PCTG Consumer Complaint Report Record ID#: 276640568

Pennsylvania Department of Insurance: Our consumer Mr. John Monaghan contacted us on October 9, 2004 and requested we repair the damages to his 2002 Ford Explorer XLT. Mr. Monaghan dropped off his vehicle on October 11. 2004 and signed our authorization to repair his vehcile. Mr Monaghan provide our company with a copy of an apprasial from Longacre Appraisal Service written by Charles Binder. As we dismantled the vehicle additional damages were found that had been missed during the initial inspection. We prepared a supplemental report and faxed it to Longacre Appraisal Service and requested they schedule a re-inspection of damages. Mr.Steve Wasko from Longacre Apprasial Service contacted me by phone and advised he had already reached an agreed price to repair the vehicle with another shop (Grand Sport Auto Body)and would not be paying for anything else on the job. He advised if we were not satisfied with his appraisal to have the consumer go through their own insurance company. Steve Wasko then contacted our consumer and advised the Monaghan's his agreed price was with another shop not Crawford's and the vehcle can be repaired for his appraisal at the other facility. Next Steve Wasko contacted Mr.James John of the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance to advised the department of the agreed price situation. Our facility contacted the Marion Bell of the ACE/ESIS (1-800-643-0902 X-6052) Insurance Company and requested a supplemental inspecton. Marion Bell advised she had already been contacted by Steve Wasko who advised her he was not going to re-appraise the vehicle. I contacted our consumer who in turn contacted Marion Bell demanding they be more responsive to his claim since they had accepted libility for the damages and Marion Bell agreed to direct Steve Wasko back to inspect the claim. Steve Wasko contacted our facility to set-up an appointment to re-inspect. Steve Wasko arrived at our facility at 12:05PM on Friday October 15, 2004. I asked Wasko if he would like a copy of our supplemental and he said no all he needed was to see the vehicle. I escorted Steve Wasko to the vehicle and he asked to see the additional damages. I showed him damages inside the door opening at the rocker panel and lower quarter panel. He asked my opinion of the labor needed to repair the damages. I advised it is supplemented for 6.0 hours plus refinishing. He said no way! I then showed him additional damages on the door that his company wrote for .5 repair hrs and advised we needed an additional 2.5 hrs. He proclaimed he would not be estimating for any items he had already agreed too with the other shop and would not agree to any additional door repair times. At this point of the supplemental inspection we could not agree as he explained other times were included with the original apparsial. While this discussion was taking place Steve Wasko took several photos of the damages in question. I asked him to provide a supplemental appraisal and he refused stating an addendum to state law & regulations provided him with a 24 hour time period to prepare his appraisal and allowed him to fax it over. He stated he had every right to take photos of the damages and if I did not like it to complain to the Department of Insurance. I did contact the department and spoke with James John who advised me to write a complaint and he would investigate. >> Not only has the appraiser Steve Wasko refused to include additional damages on a supplemental request he has repeatedly referred to another repair shop with whom he has an agreed price to repair Mr. Monaghen's vehicle when in fact, the authorization to repair is with Crawford's Auto Center, Inc. Steve Wasko refused to prepare a supplemental appraisal on location and refused to review the appraisal with the authorized representative of the repair shop while he inspected and took photos of the damages the vehicle stating he is within the state delines by citing a non existing statute. >> The supplemental appraisal received over the fax machine later the same afternoon identifies the report as written by a Mr. Charles Binder when in fact Steve Wasko inspected the damages. >> The original appraisal nor the supplemental appraisal identifies the insurance company ordering the appraisal. >> The handling of this claim is certainly unprofessional and has forced the consumer to look towards their own insurance company for proper repairs. We have not been able to ascertain why Steve Wasko of Longacre Appraiser Service has been so adamant these repairs be handled by another repair facility especially since the consumer has advised on numerous occasions his desire to have our facility repair his investment. Please investigate this claim and enforce the proper violations against the appraiser. '' Thank You, Stephen Behrndt Crawford's Auto Center, Inc. 610-269-1610