PCTG Consumer Complaint Report Record ID#: 1474045308

Department Of Insurance: Our customer’s 2016 Honda Fit (mileage 1,557) sustained accident damage on Aug 10, 2015. She stopped by for an estimate of damages that we provided for her. She contacted her Harleysville / Nationwide agent and was advised to take her vehicle to Service King for the estimate and repairs. Our customer explained to Harleysville / Nationwide that she wanted Crawford’s to repair her vehicle however Harleysville / Nationwide insisted she still go to Service King. Our customer did as she was told and went to Service King to have them estimate the damages however their appraisal missed obvious damages on her right door so she contacted us asking what she should do. She advised that she wanted Crawford’s to repair her vehicle but was having a hard time with Harleysville / Nationwide. We explained that we could handle the claim for her and she signed our repair authorization and scheduled the vehicle. On Aug 23, 2016 Nationwide staff appraiser Nick Beard #606341 signed in at our facility 1:05 PM to inspect the damages on our customer’s vehicle. When Beard was completed we reviewed his estimate of damages that did not include labor to Feather Sand & Block, Color Sand Buff, Pre-scan and Post-scan fault codes, Detail for Delivery and additional data base differences and labor rates underpayments. When we questioned Beard about the items he missed he simply stated Nationwide does not pay for those items. We explained that each labor task listed is necessary and has to be performed for the repairs and our customer is entitled to be reimbursed for her loss. As pa State Law and Regulation “A description of repairs, known at the time of appraisal, necessary to return the vehicle to its predamaged condition, including labor involved, cost of all parts, necessary painting or refinishing and all sublet work to be done.” We explained that our customer is insured with Harleysville not Nationwide and Beard’s answered that Nationwide owns Harleysville and since Nationwide will not pay for these items neither will Harleysville. The original estimate prepared by Nationwide addressed repair labor on the rear bumper. We remove the bumper and found that the mounting tabs were damaged and the bumper would have to be replaced. Nationwide’s Beard had another claim at our facility to inspect and we showed the Honda bumper damages to him. He agreed the bumper should be replaced and told us to go ahead and order a new bumper. No estimate was written on this bumper replacement however we received his verbal to move forward. See attached memo from Beard. Once the repairs were completed we contacted Harleysville to finalize our final invoice for the repairs. On September 1, 2016 Nationwide’s N. Beard stopped by our facility to address additional items that were not covered in his initial estimate of damages. We provided our parts invoices and our final repair invoices with photos of the repair process. Beard’s completed his estimate and then advised us that he would only reimburse our customer for an aftermarket / imitation rear bumper. We disputed his comments stating that when he inspected the bumper he agreed to a new bumper cover. A 2016 Honda with only 1,550 miles on it is entitled a new OEM bumper replacement. Beard refused to address the rear bumper with a new OEM replacement forcing the customer to pay the differences. Beard also refused to reimburse the items he underpaid on his initial estimate. As per Pa State Law the appraiser shall leave a copy of his appraisal with the consumer or the consumer’s representative which must include a statement that the appraisal has been based on aftermarket / imitation crash parts. Nationwide’s appraiser did not provide us with a written estimate or verbally explain that he would only be paying for an aftermarket / imitation part. Beard did not contact our customer and explain that he would only be reimbursing for a aftermarket / imitation parts. We did not find out his intentions to appraise for an aftermarket / imitation bumper cover until he was requested to pay for our final invoice. At this time the vehicle was repaired, refinish, completed and ready for customer pick-up. Nationwide is in violation of the Pa Vehicle Motors Physical Damage Appraisal Law and Regulation. 5) A description of repairs, known at the time of appraisal, necessary to return the vehicle to its predamaged condition, including labor involved, cost of all parts, necessary painting or refinishing and all sublet work to be done. (6) Incidental charges, known at the time of appraisal, including towing, protective care, custody, storage, depreciation, battery and tire replacement. (7) Applicable sales tax. (8) The date, if any, after which an insurer will not be responsible for any related towing services or storage charges, known at the time of appraisal, and after which the charges will be the responsibility of the consumer. (9) The location where the listed parts are available in a condition equivalent to, or better than, the condition of the replaced parts prior to the accident. (10) If the appraisal includes aftermarket crash parts, a statement that the appraisal has been prepared based on the use of aftermarket crash parts, and that if the use of an aftermarket crash part voids the existing warranty on the part being replaced or any other part, the aftermarket crash part shall have a warranty equal to or better than the remainder of the existing warranty. (11) Identification of all aftermarket crash parts and a definition of aftermarket crash parts consistent with § 62.1 (relating to definitions), if these parts are used. (c) An appraisal for the repair of the motor vehicle shall be made in the amount necessary to return the motor vehicle to its predamaged condition. If the consumer wishes to repair the motor vehicle to a condition better than the predamaged condition, the appraisal need only specify the cost of repairing the vehicle to its predamaged condition. Please investigate our complain and bring the appropriate enforcement actions against Harleysville / Nationwide Insurance Companies and their employee staff appraiser Nicholas Beard #606341 Thank you, Stephen Behrndt, President Crawford’s Auto Center Inc.