State Farm, Plymouth Rock refuse to pay New Jersey auto claim until media involvement
A New Jersey man’s vehicle was totaled while parked in front of his house, and until after a TV news station’s involvement, his insurance and the other party’s insurance refused to cover the damage, according to a report from ABC 7.
According to ABC 7, Dexter Howard’s 2011 Chevy Equinox was covered by Plymouth Rock, and the other driver’s vehicle was covered by State Farm.
“…we cannot pay your claim because the other party is majority at fault for the accident,” the TV station says Plymouth Rock told Howard.
State Farm assessed the accident with only 20-30% negligence against its insured driver. It encouraged Howard to reach out to his insurance company.
Howard told ABC 7 he was forced to borrow about $8,000 from his pension plan to purchase another vehicle. He added that he needed a vehicle to care for his son, who is an amputee and lives about an hour away.
A relative learned about Howard’s issue with the insurance companies and contacted ABC 7, the news article says.
“7 On Your Side contacted both of the other drivers’ insurance companies and asked them to get on the same team for Howard, and it didn’t take long for them to respond,” the news report says.
Plymouth Rock issued a statement to the news station, stating that it completed an independent review and determined that its insured driver did not bear primary responsibility for the incident. However, they would work to resolve the matter for Howard by settling the total loss of the vehicle, arranging its removal from storage, and covering all related fees.
“As the other driver was determined to be primarily at fault, we will seek reimbursement through arbitration with that driver’s insurer,” ABC 7 reports Plymouth Rock said.
State Farm’s public relations department noted that it couldn’t discuss specific claim details with the news station but stated it was working toward an appropriate solution. It also told the news station to encourage the individual to reach out directly to his own insurance company.
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