I've had two claims with Geico in 12 months of service with them. My vehicle was vandalized twice, a $500 deductable for comprehensive claims, that expense I entered willingly.
My complaint is with the claims and policies. Geico's rep really wanted me to use their repair service, albeit great I'm sure, but I have a friend in the industry and had recommended a shop for me and I opted out of Geico's repair service and chose this other shop to his great dismay.
The repair work by the body shop was great, as I expected but Geico had failed to pay about $200 of the claim. Because they claimed the shops rates were unreasonable. The average shop for my area was $40/hr labor (according to Geico) and this body shop requested $44/hr. The work was minimal so the body shop didn't require I pay the different but was going to attempt to litigate Geico for it. It's called "steering." In my state, they cannot require I go to certain shops, I have free choice of where I go and Geico is obligated under my contract terms (and the law) to pay any reasonable amount. I wouldn't expect them to pay lets say $500/hr rate that's clearly outrageous. This was only $4/hr more than Geico's alleged "average" rate. So apparently Geico decides and average rate (what their shop costs perhaps?) and that's all they will pay no matter what, it seems.
Again, the shop was kind and didn't hold me liable, just asked for a copy of my contract which did not say anywhere about limiting payments based off geographical averages or magic numbers Geico decided on etc, ridiculous…
Well, the second claim which was just two days after the first was repaired, was unacceptable. The damage was far more severe and at first, the Geico estimate was about $750 dollars and then my deductable of $500 making it a mere $250 for them. The adjuster ignored my explanation of the damage [which was a uniquely caustic liquid chemical that TOTALLED my roommates car (We were both victims of this attack) while it completely consumed all paint, steal, chrome, plastic and even etched the glass (results not even hydrochloric acid could produce)] that it was a liquid and inherent of a liquid, it’s concentration varies the effect and it slips into unseen locations. Well, after the shop disassembled the vehicle for repairs they located a much greater extent of damage. The re-estimate was nearly $3000 which Geico obliged, except the labor rate, which was nearly $700 dollars in difference, a lot more than the first time. So the shop couldn’t forgive that much and with the track record of the last repair with Geico, they would not release my vehicle until I covered that amount, they knew Geico wouldn’t pay. I made payment arrangements and I could at least drive my car again.
So, with my deductable I was forced to pay approximately $1200 out of my own pocket just to get my car back, while by the way the shop had to hold of repairing until they estimate cleared and they made some sort of motion that they would in fact pay it. This took an extra week. So totally my car was in the shop 2.5 weeks, while it wasn’t even worked on for a week while Geico scrambled to revivify the damage they failed to initially identify.
After the fact, Geico ultimately refused to repay me the difference. They insisted their rate was far too in excess from any other shop and too high over the “average.” I explained, very kindly, my policy does not specify an “average” the shop must conform to and who comes up with this “average” anyway? They gave me a long explanation which was far too cryptic and evaded a straight answer. I believe this is just a way Geico is “steering” customers to their proprietary repair shops, whom perform mediocre repairs for ultra-cheap and I refuse to be a victim of that. The cost to me, about $1700. The cost to Geico, my patronage. I’ve got a new policy with a competing company with far lower deductibles ($100), $1500 per incident of a rental vehicle and guess what it’s only 6 dollars more a month than the last payment I made to Geico (Which was increasing with each payment, somehow?)
Also, upon cancelling my policy they immediately removed my web login so I was unable to add an official customer experience review.
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