Nationwide Insurance takes premiums but refuses honest claims for their client's liability. The following is the letter that I have sent to the Texas Department of Insurance. Read it carefully so you don't become their next victim!
4-3-04
Department of Insurance of Texas
Consumer Protection
Agency Council,
I am writing this letter in order to formally complain about the fraudulent and discriminatory practices of Nationwide Insurance, 11603 W. Coker Loop #100, San Antonio, TX 78216. The claims adjuster's name is Gregory Menchaca.
On January 31st, I was involved in an accident which was caused by Mr. Arthur Caulk who made an unprotected left turn in front of me as I proceeded through a green light at the intersection of Nacogdoches and Wurzbach Parkway in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Caulk, Nationwide's client, blatantly lied to the police officer, Carlos Garza, SAPD Badge #441, and purposely falsified the police report in order to avoid liability for this accident. First, Mr. Caulk lied about the location and position of his vehicle, his direction of travel, the fact that he had no green arrow to turn left, failure to yield the right of way, and then he gave the wrong cell phone number to the phone which he held in his hand at the time. He then tried his best to not give me his home phone number claiming that it was unlisted because he was a" Police officer." After much protesting on my part, he then gave me a phone number that turned out to be a fax line. It is plain to me that he wanted to make it as difficult as possible to get in touch with him.
I reported the accident to my insurance agency, Geico, and told the true story to my claims adjuster, Jim Russell, which he recorded on audio tape. The next day, Gregory Menchaca called me and I repeated the statement to him also on audio tape. At that time, Mr. Menchaca told me that Mr. Caulk's story matched mine exactly except that he said he had a green arrow. When I went and got the accident report I found that Mr. Caulk had told a totally different story to the police than what he told to both his insurance and mine. According to him he was traveling on a different road through a part of the intersection that doesn't even contain a green arrow. After studying the report further, I discovered the many lies that Mr. Caulk told the police. I then attempted numerous times to contact Officer Garza about the false statements, but he refused to return my calls. After six attempts at leaving messages, I was forced to call Internal affairs who contacted his superiors, it was only then that he returned my call. He told me that he would reinterview Mr. Caulk and amend the report, if necessary. He was supposed to call me back and never did. At this point, I knew something was not right. The next time I was able to speak to Officer Garza, again having to go to his superiors, he told me that Mr. Caulk's number was incorrect so that he never got to reinterview him. He refused to go to his residence but said that he would supplement the report with the facts and my disagreement with Mr. Caulk's story.
Nationwide Insurance denied my claim in less than six days and did not even give me a reason for doing so. There is no way that they investigated this accident in that amount of time. Whereas Geico spent several weeks investigating and arrived at the truth which they clearly laid out in a letter to Mr. Caulk denying his claim. So now we have two paid up insurance policies, Mr. Caulk's being full coverage, but nobody paid for anything. This is fraudulent on the part of Nationwide Insurance.
After all of these problems, I retained an attorney, Ed Goldner's firm, to sue Nationwide. My attorney, Mary Ortega sent Nationwide a letter stating that we would take them to court to recover my damages. Nationwide responded in what I consider to be a highly unethical way. They called my Attorney and said, "You might as well drop this case because Arthur Caulk is a Bexar County Constable and your client is unemployed. Who do you think they will believe? There is no way you will win this case going up against a Constable." It was then I realized that I was being discriminated against by Nationwide, Arthur Caulk, and the SAPD who were all protecting Caulk because he is a Constable. First of all, I am not unemployed. I am disabled and cannot work. Secondly, I am poor and cannot afford to pursue a case against them. Because of Nationwide's intimidation tactics, my attorney dropped out of the case. Now you seem to be my only recourse for justice. I am outraged at this unprofessional and unethical, if not illegal, behavior on the part of Mr. Caulk and Nationwide Insurance. They concluded with no investigation that Mr. Caulk was in the right strictly on the basis of his employment as a Constable of Bexar County. This is out and out discrimination against the poor and disabled. I am a law abiding citizen who has liability insurance in accordance with law. I told the truth and this is how I was victimized by the "good old boy system."
Included is a copy of my insurance company's findings on Mr. Caulk's claim, along with the police report and various other evidence of my victimization. Nationwide did not take into account the fact that Mr. Caulk lied throughout the police report and gave both insurance companies a totally different story on audio tape. I really need help on this matter. That was my only means of transportation and I do not even live on a bus line. So on top of being disabled, this has made my life extremely difficult. All I am asking for is fair and just compensation for my damages. Please tell me what to do. This is the biggest insurance fraud I have ever encountered. Thank-you for your time and serious consideration of this matter.
Sincerely
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