A Combined Insurance Rep came to my place of work a few years ago. Although we were busy, she was very pushy and asked to wait around until I had a moment. When I was finished helping my customer, she approached me with her rehearsed shpeal about why I and the rest of my co-workers needed this insurance. It was high pressure at its best. I told her that I already had medical coverage through medicaid. (I have a low paying job and two children) She said, "But medicaid doesn't pay YOU if you have an accident." She talked on and on until I finally agreed just to get her out of the shop.
She sold me three policies. Although it wasn't something I could really afford, I figured I'd swing it just in case I did have an accident or god forbid, came down with breast cancer. She was good. She was real good. She said she didn't have any accident forms on her but that she would drop some off in a week. She never came. I tried to contact her on several occasions only to speak with her teenage daughter, who took all her calls, and never once did she call me back.
Six months later, my then boyfriend and I broke up. I was homeless and broke. I called Combined and cancelled my policies. They continued to take money out of my dwindling account. I called, they told me they were sorry and the accounts would be cancelled. A year later an new agent came in. Same spheal, same BS. I told her of the problems I had in the past with Combined and she assured me that my last agent was fired because of her actions, and many complaints against her and that it wouldn't happen again. Once again, I was suckered, but this time I only went with one policy. An accident policy for myself.
A few months later I showed up at work and there was my new policy that she had dropped off. On the front page in bold red letters it read something to the effect, "IF YOU ARE ON OR GO ON MEDICAID, ANY AND ALL MONIES WILL GO TO MEDICAID." What?! Why in the heck am I paying extra for something I can't even use? I called my new Rep. I told her I was on Medicaid when they sold me this policy two years ago. She said she didn't know that, and that I never should have been issued a policy. Hmm. Ok, now what? She said I could call and cancel, but that she was afraid she was going to get in trouble now because she never asked me. BTW, they filled out my paperwork, (both agents) all I did was sign. Nowhere on those papers did it say that if I were on Medicaid, this policy would be worthless. I mean that was the whole selling point after all. "MEDICAID DOESN'T PAY YOU WHEN YOU HAVE ANY ACCIDENT, AND HAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK." Blah Blah Blah.
I called Combined again and told them of this problem. The man who answered was very nice and seemed helpful. Not only did he say he'd cancel everything but he told me that I would receive a refund for all that I payed in. None of those things ever happened. Money continued to come out of my accout. I'd wait on hold for twenty minutes only to get frustrated and hang up.
After months of this, I wrote them a nasty letter. They replied stating that it was my fault for signing the papers and not reading them carefully, etc. That I was not going to get a refund, and in order to be even considered for one, I would have to go to Medicaid and have them fill out papers proving the dates that I was on Medicaids Medical. I'm no longer on it. It was a last resort because I was broke and had no means of going to the doctor. Once I started making some money, I stopped using the states help. I wasn't on welfare, so I didn't really even know where to begin. It was a shelter who helped me sign up for the medical and now that I was no longer in need of their help, I wouldn't even know who to talk to. I figured the heck with it. I was burned. It happens, and I need to get over it. I chalked it up to bad things happening to good people and considered it a lesson learned. I just opened my bank statement this morning.
Once again, they are taking money out of my account. I can't believe this! I assumed this was all over. I admit, I am not the best bookkeeper. I know what I spend so I don't comb through my bank statements. Well I pulled them all out today. Yep, they have been taking 20 bucks every month and I wasn't even aware. My fault for not paying attention, but their fault for ripping me off. I called them again, waited forever, and went through two operators until I finally got someone on the line. I told him what was going on. He said well you still have one policy open. I said that's impossible because I cancelled over the phone and by mail. He pulled it up. It was my ex's that I cancelled two years ago. I said, "That policy was canceled in July of why would it be active?" He replied that it was active and that's why they were still debiting the account. I then told him I was contacting the BBB, and that I would be retaining an lawyer. Suddenly he found on his computer that in fact the policy WAS cancelled On July 3rd of 2006. He said he would make sure that the payments were stopped. What about all the money you people have been taking from me?"Well I will put this in for review for a refund, sorry about that." Well I won't be holding my breath. I've heard this song and dance before and nothing came of it.
Combined Insurance is a joke. It's like a ghost company with ghost reps who prey on the unsuspected, knowing that there is no way you can ever conact them, let alone fight them when you've ben taken advantage of. Steer clear of these people. At least I never got sick, or had an accident. I feel sorry for those who do, because good luck to you when you're in need!
Su
Columbia, Missouri
U.S.A.
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