PCTG Consumer Complaint Report Record ID#: 1052152175

TO: PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, Mary Alice Shields brought her damaged 1999 Chevrolet S Blazer to our repair facility on May 2, and asked us for help in repairing her damage. She had the misfortune of running into the back of another vehicle and the bumper was pushing against the left front tire. Unable to drive her vehicle we arranged for a car rental and agreed to provide an appraisal for her the next day. Mary gave us consent by signing our authorization form (ATTACHED)to repair her damages and left our facility in her rental car. On May 3rd @ 3:00 PM I contacted Mary Alice to advised her the extant of damages and faxed over a copy of her appraisal. She advise she would be contacting her insurance company and ask if we would work with Nationwide Insurance Company and allow them to inspect the damages to her vehicle. We advised Mary Alice the Nationwide representative could schedule their appointment and we would work with them to repair her vehcle. At 3:30 Our facility was contacted by Niel from Grand Sport Auto Body advising us Nationwide Insurance had requested them to pick up Shield’s 1999 Chev. Blazer. We advised we had not been advised the owner was moving the vehicle. At 4:00 Mary Alice Shields our consumer, contacted our facility to advise she had to move her vehicle to the Grand Sport Auto Body location. Nationwide Insurance Company advised her they could not inspect the damages on her vehicle until the end of the next week although, if she allowed Nationwide to move her vehicle to one of their Blue Ribbon shops they could begin the repairs immediately. The Nationwide representative also advise our consumer that Nationwide would not guarantee the repairs if she left her vehicle at Crawford’s Auto Center, Inc. for repairs however, Nationwide would provide their Blue Ribbon lifetime” guarantee if she permitted them to move the vehicle. With the above information from Nationwide Insurance Company, Our consumer Mary Alice Shields felt it was in her best interest to let Nationwide Insurance Company move her vehicle to one of Nationwide Insurance Company’s contracted shops Grand Sport Auto Body.''' This case of Nationwide Insurance Company steering consumers to their contracted repair shops is an excellent example how the unsuspecting consumer is manipulated into the contracted shop. Our consumer had every intention to leave her damaged vehicle with our company for repairs. She signed our Authorization to Repair and asked that we provide her with an update as to the repair process. Once directed to the Nationwide shop she continued to thank us very much for taking care of her and promised to tell her friends and relatives what a great company we are and how we had helped her. Mary Alice Shields advised us her decision had nothing to do with our shop. She did not want to go against Nationwide Insurance Company and the process they directed her repairs be handled.' Thank You, Stephen E. Behrndt President Crawford's Auto Cent, Inc.