another $200 to $ 300 and you allow the repair shop to install the UN-TESTED cylinder heads back on the engine. Not only will the Penn Warranty Corp. Hang you out to dry if the repair goes bad but the repair shop will not cover their work either..!!!
Are you starting to see the corner that the Penn Warranty Corp. Backs you into..??
B) The Penn Warranty Corp. Does not cover any gaskets other than the cylinder head gaskets!
Now, any second rate mechanic knows that when you go to the expense and effort to take apart an engine and remove the dozen of other gaskets that must come apart due to the cylinder head gasket leak, they need to be replaced! This is also just plain stupid or fraudulent of the Penn Warranty Corp.
C) The Penn Warranty Corp. Does not cover antifreeze or oil replacement..!!!
Now, any second rate mechanic knows that when you take apart an engine for a head gaskets the oil and antifreeze must be replaced..!!! This is also just plain stupid or fraudulent of the Penn Warranty Corp.
D) The Penn Warranty Corp. Will only cover the labor hours that they feel are correct. I went to three repair shops and asked them what they charge per hour and how many hours they would take to repair the cylinder head gaskets?
The labor book that the repair shops use states approx. 13 hours to do this job and most charged $65.00 per hour. The Penn Warranty Corp. Covers only 10 hours at $ 55.00 per hour.
E) The dispute resolution number that the Penn Warranty Corp. Gives you to call if you feel that you are not being treated fairly; is JUST a different DIVISION of the Penn Warranty Corp. Itself! When I took them to task about this, the women at the other end of the phone tried to cover that up!!!
NOW, what is wrong with that picture???
Bottom line is that this is a scam and the fine print doesn't give you all the rules and they count on the fact that you did not read any of the fine print.
I found their motives and business practices deceptive and they remind me of a snake oil company. They are arrogant and just plain nasty when you question them. I would highly recommend staying far away of the company.
Whether it is the Penn Warranty division or the Penn Management Consulting Division, (which I think doubles as the dispute resolution division) I would steer very clear of this deceptive tactics of this so-called professional company.
You have been warned!!!
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