TheMacJedi

I reported this accident (11/03/03) to Progressive (my insurance company) within a few hours of it happening and tried to do the same with ASI but they’re only open during certain hours. It took my Progressive adjuster (Jeanette whom was extremely helpful) and myself 4 days before either one of us got through to actually report the claim, my Progressive adjuster was hung up on twice then talked to a person who attempted to transfer her at which time she was hung up on again. I don’t know if they were having phone trouble that week but their hold times were so unreasonably long that I had to hang up each time and call back later because I was at work and had work to do.

Kelley Blue Book values this vehicle at $2,510 retail. NADA values this vehicle at $2,300 high. And the online sales prices range from $2,488 to $2,999 which are for near identical vehicles with the same options only some of vehicles have nearly 100,000 more miles than mine does. My car was in fantastic condition and everything worked and I went to a lot of trouble to locate it and check it out before buying it. This vehicle ranks high in every category because it was garage kept, lightly driven and well maintained.

You would not believe the amount work I was required to do for ASI just to get them to finalize the claim.

First of all I was told that I would be reimbursed $20 or $25 per day that I paid for a rental vehicle but since they had not contacted the owner of the truck and could still deny the claim, that expense would rest on me and that’s not the kind of risk I can afford. Second, they said that until they received information from the owner of the truck (which they did not have a valid phone number) that could still deny the claim if the owner of the vehicle said he did not give the driver permission to drive the vehicle. So I explained to them that the truck had a “Contractor 0300 Parking Permit” sign hanging from the rearview mirror and the gentlemen driving looked as if he recently left a construction site indicating to me that he was driving the company vehicle. I even included pictures of the truck and it’s stickers with my own.

1. They required me to supplied photos (I included about 20 hi-res images), a copy of the Vehicle Inspection Report, I also included any repair info and expenses as well as my CarFax report and a copy of what Progressive would pay out on my vehicle ($1800). I included every single piece of information I had.

2. They asked me to include a list of options my car had. Air conditioning, Power Steering, Power Windows, Tilt Wheel, Cruise Control, AM/FM Stereo, Cassette, Fuel Injection 5 Speed manual.

3. They asked me to provide them with two damage estimates, I included one.
I spent countless hours of my own personal time calling (because I can’t drive anywhere) every local auto body repair shop asking them if they would go to the car and write me an estimate, they all want to know if it’s an insurance job and with which company, and except for the one estimate I have included from a company that is on the same street as the Impound lot they all told me the same thing, I have to bring the car to them for an estimate. This is something they should have sent out an adjuster to do.

United Collision Center valued the damage amount at $3,132.67, and valued a total loss.

All through November and December they were still telling me that until they received information from the owner of the truck they could still deny the claim.

January 6th, 2004 - Two months after the accident
This morning (1/06/04) I signed over my Accord to Kraft Towing & Impound instead of paying the two months worth of storage fees ($10 a day) because ASI refused to pay them.

I received a call from American Service Insurance yesterday (1/05/04) indicating they were ready to write me a check. The catch is they did not pay what my car is worth ($1800 according to Progressive), only what I paid on 9/18/03 ($1200) a difference of $600, they didn’t even pay the towing fee ($55). In the seven weeks that I owned it I put more than $200 additional work in the car such as the exhaust not including oil change and tags.

I have to say that I’m probably $375 out of pocket on the whole deal.

I considered pushing to get them to pay over more money but they have drug their feet on this since my accident on 11/03/03 and I’m just tired of messing with them.

The ASI adjuster handling my claim was not unpleasant but at the same time wasn’t helpful either and never returned my calls.
Diane Phillips
(800) 897-2551 ASI Main
ext. 56082 Diane
ext. 56702 Supervisor Eunice Daniels
150 Morthwest Point Blvd
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
http://www.asilink.com/

Here is a list of the expenses (above and beyond what I paid for the car and it’s taxes) that I have invested into this car in the 7 weeks that I have owned it. I also have every receipt for proof of all things purchased.

$24.99 9-17-03 for the CarFax report on the car.
$31.75 9-18-03 for the 40 point vehicle inspection from Honda Cars of Clarksville.
$7.42 9-18-03 for a duplicate key at Honda Cars of Clarksville.
$?.?? 9-18-03 started insurance policy with progressive.
$22.23 9-22-03 for new wiper blades from Target.
$33.28 9-26-03 for an oil change at VIOC.
$22.90 9-26-03 for rear washer nozzle from Honda Cars of Clarksville.
$2.11 9-29-03 for a tail light from Kmart. cash item
$10.59 10-08-03 for fuel injector cleaner from Target. cash item
$113.01 10-17-03 for repairs to the exhaust system.
$3.17 10-17-03 for a new gas cap from Auto Zone.
$3.59 10-17-03 for a new parking lamp bulb from Advanced Auto Parts.
$45.35 10-17-03 title transfer and tags from New Albany BMV.
$55.00 11-03-03 Kraft towed my un-drivable car to their impound lot.
$375.39 TOTAL additional expenses.

Gas
$6.82 9-18-03 Sav-a-Step.
$10.13 9-31-03 Meijers.
$5.00 9-25-03 Sav-a-Step.
$18.71 10-08-03 Kroger.
$20.36 10-24-03 Kroger.
$61.02 TOTAL fuel expense.

My personal experience of handling a claim with ASI was extremely poor and I feel as thought I was cheated by them and they wasted a lot of my time. I even considered filing a claim with the BBB, but they already had thousands of claims filed.