vehicle was vandalized

[bandmommy]

What is the name of your state? North Carolina.

I dropped off my vehicle at Firestone tire and auto a few days ago for servicing. While it was there, it was vandalized. The entire stereo system wasn stolen and their was damages to the interior, window was broken, etc. When the service manager called to inform us of the problem (this was the following day after it happened), he apologized and admitted that he had left the truck out that night. He suggested that we file it with our insurance and he would subtract our deductable from the cost of the orginal repair (which he had not started yet).

When I went down to see the truck, (I took pictures of the damages) I also noticed that there was no sign stating that they were not liable for damages to vehicles left on their property. When I asked the manager about the police report, I was shocked to find out that they had not even reported it (this was 2 days later!).

Also, they refused to give me the name of their insurance company and when they found out that our dedectable was $500, he changed his mind about subtracting our deductable from the cost of the repair work. The manager offered instead to replace our stereo (we had a top of the line factory-installed CD system with 10-CD changer) with a radio from the junk yard!!! When my husband told him that was unacceptable, he sarcastically said that we just do without a radio.

Can you advise me as to how to handle this? I really prefer not file it with my insurance (although I did report it for informational purposes). I do not want my insurance premiums to go up, or worse, for them to cancel our policy. (We have had 2 accidents - neither of which were our fault, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to file with our insurance because the other party's would not cooperate).

 

[Juan Rodriguez]

First of all they can't cancel your policy for this claim. But, they do have the option of non-renewing your policy. Talk to your agent to see if he/she knows the underwriting guidelines for your carrier. It all depends on a formula based on the number of claims over a certain number of years.

You have four options:

1.) Swallow your pride and go back and renegotiate with the service manager.

2.) Contact Firestone and file a complaint against the franchisee, at which point you'll find out who their insurance carrier is.

3.) Sue the dealer, at which point you'll find out who their insurance carrier is.

4.) File a claim with your carrier.

 

[RunningOnEmpty]

Just another thought......Find out if your state has a Bureau of Automotive Repair, Consumer Affairs or some such Department which regulates car dealers & auto repair facilities. In fact, you should ask your Firestone place that question and request the address and phone number of the regulatory agency. This may give them the idea that you are going to be more trouble than this is worth. Most auto repair shops and dealers do not like dealing with consumer complaints from the agencies that regulate them (whether they are legitimate complaints or not). It's a lot of paperwork, hassle and "big brother" is watching them. Geez, as a matter of customer goodwill, they should take care of this for you. If they don't want to report it to their insurance company, they should certainly understand why you don't want to report it to yours.