i had been with Allstate since 2013 & every year my insurance went up. i had done nothing wrong,…read moreso i asked for lower rates. i was on the phone so long i could feel my gray hair growing, actually about 50 minutes.
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no, they couldn't lower it, I'd sigh and do nothing else. then my son who was not on my policy because he had no drivers license took my car out, without my permission and got into an accident with it.
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i asked Allstate not to pay the bill to let him pay. but because he was living in a tent in my back yard they said, "it's only $1,000 - not a big deal at all." Soon after my insurance went up. i called in to complain, & was told because of his accident my insurance went up & my 50 yrs clean driving record was gone also. the accident was contributed to me & on the record his name was never mentioned. Allstate said they had no choice in the matter. i quoted them - "it was no big deal" - so my insurance should not go up, no reply.
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i continued paying, then it dropped down to $135. The next month it went up again. i called in to complain. Edie said it went back to over $180 because i used the towing. i said, "wait a minute, that's separate from the auto policy". Edie said it was a separate policy but someone had to pay for it & it turns out Allstate was now recouping their money for the tow from me.
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i nearly exploded, i was nice & got off the phone as quickly as i could - where i finished exploding. a friend, who was there told me that WA was a mandatory insurance state, IF you are driving.
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I read WA state "financial responsibility" law. IF you ARE driving & want to avoid paying car insurance then you must post a bond from $20,000 to $50,000, the amount is determined by the motor vehicle dept.
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however, even if i own a car i do not have to pay any car insurance if I'm ill or just not driving at all. you do have to give your old insurance company a min 10 days notice THAT YOUR DROPPING THEM and your going elsewhere.
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i hadn't reached a decision on whether to drop Allstate when my monthly payment became due, i was on the automatic payment plan, i didn't try to stop it.
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on June 14th, 2022 i decided to write Allstate. i had a friend come by & take me to the the US post office in Yelm next to Allstate & mail a letter from their that explained my dissatisfaction & the date i would be dropping my policy with them, July 1st, 2022. i also had my friend drive me over to their office in the Domino's strip mall in Yelm, Allstate was closed. I put one copy of the letter in the mail box that hangs on the wall by the door & one under the door of their office & one on the door itself.
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To me the matter was closed. Around September i was noticing my checking account did not have the $'s in it, it was suppose to . Each time i went online to check, something interfered and i didn't get it done. About a month later. i locked my doors, muted my phone, put the pets outside, ready to find out where the problem was.
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It took me awhile, but there it was. Allstate was taking over $200 a month from my account. i called them & asked as politely as i could what was going on. i was told, by the receptionist that Edie or Ronelle would give me a call back. As usual, they didn't.
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i made a copy of the letter, called my friend and we went to the Allstate office in Yelm. i handed the exact same letter to the receptionist & requested it be given to Edie or Ronelle & to have someone call me, of course - the call never came.
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i was exasperated when I called my bank & requested a stop filed against Allstate automatic payment, that was being taken without my consent. They asked why, i told them. After hearing my frustration we decided to file a dispute.
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after an investigation, my bank, Wells Fargo sided with me & the money Allstate illegally took from my checking account was returned to me. i thought the case closed. Then i started getting emails from Allstate telling me my payment was overdue. i told them i was not their customer, so why would i pay anything.
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Their writing campaign went on for 3 months. finally on Wed, Sep 21, 2022 at 10:29 AM someone named Kim Asay wrote she was unware that i no longer had a policy with them. i felt that was the phony email to cover their tracks.
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Then i received a notice from a credit bureau back east that said i owed Allstate over $500. i called the credit bureau & said no i don't. and stated i wished to file a dispute on the matter, they refused. in the mean time they are a dark mark on my credit that i can't get removed unless i pay for something not owed.
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if i could have only given Allstate a quarter star for what they've put me through & continuing to for worming their way into trying to destroy my credit i would have done so. There are other good car insurance companies out there, don't set yourself up with this branch in Yelm.
