I was contacted by this company after switching jobs and applying for insurance through Allstate and BCBS. I was denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition and this company contacted me a few days after I received the insurance denial letter. I am a computer programmer and I've written programs that retrieve phone numbers so I knew someone purchased a list of names and I was on it; so I acted very cautiously. The salesperson I spoke to wasn't very knowledgeable (a step away from a robo-dialer), but after she explained that she was selling insurance, I said I may be interested and I was transferred to a real salesman. This was my first mistake.
I've heard of cut-rate car insurance companies and I've had some in the past; they're great if you never have any claims. HCCUA said they were offering a similar service: cut-rate insurance through smaller companies at a very low monthly rate. Since I needed temporary insurance while I switched jobs, I figured what the heck.
After telling me I was approved, they sent me the paperwork, I read through it and everything looked legit. I gave them my personal information (name, address, social security number, etc., along with my billing information. They said they had to charge me a $25 application fee and I agreed. That should have set off a flag: application fee after being approved (?)... But hey, I was desperate for insurance for several reasons (baby, period of being not insured, etc.). I paid and that was that.
Shortly after that call, I got another saying they needed to charge me $40. I was at my new job, didn't have time to talk, and rushed through (another mistake). The fee he explained, was for the prescription portion of my insurance (another red flag should have gone up). He said this was part of the insurance and if I didn't pay, they'd cancel my insurance [that apparently I didn't yet have]. I gave him my card information, all my personal information (didn't they have this already?), and that was that.
Then, about two weeks later, I got a letter from HCCUA saying that I was denied coverage due to pre-existing condition. I did have surgery last year, but that's the only pre-existing condition I could think of. Well, that sucks. I just paid $65 for nothing and wasted hours on the phone... But they weren't done with me yet. I had read in a packet they sent in the mail that the prescription service was separate, so I'd have to cancel. That pamphlet by the way, had a lot of services that you'd expect in an insurance package: flat-tire insurance, discount towing, "life insurance", and some other really funny garbage [with fees] that nobody would ever use. I cancelled and that was that... Not much I could do. I don't have time to spend in court contesting all this crap.
Another thing I forgot to mention: the prescription card. It says on the card two distinct things. The first is "THIS IS NOT INSURANCE". Well yeah, it's a prescription card. And the second: "This is a free prescription card. It is not for sale and can not be sold". They are not selling me a prescription card, they're selling their "services" and giving me a free Rx card. Go into any Walgreens Pharmacy and they have the same card!!!
Another month went by and I see they charged me again on my debit card. I called them and they said I never cancelled. I had the name of the person I spoke to: "Abigail Davis" and the number I called. They said I never cancelled. I remember first reasonably asking Abigail for a refund and then yelling my ass off... Yes, I do remember cancelling. So they forward me to the cancellation department. I spend 2 hours and 34 minutes on hold, after 4 disconnects. Luckily in this age of cell phones, I could leave the speakerphone on really low and do my work while I'm on hold. Imagine having to hold a land-line telephone to your head for over 2 1/2 hours!
Another month goes by and, yes, they've charged me again. $39.99, charged three times, 3-4 hours on the phone, not one benefit, and I just keep getting charged! I called them again and this time they asked for a confirmation number. I didn't have a confirmation number. As angry as I was, I must have been a little not-nice to the person on the phone and they hung up. So I called my bank, reported it as fraud, and am awaiting a refund.
This company is a scam, they're leeches to the public, and I'm definitely going to pay their office a visit. I did notice that there are other complaints on this website, so I wish I'd done a bit of research on them before signing up. Yes, there were several mistakes on my part and several things that should have raised a neon red flag. But I was duped like an old lady with a Nigerian prince and, hopefully, Bank of America will refund my hard-earned money. I hope I save some people some time, money, and frustration in having to deal with this company. If I save just one person this misery, then typing all this out will be well worth it.
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