I called my insurance company, Geico, on June 4. I had a cut-off payment due by June 5. I spoke to a supervisor who said that she would extend my due date until June 22. I went into the office today and was told that my car insurance was cancelled. I have been driving without insurance since June 5, due to the fact that the supervisor I spoke to at Geico did not honor our negotiated terms. She failed to prevent the cutoff from being processed due to her own error. So Geico did not have me covered for that time period. I called today and had to go through half an hour of arguing. Although Geico admitted they cancelled the coverage and also admitted that the extension had been granted, they relentlessly refused to take responsibility and blamed their computer system. The supervisor I spoke to told me that I am now actively covered. I have been with Geico for at least three years. I have gone to food banks to get food to feed my child so that I could pay my insurance payment to Geico! This has never happened to me before. How could they do this to me? I don’t trust Geico to continue my coverage in the future. I am concerned the same mistake will happen again,that is too much of a risk to take. I hung up on the arguing supervisor and told the office staff I am going to choose another insurance carrier. What would you do? Isn’t there something I can do about them dropping my coverage when they agreed to give me the extension? Thank God I didn’t have a car wreck! It was a preposterous argument that I was supposed to get retroactive coverage if I made the extension payment on time. If I had been pulled over, I would have been told by the cops to park my vehicle and start walking!
One of the reasons I do not attempt to for el-cheapo insurance, those loopholes 
You have an office to go to ?? No Geico in this town is another reason. I want my insurance agent live and in person.
You Get What You Pay For.
You need real insurance with real people in a real office. My agent and her staff are in my town. I live in a rural area and town is 20 miles away, but I can trust these friendly, competent women to handle my insurance needs. I have used this agency for decades.
I an sorry to here you are struggling financially and hope it’s only temporary. Is there a way you can do without the car until things improve? It really sounds like you can’t afford it. " If I had been pulled over, I would have been told by the cops to park my vehicle and start walking!" Can you do that?
I hope you are not buying just minimal liability coverage to get on the road. My agent won’t even insure anybody without selling them adequate insurance, considerably above the legal minimum. She sends them away. I pay extra on each of our cars for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. May I suggest to anybody cutting corners in this fashion that they cannot afford to drive. They need to go to plan B.
Good Luck,
CSA
Since NOTHING happened, this thread is about NOTHING!! YOU created the original problem by letting your insurance lapse…
No, I didn’t create the original problem by letting my insurance lapse. The reason Geico has extension policies is because from time to time people need to request extensions. If that were not true, there would be no extension policies. I did not let my insurance lapse. I called and made the extension negotiation prior to the lapse of the coverage on June 5. If I had been told no extension was available, then I would not have believed that I had coverage when I did not. Nice try, but no, the error of the supervisor was not my fault!!
You make a very valid point. There is only one Geico office in my regional area, and they only take payments. I had to call their 1800 number to get to speak to someone about my payments to begin with. I don’t mind that, but I do mind that they screwed up and based on their own human error they penalized me and put me at considerable legal risk. I think there is an insurance commissioner that I should file a complaint with. I know they know better than to do that, and I would much rather have an in person agent to negotiate with. Geico is not el-cheapo insurance. Geico doesn’t insurance just anybody. Geico is very very particular about accepting clients for coverage. An excellent driving record is required just to qualify for their coverage. This is a well-known fact. I went with an industry leader, not the cheapest guy in town! They know better than to do this, and their customer service was the epitome of horrible in treating me this way. It was like the agents were going out their way to be hateful and vindictive when the position they were taking was just ridiculous to begin with. How can you cancel someone’s coverage and then apply it retroactively if the extension payment is made? That is unreasonable by any stretch of the imagination, and they know that. Why is Geico picking on me? I have been an excellent driver and customer for years!! Isn’t my money just as green as yours?
Walk Into My Agent’s Office. Pay. Walk Out With A “Certificate Of Insurance”.
Our state requires drivers to have one. Are you allowed to drive on an expired one?
We’re not.
If there is such thing as an extension, you should have had a certificate faxed to you, anyway. You’re either covered or you’re not!
CSA
P.S. Where I live you would have paid a whopper fine for no proof of insurance just on a routine traffic stop.
I just don’t mess with car or any type of insurance. I make it a point to pay the bill at least a week prior to the due date, and I do it on the computer and note the confirmation number. I also know the premium amount and plan for the expense every 6 months. It seems if you miss a payment with one insurer they all know about it and raise your rates to get new coverage. That’s why I am very careful to pay on time.
What should you do? If you are unhappy with Geico get insurance from someone else. Make sure you have coverage with another carrier before you drop Geico. If you are considered “uninsured” then you may have difficulty getting covered and/or pay substantially higer rates as they will consider you a higher risk. I’d stay with Geico for the time being. After you’ve calmed down consider changing. You’ll have to pay for the new policy up front and then wait for a refund from Geico. Changing will impact your budgeting and cash flow.
Thank you, I have been paying my car insurance to Geico for at least three years now. Geico is an industry leader. I hope that you are not ever in a position to have to choose between buying clothes for your child or paying for your car insurance so you can go to work at a job that took you months to find. Or didn’t you know this is the worst economy since the Great Depression? I didn’t just find one full-time job though: I found eight. I have been educated at the very best educational institutions in this country. I am at a loss to understand how your theory could be productive. Give up my vehicle and sit at home instead of going to work? I am glad to know there are people like you who have not ever had to know what it is like to work for a living. Thank you, no. I’ve already had my cake. By the way, I paid for the slice ALL BY MYSELF.
I Didn’t Say Sit At Home. I Asked If There Was An Alternative To A Car.
How could you find 8 jobs in the worst economy since the Great Depression (Which isn’t true, by the way)? What does your spouse do, if you don’t mind my asking?
Good jobs may be in shorter supply now than they were a year or two ago, but you can’t blame your situation on that. It may take slightly longer now to change jobs than it did before. I am trying to offer solutions for you to free up some money. I know what my choice would be if I had to choose between food and driving.
CSA
Am I missing something? As far as I can tell, you profited financially from the experience. They canceled your insurance, now you have insurance again. So you did not pay for the time you did not have insurance so it sounds like you made money. Of did you have an accident while you were not insured or did they up the rate due to the lapse?
I am not blaming my situation on anyone other than Geico. I requested my extension before the lapse date of June 5. I was granted to extension prior to the lapse date, which was confirmed to me by the corporate office today. If extensions were not allowed, there would be no extensions policy at Geico. I am not the only person who has had to ask for an extension. It would seem very believable to me however that it is very likely I am the only Geico customer who has lost their coverage after being granted an extension because the company failed to post the extension to the account and subsequently cancelled the coverage. I would hope I am the only customer in this predicament, that is. How could I find 8 jobs, you ask? The old fashioned way, which you obviously aren’t familiar with: I went out and got them. One by one by one. I do not blame my situation on not having a job. I blame my situation on the liars at Geico and the silly little game they tried to play with me by cancelling my insurance. How ridiculous for you to pass try and divert the blame from them to me with this silly arguments. It is unfortunate to be placed in such a position by a liar. There is no money to free up, my dear. You offer no solutions: you are defending the liars at Geico and calling me a liar at the same time that you are blaming me for the suffering inflicted. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs month after month, and you don’t think it is a bad economy? Yes, it is the worst economy since the Great Depression? Or are you living on another planet?
I’m sorry that you had this problem. It seems that you got it straightened out, and that is great. If you don’t like GEICO, change to another insurance company. From my experience, GEICO is an outstanding, professional insurer that provides prompt service and looks out for the insured. I have gotten excellent service from them for 41 years on my Mother’s policy and mine.
Joseph is exactly right. You saved money. You had no accident. Therefore, you have nothing to complain about.
btw - Very funny. You wrote this, “I didn’t just find one full-time job though: I found eight.”
So, you want us to believe that you found 8 full time jobs?
This means that you work 320 hours a week and you don’t make enough money to pay car insurance and buy clothes for your child.
It must be difficult.
btw - [joke]I saved hundreds of dollars on my Geico insurance[/joke]
thanks for a great laugh.
I’m the opposite. I prefer to talk to a person, in person, about my insurance needs. One of the clerks that work there said she’s had some fun when I give them some VINs for insurance quotes. I go to the local office and don’t really like using the 800-number to find out things.
Bad idea to try another insurance company maybe. Work with GEICO if possible. You don’t want to go elsewhere with lapsed insurance flagged on record, it spikes your insurance rate and right now she is down on her luck.If you don’t cancel insurance in writing or properly on phone if possible you are flagged as lapsing insurance. It is always the first thing they ask when getting insurance.
Usually insurance companies record all conversations or document electronically. Try working with them further and then inquire with insurance commissioner in your state. Worth the effort IMHO.
That being all said I have had incredible luck in 10 years now with Progressive using their brand new web browser policy applition back in 1999. I check every year and find they still beat the best quote by $200-$400. So over those 10 year I figure I have saved $3000 at least. I have had two minor claims and had excellent service via phone very helpful field adjusters.I understand they are not nice to victims of their policy though. May not be cheapest but worth looking at all companies.
Yes, I do have proof of insurance. I too am a CSA. I have several years of customer service experience, and find your assertion not to have ever heard of an extension as rare. Good for you. For the rest of us living in the real world,extension terms go like this: you know you can’t pay on time. You call the creditor prior to your due date. The creditor checks your payment history. Do you have any prior defaulted arrangements with that creditor? Do you pay on time with that creditor? After meeting this criteria, you are then asked to describe the terms you can agree to. This is called negotiation. More than one payment may be made prior to the negotiated deadline to pay the debt as agreed-- installments. Both parties agree to these terms. However, terms may be re-negotiated once only. In my case, I called prior to my cut-off date, but after my due date. I negotiated terms which the company accepted. I met those terms explicitly as agreed. The company breached the agreed upon contract by cancelling my policy. If I had not been a good paying customer, I would not have qualified for the extension to begin with. In my state, if you get caught driving without insurance, you are told to get out of your vehicle and start walking. It’s over 100 degrees here. Thank you, no. I am not interested in taking chances like that with my child’s safety. That’s not forgetting the fact that these CSA’s that I spoke to knew exactly what they were doing and knew that they were wrong. There is no such thing as retro-active car insurance!! To argue incessantly with me about their mistake was abusive and demeaning. Give me a break!! The cancelled my insurance after they agreed to extend my due date!! If they weren’t going to give me the extension, then they shouldn’t have told me they would!! That’s just basic. Taking responsibility for mistakes is what I expect from the companies I do business with. Why? Because they expect nothing less from me.
I said I found 8 full-time jobs. I didn’t say I work 8 jobs. Before you start cracking jokes at my expense, you might try actually paying attention to what I have said versus what you intend to lie about so you can make yourself look superior. You are calling me a liar based on something that I never said. I found 8 full-time jobs, and I picked the very best one. Only 150 applications were accepted for the job. Of those 150, 100 were allowed to test for the job. 40 people past the tests. Not just one test, but three. Then there were two interviews: one with human resources, and another with management. Of those 40 that passed the interviews, there were 16 finalists. Of those 16 finalists, 12 people were selected for two months of paid training. During training, we are tested weekly. We lost our first classmate last week. She formerly worked as a Deputy City Treasurer. She failed the test. This week, a fourth year nursing student failed the test. Knock on wood, I have passed so far. I just need to focus on my job right now, and not argue with a Geico geek!! Our house caught fire, we are living out of a hotel, and then there’s this overheating thing with my truck. One day when you grow up and actually have to take responsibility for the things you say, then you will know not to speak so defiantly out of turn. Toddle home to mommy now. I wouldn’t want to say something that might hurt your feelings.I don’t work 8 jobs. Nobody could do that. How ridiculous for you to say that.
I am very glad you are so happy. I am just like you. I was very very happy too. This is what made me sad-- I was so happy with Geico!!! I have never had this experience with them and I am just as shocked as you are. I can prove everything I have said though, so I didn’t make it up or misunderstand anything. Mind adding me to your policy? I guess they just didn’t like me. … I’m gonna eat some worms now…
[b]I Believe You Are What’s Referred To As “Behind The 8-Ball”. You cannot Afford To Drive. Sorry, You Need Plan B.[/b]
I’ve had tought times before in my teen-age years, but never did I wait until it reached the low level that you are describing. This credit thing is something I don’t understand and now you can see where it leads, too.
CSA