ComplaintsforAscendant Claims Services, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My car was damaged by an Ascendant Claims Services client. The client was at fault and I went directly to Ascendant Claims Service to have my vehicle repaired. Due to the inept nature of their former appraiser (***********************), the invalid information provided by their 3rd party adjuster & the delay with their inside Appraiser completing his portion of my claim (due to workload), Ascendant has decided to not pay for the car rental in it's entirely while my vehicle was in the shop. During the time my vehicle was in the shop I was in constant contact with *********************** but she did not provide accurate information, did not follow up on tasks, did not return phone calls and did not provide me with her recommended next steps when she was asked directly. She is no longer with the company and I have been working with a new Appraiser, ***************************, since 12/20/22 who is much more knowledgeable of the process but he fails to acknowledge the fact that my claim wasn't handled correctly and now I am being penalized by the ineptness of the former Appraiser. My vehicle was in the shop from 10/10/22 - 3/17/23, a total of 158 days - totaling $6,765.82. I am only being paid $2,311.21 when I was told by *********** that I would receive the balance owed to me when my car repair has been completed. I am being charged for the rental for the days Ascendant's 3rd party appraiser & internal appraiser took to go to the body shop, complete their paperwork & correct their mistakes. A meeting was requested with the Supervisor, **************** and Claims **** Head, *************************** to go review this day by day but my request was ignored and I was told to seek a lawyer to get the money. I am still owed $4,454.61 from Ascendant. During the days my vehicle was in the shop, I had to pay my vehicle's monthly payments in addition to the $1,300+ each month for the car rental. I just want what was promised to me by the first Appraiser. Ascendant needs to follow through with what their employee tells people.

  Business response

  05/01/2023

  Attached please find the applicable timeline for this claim. 

  Also, please note that the repair shop chosen by **************** did not begin repairs when the vehicle was dropped off and did not follow industry standards by not having the vehicle torn down for submission of an accurate supplement. Unfortunately the shop's delay led to this situation. 

  At this time, we have issued an additional $700 rental payment to **************** and consider this matter resolved. 

  Customer response

  05/02/2023

   
  Complaint: 19863815
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Through this entire situation, I was in constant contact with the Ascendant **** ************************ Ascendant's 3rd party Appraiser, ******************* & the body shop.   The reason the vehicle wasn't broken down is, Ascendant's 3rd party Appraiser, ******************* told the body shop since it's a frame damage & he will be totaling the vehicle. I received a call from the body shop that same day providing me with this info & I immediately called ******* with this information.  The biggest issue with this claim was ***********************...she didn't handle this claim correctly, didn't respond to calls/messages, didn't follow up as promised when she didn't have answers to my questions & didn't follow Ascendant's processes.  When I received the first payment of $1,327.15 I was told by ******* that it was reimbursement for the 1st month of the car rental and I would receive a check every month as long as I provided the invoice - by the way, her supervisor approved this 1st check. Now that ******* no longer works there, and over 3 months later I am now being told the check was for the time of 2/9/23 - 3/12/23 - which doesn't make sense. Why would a check be issued in December for services rendered 2 months later? Ascendant's policy is to not pay for a car rental until after the rental date - this goes against their policy.  Once I noticed the new Ascendant **** *************************** wasn't clear on what transpired before he was assigned my claim, I created a timeline of what transpired (provided to Ascendant and included in my BBB complaint.

  I don't feel I should be penalized due to *************************** inability to handle my case correctly. I do not work for Ascendant so I trusted *******, to handle my claim correctly but it wasn't.   Someone from Ascendant's leadership team should have noticed this claim that was out of their timeline compliance.  I also should not be penalized for parts on back order, any delay created by their 3rd party appraiser or inside appraiser, ************************** or emails sent by Ascendant to the wrong body shop email address.  Ascendant should absorb most, if not all of the car rental cost and make sure their staff is handling claims accurately and efficiently.

  I have requested to have a meeting several times with the Supervisor or Manager to go over the timeline, day by day but my email requests were ignored and not honored. If my meeting request was honored, I planned on absorbing some of the cost if it was clear that Ascendant was not at fault.  To offer me $700 when I am requesting $4,454.61 is an insult.  I struggled & had to borrow money to make my monthly car payment and pay for the rental each month. 

  All I am asking is for Ascendant to be honest and fair. The ball was dropped on their end, not mine.

   

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  customer (**************************************) was advice by *************************** to take her vehicle for repair on 08/22/22 customer drop off vehicle for repair at our facility . on 8/26/2022 I contact *************************** and inform him vehicle was ready he authorize to give back vehicle to customer payment was going to be issued to us . he ask if there was something additional which i said yes.1- the color was a three stage 2 - price for rear bumper protector $51.35. he advice to email supplement request with invoice and w-9 form plus direction to pay sign by customer and i did it same day at 3:44 pm . after that i been contact him more than 15 time and leave messages . he never call us back. I contact ascendant general claim phone number and they transfer me several time on sep 20 , i sent an email asking for payment at ******************************************************* and no body respond. finally on oct 10,2022 *************************** answer the phone to let us know that they decided not to pay for the claim and to tell customer to ask her insurance for payment. the main problem is that now customer car is been fix and how after two month we can contact another insurance without having the old damage parts ? we trust this insurance company was responsible but they feel free to ignored us. In every claim comunication is key to sucess but they have not ***** in comunication. how can they do this to us. we didnt do nothing wrong but to follow their directions. now we dont have the car here and no payment eather .

  Business response

  10/21/2022

  This was a third-party claim, a mitigation letter was sent appropriately, and we continued with the claim process accordingly.
  
  The claimant, ******************************* reached out to us while the coverage was being reviewed and file placed under reservation of rights for a possible unlisted driver. We dispatched an appraisal and created an estimate. The claimant elected to wait for our coverage decision, and she took the vehicle to a repair shop.The assigned adjuster advised claimant that we had a coverage issue but he also advised incorrectly that coverage may resolve. The adjuster entered a payment request for the estimate amount; however, upon management review it was discussed with the adjuster that coverage was not resolved. Ultimately the third-party liability claim was denied due to no coverage as the driver of the insured vehicle was not listed on the policy at the time of the loss and carried an out of state drivers license. The applicable denial of coverage was issued on Sept 28,2022 and repair shop was informed of same. The shop was also advised that the claimant had reported the claim to her carrier, Progressive, and provided them the claim number as well as the contact information for the adjuster.
  
  At this time we urge the repair shop to refer to the email of October 10th,2022 which contains the above information.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************
  Director of Liability Claims
  Telephone: ************************
  Fax: **************
  Email: *************************************************
  

  Customer response

  10/25/2022

   
  Complaint: 18196129
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 1- ************************************** contacted *************************** prior dropping vehicle to our facility to get an approval for repairs and it was giving to her. on august 26 we contacted *************************** because vehicle was Ready. We were never informed that there was a conflict with coverage. why you approve repairs? we contact the insurance company several time over the phone. I called *************************** more than 10 times since I couldn't reach him, and he was not calling back we contact general ascendant phone number they say they will send him notes and then transfer me to him. **** finally answers on oct 10 more than ******************************** to contact the insurance company of the customer when I already don't have the damage parts and the car is ready with customer and customer refusing to contact the insurance. we were never expected such an irresponsible action. The insurance representative said we were notify, and repair was never approved. so, I must be crazy because I called **** and asked if we could give the vehicle back to customer and he said yes. now as per representative we were inform of conflict with coverage. He even gives me instruction of sending supplement with direction to pay sign by customer for a full payment to be sent directly to us. But more than 30 days later because of me insisting and calling every single day he finally answers to denied coverage because of an order of his manager. we never experience such a bad situation before. An insurance repair approval has always been ok, but this insurance company approval is totally dangerous because they denied after repair been done and lied saying they give details about the claim having conflict. how do they inform, and they don't even answer the phone calls. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  11/11/2022

  November 11th, 2022
  
  
  Better Business Bureau
  4411 ****************************************************************** 33407
  
  
  RE:                                       Claim Number:                      ** - *****  
                                                Insured:                                   **** INVESTMENT LLC
                                                Claimant:                                **************************************
                                                Complainant:                         ************************,*******************************
                                                Policy Number:                      CA-*****-4
                                                Date of Accident:                  06/30/2022
                                                Code:                                      48695948-40CD5
  
  While we understand the issues being raised we are unable to create coverage where there is no coverage.
  
  Once again, we urge the repair shop to contact the carrier for *******************************, Progressive,their claim number is *************, the adjuster is ***************************** and can be reached at **************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************
  Director of Liability Claims
  Telephone: ************************
  Fax: **************
  Email: *************************************************
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩