Almost each of us can identify GEICO’s smart and witty advertisements – be it the caveman, excited pig, famous announcers, gecko, and other campaigns. GEICO’s ingenious commercials, coupled with its competitive prices, make it a market leader today in the United States of America. Watching their fun commercials might give you the impression that resolving a claim with GEICO may not be that challenging, but that is simply not true.
For a company that reported its annual revenue at around $25 billion in the year 2014, be certain that nothing can be as straight as you expect. If you ever get stuck with GEICO, only an experienced and skilled attorney can help you maximize the fair value of your case.
Prosecuting a company as big as GEICO is never an effortless task. It will not be incorrect to say that GEICO claim adjusters demand a lot of your information while turning this data into ammunition to attack your claim value. We have seen cases where the sensitive data was used even to deny claims without any clarification or explanation.
There are many national players who advertise on television and the internet and claim to offer the best in class services. Yes, we are talking about GEICO, Allstate, Progressive, State Farm, Farmers and several others thriving in the industry. Based on factors including policy offerings, price, billing procedures, claims, and interactions, we have seen companies resort to a 3D approach (Delay, Deny, and Defend) with victims, violating their legal rights.
The only way to hold GEICO insurance answerable for its bad practices is to hire legal assistance and contract with an attorney like those at Samples Ames PLLC, who have successfully pursued cases, especially against such large insurance companies.
Let us explain the challenges of taking GEICO to court and show how an experienced attorney can get the case moving in your favor.
Who is Geico?
Government Employees Insurance Company or GEICO is an insurance giant that accounts for more than 5% of the entire US market across all insurance classes. It has been amongst the initial companies to have started offering commercial driving insurance policies for drivers. Today, GEICO mainly deals in Auto Insurance, Home and Rental Insurance, along with Life Insurance products and services. Unlike other larger firms, GEICO is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and not an independent entity.
One of the famous American investors, Warren Buffet, chairs Berkshire Hathaway and is ultimately in charge of GEICO. For holding the status of a subsidiary firm, GEICO would probably be a $25 billion firm – a small piece of almost a huge $200 billion empire. Another way to picture how big GEICO is that it is approximately double the size of UPS, while the annual revenue seemingly stands the same as Romania’s entire economy.
What Makes Pursuing a Case Against Geico Difficult?
For every claim that GEICO denies or devalues, that money goes straight to the company’s bottom line. Let us be practical here, when a firm is at such a larger operational scale, the money is not just a few thousands, it creates billions. GEICO often refuses to accept the true property value loss or liability for the damages. Often, they gather data only to bolster their own cases, showing you are at fault even when you are not. And this does not even address the horrible customer service of GEICO. Any time you see a GEICO advertisement, remember that these ratings only make up the surveys of people who are insured and satisfied with GEICO, not the victims.
Being a corporate giant gives them the advantage of having their own army of expert lawyers standing by the firm to protect its authority at all costs. The fact that most victims would lack the skills to adequately put up their case gives GEICO attorneys the benefit of turning matters around.
However, first-party claimants can always look for the following signs to understand if their claim is being acted upon in bad faith:
- Delayed payout without explanation
- No communication whatsoever
- Claim denied without citing a reason
- No investigation of your case
- Settlements not being considered
- Policy loopholes cited while issuing rejections
- Claims passed over to other departments
- Other suspicious activity over your claim
- Adjusters asking for recorded statements
Sure the instances mentioned above may go against you. But no matter what, do not fall for their tricks and accept any initial lowball offers. GEICO attorneys are always on their toes to offer justifications for making extremely low compensations. But remember, your claim is worth more than what you can think – it includes the current expenses, future outlays, lost earnings, non-economic damages, and miscellaneous overheads, etc. For a consumer, it is a bit challenging to quote a suitable compensation amount. Discussing your case with a skilled lawyer may be the right step.
CLICK HERE to download and read about a case where GEICO refused to pay its $50,000 policy limits and a jury found GEICO liable for more than $130,000.
Online Reviews
According to the AAJ or American Association for Justice, an in-depth and all-encompassing study was carried out to show a very consistent and alarming trend in the US insurance industry. Several big names in the insurance industry cut corners, refused to pay claims, and chose greed over consumer benefit. Many businesses were found to be acting in bad faith for the sake of covering up their bottom line. Although GEICO once ranked as one of the best companies in America, over the years, a trend similar to the top worst insurers has been observed with GEICO. GEICO, too, has been accused of using deny, delay, defend tactics.
We found that out of 391 total reviews on Yelp, around 300 of those on this Chevy Chase, Maryland-based insurance company holds only 1-star.
Eric B. wrote on 10/22/2020:
“Geico stinks. It is as simple as that. I changed insurance for both car and home and they tell you one thing over the phone and they do something completely different. The money you think you save isn't worth it in the end. Stay away, stay far, far away is my only advice. One of the customer service agents even encouraged me to write a complaint!”
Amit P. wrote on 9/13/2020:
“I wish I could give less than 1. What a horrible experience with these guys! right from quoting a smaller amount and charging me 300 dollars more without showing the final amount being charged. I had to call to cancel, waited for 30 mins to get to the individual and then had another horrible customer service experience. Finally the amount is supposed to come back to my card only after 7 business days.Extremely inconvenient. Beware of these cheaters.”
Cindy E. wrote on 10/16/2020:
“I had Geico insurance for several years and never filed a claim, yet my rates continued to climb. So I eventually went to another insurance company. Recently I got quotes from Geico to see if they were willing to offer a better deal. I agreed on the homeowners quote, but the deal fell through because their car insurance quote was way too high. This is where they've screwed me. They processed the down payment for the homeowners insurance, nearly $600, even though I canceled the whole thing when we couldn't agree on the car insurance. Literally minutes later! The policy never went into effect.They have had my money tied up now for over a week and I hear it may be another week before it's refunded. This is outrageous! That is a lot of money for them to keep for a policy that never went into effect.
Overall their treatment of a good customer was poor, with unjustified price hikes. And now THIS theft of my money for weeks shows them to be an unethical, sleazy company. I will NEVER EVER call Geico again. I recommend that people stay away!”
Ryan F. wrote on 9/19/2020:
“Horrible experience and they have no problem billing you screwing up your credit and ruining your lifein order to get their money whether you owe it or not. They don't care if they signed you up for something without your permission they still bill you even if you didn't want it ask for it or request it. They can just sign you up bill you for it and then act like it's ok. It's BS”
David F. wrote on 10/8/2020:
“If I could rate this with zero stars I would. I also would like to state a few and not just feelings!
1) The rep I spoke with (Nicole N.) assured me my home was insurable even though several other companies advised Geico did not insure my type of home (I should have listened!)
2) I received a notice of cancellation a few days later stating "We are unable to insure your home type"
3) The rep (Nicole) that confirmed with me several times via email and phone did not return any of my emails or calls when I provided her the details of the cancellation.
4) Another Geico rep attempted to then "Assist me" with a 3rd party insurer which is laughable considering they couldn't even do their own jobs let alone refer a company that can.
Overall I would not recommend business to be done with Geico. It seems they have agents who don't know what they are selling and then ignore you when what they sold you doesn't work. Zero confidence rating.”
People are repeatedly claiming how GEICO puts out deceptive advertisements, cheats their customers, and uses unfair acts in most claim cases. Sitejabber reviews, as well as BBB reviews, also reveal the same story as Yelp.
It shows that GEICO’s gecko does not speak the truth that hides behind its long-standing reputation. The firm has skyrocketed in terms of size, and its bad practices continue to grow along with the firm itself. But the good news is that you do not have to take on your GEICO case all by yourself. We have a strong history of helping victims stand against companies like GEICO. We have had the privilege to take handle such cases not just in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Farmers Branch, etc. but throughout Texas.
Filing a lawsuit is the only option to help you get a fair settlement. We do not say that GEICO is an evil empire – they are not Allstate – but they do undervalue claims, and we strongly condemn their hostile settlement practices in areas including Dallas, Fort Worth, Lewisville Farmers Branch, and more, particularly for acting recklessly, putting profits over policyholders, and of course, their 3D slant.
Do not back down – get in touch with our legal team. They precisely know what questions to ask GEICO representatives and what documents to present to state all your losses and prove your case.
Struggling to Get Your Geico Insurance Claim Paid?
Be aware of biggies like GEICO, who are capable of playing mind games with consumers and prey on injured victims to increase their bottom lines. The claim process is rarely straightforward, and without legal representation, fighting the case may be challenging.
Texas laws offer great privileges to all insurance policyholders and guarantees that they would be treated fairley. Unfortunately, insurers like Allstate, State Farm, and GEICO still act in bad faith. They deny claims unnecessarily or refuse to pay the benefits on time. This is where legal assistance comes to your rescue.
A highly qualified and experienced attorney can help you handle even the ugliest disputes with insurance companies, no matter if it is about fighting for your rights or settling negotiations. We take our cases on a contingency basis and always stay committed to listening to all you have to say.
The personal injury attorneys at Samples Ames PLLC believe that policyholders have the right to timely and impartial payouts. We have tackled several such lawsuits to get the victims their deserved compensation.
If you are stuck with your pending GEICO insurance claim, we can fight to protect your rights. Contact our law office today. Call us at (469) 466-2600 if you are in Dallas or at (817) 605-1505 if you are around Fort Worth. We serve throughout Texas, so you can schedule a consultation right away. We will review your case and work with you to obtain a fair result.
