Employee, Ex-Employee, DM, and Agent Complaint Archives

Employee, Ex-Employee, DM, and Agent Complaints: Archives from old Forum
[www.farmersinsurancegroupsucks.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2006 02:21AM by administrator.

I am a former agent who was forced to resign. My DM shut my dashboard access off for over a week and I wasn't give a straigt answer as to when it would be on, he claimed it was Eagent and marketing, who claimed it was him. They sent me to a collection company without sending me any bills and the collection company will only offer three choices, 1- pay in full, 2- three equal payments or 3- "do nothing and we will sue you, and have a judgement issued against you because you don't pay your bills" Has anyone else dealt with this?

I worked for a man who was promoted from agent to DM. For 2.5 years, I helped him establish the new district office. We won several awards of recognition etc. Throughout this time, he promised to expand the office and have someone take over the more menial tasks in the office. He promised to award my dedication and "hire around me". Our two main functions were to assist our agents out in the field and to recruit and train new agents.
I served as the Asst DM and Training Asst. In March 2005, he finally hired an FEMALE admin asst so I could focus on training and advancing what I had done prior. In April 2005, he fired the admin asst and hired someone who had tried to go through the agent approval process and could not get approved (background issues). Long story short, he gave my executive duties to this person and told me that I would assume the reponsibilities of the admin person going forward.
Now the clincher - I am a 41 year old woman who has been in the insurance industry for over 13 years. The person who was to take over (what I had worked so hard to acheive) was a 23 year old guy with 6 months insurance, management, sales and professional experience.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE????

I posted/vented an issue that I had with Farmers New World Life in Oct of 2006. It was in regards to a wrongful termination. After the termination when I inquired about overtime that was earned, they told me I wasn't due overtime, which I was according to state labor laws. I was also advised to request my personnel folder, which I did. In the folder was a memo that I had no prior knowledge of, had never signed being as I had never seen it and was full of false allegations. I didn't send a complaint to the state regarding the overtime, of which I did have proof, although I had downloaded the forms. I didn't pursue the wrongful termination issue with Farmers because after what I had found in my personal folder I thought my god what chance do I have. It would be my word against their's and they seemed a hell of a lot more adapt at lying then I could ever be or would want to be. I didn't do anything because I was a wimp. All I did was vent to the Farmer's Sucks website. But you know it helped me through some real issues I had with that company and I am ever so thankful that there is a site like this. I discovered there were other people that had like issues with Farmers. It is really to bad this company continues to do business but hopefully it will be doing less business.
Addendum: Currently Farmers has failed to send my W-2, which I am sure will cause a convoluted tax filing mess, which of course the IRS will do nothing about, but that is another issue. Yes, I have contacted Farmers but as is par with them I doubt as if they will respond anywhere near quickly or lie and said they did.

I worked for Farmers for nearly 4 years. We had a small satellite office in NC. Once the adjusters were trained for the field I was the only one in the office day after day. I would never earn an adjuster's salary. Although I had an adjuster's license my only function was to be in the office every day. Our office was located within an agent's building and I was told by my supervisor that Farmers wanted the agency to see someone sitting at the desk. All the adjusters worked from their home offices. My supervisor was 2.5 hours drive away and I was required to attend meetings at his house once per month even though the meetings generally had nothing to do with my job and I was the only one not allowed a company car.The meetings were geared for the adjusters. In December of 2004 I went into the hospital with a severe respiratory problem. Once home again I was on oxygen and requested I be allowed to work from home temporarily. I had all the equipment necessary to perform my duties at no expense to Farmers. I did this until February 18 when I was informed I would either have to relocate across the state by May 1 or my job would terminate. However, should I take the job I would become part time until then. Due to my illness I couldn't relocate so turned down the offer which also stated that if I did relocate the job could not be guaranteed. Since there really was no need to relocate my position I'm sure the reason for my dismissal was my health. Don't get me wrong I'm glad to be out of there because treatment of women is intolerable. I just wanted to post my info here so anyone thinking of working for Farmers might think again.

Hello, looking to find info on how to find out what corperate actions have taken place against employees of Farmers ins. For instance, if an employee has been removed from his posistion and given the option for resignation for suspicion of fraud, which I heard happens from time to time, the company usually covers it up so no scandels erupt with the media. But how to find out actions taken against these individuals from corperate. Is there a way?

Please, need to know.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news to all of you but FIG has been this way for many more years then you have known about them! I worked for FIG claims office from Sept. 6, 1977 to Feb 15, 1989. I worked my way up from medical clerk to office clerical supervisor. The last 3 years there was the manager from hell. He told me to "find a way to get rid of two female employees" he didn't like. I refused to do that. At that point my life became hell. In 1986 I became so emotionally ill my doctor put me on 2 months leave of absence. I was about to go back when my brother died (Jan 1987). I was entitled to bereavement leave, but that manager told me I had to come back right then! I again refused. More hell in my life, he embarrassed me in front of others, screamed at me, etc. I lodged 4 complaints with FIG personnel. The male personnel manager came to the office - talked with the manager and determined I "misunderstood" what the manager was saying!!! I walked in the office Feb 15, 1989 and quit! I was told I couldn't do that! The new clerical supervisor tried to get me to stay, even though she was now also part of the problem - she kissed up and bent over! I told the office & the company to KMA. When I filed for unemployment they denied it saying I "didn't have just cause"! What they didn't realize was I had kept copious notes of all the confrontations for 3 years - when I took all that to court I got my unemployment! The company tried to black ball me from any job with any other insurance entity - I went to work for a temp service and there was nothing they could do about it!!!

I did work long enough that they have to pay me retirement!!

I am a current agent of 4 years and over the past two years Farmers Insurance has gone down hill. They don't care about their agents anymore and farm out too many critical jobs to non-farmers companies now.

They have lost ALL sight of any type of customer service to their agents and to their cleints.

I AM SUEING fARMER'S INSURANCE COMPANY FOR fRAUDULENT SETTLEMENT PRACTICES. MORE SPECIFICITALLY THE ADJUSTERS WORKING FOR FARMERS AUTOMOBILE TOTAL LOSS CLAIMS DIVISION SERIOUSLY DEVALUTED THE VALUE OF MY VEHICLE. I INSURED MY Z-28 CAMARO WITH THEM. THEY ORIGINALLY APPRAISED THE VALUE OF THE Z-28 AT $6,500. AN INTERNAL MEMO THAT I HAVE RECIEVED THROUGH THE DISCOVERY PROCESS OF MY LAWSUIT SHOWS THAT THIR APPRAISER/ADJUSTER TURNED IN THREE Z-28'S IN MY AREA EXACTLY LIKE MINE WORTH $30,000. AT THIS POINT IN TIME MY ATTORNEY AND I ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO USUED TO WORKED FOR FARMERS AS AN ADJUSTER TO PROVIDE EXPERT TESTIMONY IN OUR LAWSUIT. IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COULD PROVIDE THE EXPERT TESTIMONY PLEASE CONTACT ME. mY NAME ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER ARE AS FOLLOWS:
JOHN MINING
2975 FM 725; PMB 180
NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS 78130-9160
325-340-7386

THE REASON I AM SENDING YOU THIS E-MAIL IS BECAUSE I AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN PROVIDE EXPERT TESTIMONY ABOUT FARMER’S INSURANCE COMPANIES TOTAL LOSS CLAIMS PRACTICES.
I HAVE SUED FARMER'S INSURANCE COMPANY FOR FRAUDULENT SETTLEMENT PRACTICES. IN 2004 I INSURED MY Z-28 CAMARO WITH FARMERS. AFTER INSPECTING MY VEHICLE, THE FARMERS AGENT SOLD ME A $50,000 TOTAL REPLACEMENT POLICY TO COVER IF MY CAR WAS STOLEN OR BECAME A TOTAL LOSS BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT.
IN MAY 2004 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MY Z-28 CAMARO WAS DEEMED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS BY A FARMERS INSURANCE ADJUSTER. THE ADJUSTERS AND CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVES WORKING FOR FARMERS SERIOUSLY UNDER ESTIMATED THE VALUE OF MY AUTO. IN THEIR CORRESPONDENCE SENT TO ME FOR A SETTLEMENT PAYMENT, THE FARMERS ADJUSTER CLAIMED HE HAD ONLY FOUND COMPARABLE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES WORTH $6,500 IN MY AREA THEREFORE THAT WAS THE SETTLEMENT PRICE FOR MY CLAIM..
AN INTERNAL MEMO I RECEIVED THROUGH THE DISCOVERY PROCESS OF MY LAWSUIT SHOWS THEIR APPRAISER/ADJUSTER TURNED IN THREE COMPS VALUES AT $30,000 ON Z-28'S IN THE SAME CONDITION AS MY Z-28 LOCATED IN MY AREA.
IN ADDITION TO LYING ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT VALUES OF THE COMPARABLE Z-28 CAMAROS FOUND IN MY LOCAL AREA, THEIR ADJUSTERS AND CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVES MADE SEVERAL SERIOUS MISTAKES IN THEIR APPRAISAL PROCEDURES.

MISTAKE ONE: I informed Farmer’s appraiser immediately after the accident that I intended to tow my Camaro to two separate body shops so that I could get my own estimates of repair independent to the his appraisal for Farmers. We set an appointment to meet at the body shop where I had towed my car. Before our meeting the next day, this adjuster evaluated my car without me there and quickly had my vehicle towed to a total loss salvage yard without informing me and without my permission. This is felony automobile theft.

MISTAKE TWO: The appraiser ran the repair estimate on May 19, 2005 and declared the Z-28 a total loss before he ran the local market report of comparable vehicles available to replace the Camaro. The local market comparable vehicle report date shows the report was not issued until May 20, 2004 24 hours after the vehicle was declared a total loss.. The appraiser must compare the estimate of repair costs with the estimate of replacement cost before he declares a vehicle a total loss.

MISTAKE THREE: The vehicles he used for comparable replacement values of the Z-28 were not the same type of vehicles. Some replacement vehicles were missing critical components that my Z-28 had such as power seats, cruise control, keyless entry, theft deterrent alarm, the aluminum/alloy wheels, 12 disc CD changer, new rear end differential, a rebuilt engine and many other new parts. One vehicle used for replacement value was 6 cylinder whereas my car was an 8 cylinder. Another car used was not even a Camaro. Fraud is the intentional deception resulting in injury to another.

MISTAKE FOUR: The adjuster admitted under oath during a deposition that all Farmers adjusters in Texas are required to tow all of their total loss vehicles to Insurance Auto Auction salvage yards. It took me 4 months before Farmer’s authorized IAA to return my car back to me. The invoice we received from Farmer’s for IAA bill shows IAA never charged Farmer’s any storage fees for keeping the vehicle for those 4 months. It is illegal for an automobile Insurance company to have an arrangement for profit with a salvage yard.

THE EXPERT TESTIMONY I AM LOOKING FOR TO SUPPORT MY LAWSUIT AGAINST FRAMER’S WILL BE TESTIMONY FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED FOR FARMERS AS AN ADJUSTER AND CAN PROVIDE EXPERT TESTIMONY IN MY LAWSUIT. CORROBORATING MY EVIDENCE THAT FARMER’S ADJUSTERS AND CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVES ARE GUILTY OF COLLUSION IN THEIR EFFORTS TO UNDER VALUE TOTAL LOSS CLAIMS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR E-MAIL REPLY IF YOU CAN BE OF HELP. NAME MAILING ADDRESS, E-MAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER ARE AS FOLLOWS:

JOHN MINING
2975 FM 725; PMB 180
NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS 78130-9160
miningjohn@yahoo.com
(325)-340-7386



November 19, 2007.

You people are freakin me out. I have an interveiw w/ farmers tomorrow about an accounting position. Reading all this stuff really makes me not want to go now, but I'm gonna check it out, w/ extreme caution. I'm tempted to mention this site too just to see what kind of justification they have for sucking so badly in so many peoples eyes... I don't think I've seen soooo much hatred towards a company before.. def not a company I want to be established w/. THanks for the horror stories.

Just ask them how many employees they have with over two years tenure. That should garner a few laughs for you.

Does anyone know about the "Backstop Program". It's a training program to become a DM. I do not know if it stills exists. Specifically-training manuals. I too am being targeted for dismissal. 35 yrs as a Farmers agent. I've read news articles from Alabama & Miss. that states agents with long tenure were terminated w/o cause just as I appear headed for. My contention is that back in '72 when I was hired my DM said "give it 5 good years, sit back in semi retirement,but don't steal money. The article above was quoted with the same promises as me. I live on the West coast-2000 miles away. This appears to reflrct a training procedure. Our AAA cannot be changed except in writing and by an authorized representative of the Company. I would like to challenge that my contract was altered-and in writing-and by an authorized rep of the Company via the "Backstop Program" training manual. Longshot probably but worth asking.

I know a DM in Tulsa, OK who trys to hire good looking girls to be agents and then trys to sleep with them, ladies beware of dist 60. He is also involved in several lawsuits as well. Whats worse is the company staff in Oklahoma know all about this guy but they don't do a thing about him because he gives them flyer miles and other things. Wish I had a job where I could do anything I want and never get in trouble.

The lower courts should be issuing their decision in regard to the ongoing class action lawsuit filed on behalf of current & former claims adjusters for Farmers Insurance. Here is a link to the attorney website that has handled this case:
[farmers.farmersovertime.com]
To all of us who have patiently awaited this decision, keep your fingers crossed. Up until this point, Farmers has been able to manipulate the court system and delay this case for years. We can only hope that the courts realize the extent of Farmers misgivings and sets the record straight that FARMERS SUCKS!!

I too was bamboozled by the Farmers "dream". I spent 8 years as an agent and finally woke up. The DMs put such a spin on how you'll be making $150,000 in 3 years. I didn't reach that until my last 2 years with them. By then I seen the writing on the wall that Farmers is going to screw whomever they can and not even kiss you befor they do it. If there's a class action lawsuit, I want on it! I'm tired of this company draining these agents financially and emotionally. It's awfully coincidental that my credit took a dive right after I opened my agency. Any current agents reading this - GET OUT NOW! Save yourself, save your family and save your sanity. If you've been told that your state is one of the top producing states for Farmers, but for no apparent reason the rates are rising, watch out. Farmers is cleaning theirs books and Zurich is going to sell this POS of an insurance company off!

If there is a class action lawsuit let me know. I could fill this whole page with complaints, wrong-doings and empty promises.

I never had a problem with Farmers until they denied my claim against their insured! It was her fault but because they belived her lies, they denied our claim. They never request for pictures of our car or their insured until I got a call from the adjustor and said it was out fault. I said how can you say that when you haven't even seen the cars? Granted the damage is not great on our car, minor paint work and replacing our plate, why should we pay for something that wasn't our fault??? The adjustor did allow me to send pictures, of course it took forever before she could see them because she told me, she hadn't received them but was able get my first email...made me wonder. We have no dents on our car but still their insured was at fault. Their insured darted out in front of our car and she had to yeild to on coming traffic and didn't want to wait for the BIG truck to turn on to the main road, she went around the truck and thankfully my husband saw her in time as she darted out in front of our car and skidding past. The police were called but didn't respond because no one was injured and it was private property ( a shopping center). When asked to draw a diagram their insured omitted the truck and she drew it as if through she was already in the driveway...not possible because if that were true my husband would have caused some serious damage to her car and ours.
Still they denied our claim and I don't think they did best they could have had. I will never sell for Farmers Ins (I am an insurance agent) and if someone askes me for my PERSONAL opinion I will let know how they treat people's claims.

I encourage all former and past employees to go to www.jobvent.com and rate Farmers Insurance. Don't let new employees make the same mistake that we did.

Two years later and look at Shannon Holtman's district. 90% Men. Do you think this man has problems relating and respecting women - maybe it's the other way around. Shannon - try not to refer to your female agents as "gals".

Go for it! They only get rid of employees that they have used up . I worked for this company for twenty eight and half years and if you are to close to retirement they profit by laying you off,pension ,sick pay ,vacation, profit sharing and of course my salary that I know I will never make again since all I know it Farmers Insurance. Do you thing they care. It's all about the dollar. They claim they are honest, repectful, responsibile, accountable. After the way I was layed off I have not recieved any repect or compasion.
Do I sound like a scorned woman "I am . I will not stop here. Farmers will hear me.

Hello, looking to find info on how any one else has benn layed off before they could retire with the company. Please I need your help out there.
Please, need to know.

I am currently an Auto Adjuster APD but after 2 years I'm planning to quit soon. One day I was praised for having the highest number of positive customer service survey's and on the same day I was put on formal warning for file quality. The current manager is hiring all his friends from other offices and slowly building paper trails on all the people he wants out. The things that we get reprimended for are just laughable, we get treated worse than children. I've heard him talking to other adjusters and telling them not to worry, that they are not on his list of adjusters he wants to get rid of. I've personally witnessed conversations between the manager and an adjuster where the manager told the adjuster that even though he was berely at meets, he would talk to one of his friends to get him promoted, he was promoted to supervisor soon after. I'd rather quit before that have an excuse to fire me.

Hi 18350,
I've written many times about my experiences dealing with the same issues. It truly is sickening. My previous Manager in SIU made an announcement in a team meeting that he had a policy of admitted favoritism (not much of a morale builder). One of my co-workers was let go after being told by the manager that he didn't like him and he would make sure he gets rid of him. Of course, he followed through. This happened to about 5 of my co-workers in the 5 years I was in SIU. In that same team meeting, the manager announced he had fired an investigator. He told us, she would no longer be able to afford her cancer treatments due to him terminating her. He then stood there and laughed. His M.O. was to take an investigators work and start giving it to other investigators. As the targeted investigator began to have difficulties making his/her numbers, they would be put on formal warning, probation and ultimately terminated.
The golden children of the group would always get the lions share of budgeted raise money and others would sometimes get no raise at all. I was given a new manager when they split the territory up. One of his golden children got the position. The old manager learned I didn't like his policy of favoritism and within 4 weeks working under the new manager I was placed on a performance plan. I began having a medical issue and took some time off (FMLA). When I returned, I was no longer getting referrals. I asked the manager and he said, all of the referrals "dried up". Then I began getting calls from CR's asking why their referrals were going to PI's and other Farmers investigators in other states.
Same scenario as with the first manager. Of course when it's mentioned to H/R, the response I got was "We know nothing about it, so there's nothing we can do".
Farmers has got to be the most corrupt organization out there. get out, while the getting is good and don't look back. I wish you all the best!

18350: I'm amazed at how familiar your story sounds. Thats the thing about Farmers, it could be any of us telling a story of corruption and it would apply to 95% of the people who have worked there. Just out of curiosity, what office do you work at?

Amos, I'd rather not say the office I work for, at least until I no longer work there. I recently had a conversation with an ex-Farmers employee about this, are you him?

Parolee

Send me an email if you wish. I understand your situation. Mine was written under the "my fun experience with farmers". Wanted to see how your job hunt is going since I was getting black balled for months.

Sandi,

My experience is very similiar to yours. I filed a case against Farmers for similiar circumstances that is moving forward. It would be good for us to communicate.

Jill
jillrunyan@gmail.com

Jill Runyan
[lipstickheelsandbrainsjungle.blogspot.com]

Before I came to this site, I suspected that there was something just not right about Farmers. I've been working like a dog as Reserve Agent for 4 months now, and I can say it's not going too well. I haven't had much support or training (I could really use some field training with the manager, which isn't offered), and there are other agents within my office that are either at the tail-end of their 6-month Reserve contract or just converted to Career Agent that also don't seem to be getting far with this (the proof shows because they still come to EVERY training session). I also got cheated too because I was told I would get paid $750 every 2 weeks plus commission during my Reserve months. To this day I have yet to see this "salary" paycheck. I've had to go back to my old dead-end job part-time just to try to make ends meet, while burning a whole in my wallet trying out all their different marketing strategies, which have gotten me nowhere. I've also burned money on getting another insurance license just for them, to which I never wanted anyway. I'm already on the road to getting fired so it doesn't matter if screw around and do nothing these final 2 months. Save yourself the headache and don't go with Farmers, unless you like handing out your business cards with their logo just for false hopes...

I was an agent with Farmer's from 1982 until 2007. If anyone tells me they are considering working for Farmer's I tell them--RUN RUN RUN--as fast as you can because all you will get is more and more in debt.
I was lucky because I started at a time when they were actually a pretty good company and seemed to care about their agents. That lasted about 5 to 7 years for me. The DM I had at that time would have rolled his dead mom over if he thought there was a dollar bill under her. As an agent he was picked up in a police sting for John's solicitating prostitutes. His name was all over the TV news and in the paper, but about 2 or 3 years later, Farmer's thought he would be a good guy to have as a DM. Wrong. After career week, his thing was to take all the guys down to the nearest strip joint and celebrate. Problem was, I'm not a guy and he and I didn't get along too well because I would call him what he was....A no good low life slug, to be polite about it.
Then they hired a couple more DM's after him (they had to let him go back into the agency force because he couldn't recruit enough idiots). The last DM I had barely had gotten out of grade school and only became a DM cuz his daddy was one up in the bigger city. He was about as worthless as they come too, telling people how much they were going to make by being a Farmer's Agent. HA
HA. What a joke. It is true, that you can make a million dollars with Farmer's........................as long as you start out with 2 million in the bank and work down from there. I could go on for hours, but I found this site on accident and I better quit before I really say what a scum bag outfit this is to work for.