American Freedom Insurance Company Refusing To Pay For Crash Victims Repairs After They Cant Reach Their Own Client, Who Caused The Wreck – CBS…

CHICAGO (CBS) Complaint after complaint; several online reviews allege an Illinois company is routinely denying insurance claims. Experts tell CBS 2 the reason being given is nonsense.

Morning Insider Lauren Victory takes you inside a suburban mans fight to get his car fixed.

Tom Noonan isnt sure what sound is worse: the scraping of his battered Buick on the ground, or the silence on his claim to fix it.

You gotta keep calling them, and calling them, and calling them. They dont answer, said Noonan of the insurance company hes fighting.

His problems began at a Tinley Park intersection back in February. Police arrested a man for driving without a license, who minutes before cut a left too closely.

Just went right in front of me and I smacked him right there, said Noonan pointing to a diagram of the accident.

He told CBS 2 he had the right of way.

I hit him on the passenger side rear, Noonan said.

Thankfully, no one was hurt. The cars were the real casualties.

Bumper. Gotta get the grill [fixed], said Noonan, explaining necessary repairs which he estimates will cost about $3000. I think this is the big empty space where the light goes.

The other drivers insurance provider, American Freedom Insurance Company, denied Noonans claim. A recent letter from the company read our insured has failed to provide the company with a written statement of facts.

They cant get a hold of him, so Im on my own. Ill have to sue the guy that hit me, Noonan said.

CBS 2 shared Noonans situation with Bob Hunter, the former Insurance Commissioner for the state of Texas.

The excuse that theyre giving for not paying promptly is inappropriate, said Hunter, who now works as the Director of Insurance for the Consumer Federation of America. They should be able to contact their own client. If they cant, then thats their problem, not the person who is waiting to be paid.

Multiple Better Business Bureau reviews of American Freedom Insurance detail the same problem.

Dan H writes in one review: denied my claim because their insured would not answer the phone.

Data from Illinoiss Department of Insurance (IDOI) shows American Freedom Insurance Company has nine times the amount of complaints of a typical business its size.

Its a history that doesnt surprise Noonan. Hes been waiting on repairs for almost three months.

CBS 2 gave American Freedom Insurance days to review Noonans claim and to respond to this story.

Cris, from American Freedom Insurance marketing, finally wrote back to us saying the company feels its denial was appropriate based on a breach of policy provisions. We asked, but Cris did not clarify who breached what policy.

CBS 2 asked IDOI what a consumer should do if the person liable for damaging a vehicle is a policy holder with a company that is refusing to cover costs. An IDOI spokesperson said, if a policyholders vehicle is damaged in a collision, and they are unable to get reimbursement/repairs from another drivers insurance company, they can file a claim under their own policy if they have collision coverage. If the policyholder does not have collision coverage, then they may seek recovery by filing suit against the other driver.

Noonan did not have collision coverage on his Buick.

Consumers can also file a complaint with the IDOI.

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American Freedom Insurance Company Refusing To Pay For Crash Victims Repairs After They Cant Reach Their Own Client, Who Caused The Wreck - CBS...