Consumers have told NBC 5 Responds that there’s one auto insurance company that’s leaving Texas drivers high and dry.
"I'm in a man’s world doing a man’s job and I do it really, really well," said Susan Phelan, who calls herself one heck of a driver.
But earlier this year she was involved in a car accident. Phelan said she was putting air in one of her tires when someone backed into her, putting a hole in her bumper.
Phelan said the man had insurance through ACCC, a Texas-based insurance company, and he gave her his policy information.
An adjuster came out to take pictures, but days later, Phelan said the company never followed up.
When she called ACCC, she said she wasn’t getting answers.
"I tried to get in touch with the gentleman that hit me and ask him what he wants to do," Phelan recalled.
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She said the driver agreed to meet with her, but he was a no show.
The following month, she got a letter from ACCC, informing her that they were "unable to honor her claim at this time."
ACCC said it tried to make numerous attempts to contact their insured customer regarding the accident, but he’s unwilling to cooperate.
Phelan said that’s not her problem. She feels the company should pay her claim, whether they can reach the man or not.
"I’m more angry than what I realized I was," she said.
And she’s not the only consumer angry with ACCC.
Jeremiah Samkpakra said another driver hit him in a parking lot, and that driver was also insured by ACCC.
The company denied his claim because their insured driver “is not the proximate cause of this accident…”
Samkpakra went to small claims court and got a judgment against the other driver for $4,000, with interest.
He said he sent it to ACCC, and was still denied.
When asked, an attorney for ACCC didn’t provide many details on the case, but said the company has been in contact with Samkpakra and is working toward a resolution.
"They told me we are calling you because we have been contacted by NBC Samantha," Samkpakra explained.
Not long after, ACCC ended up offering Samkpakra $2,100.
He reluctantly took it, but said it’s still not enough to cover repairs.
"My car is still damaged. It’s a Lexus! Lexus is very expensive," he said.
The Texas Department of Insurance has received 141 complaints against ACCC, which they say is “above average.”
ACCC currently has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau of North Central Texas, with 49 complaints received in the last three years.
With Samkpakra's partial resolution and Phelan with no resolution at all, their warning to consumers is clear:
"Don’t deal with this company if you don’t have to. But we didn’t have a choice; I didn’t have a choice," warned Phelan.
ACCC told NBC 5 Responds, in Phelan's case, the adjuster will keep trying to contact the insured and they’ll follow up with her directly.
We asked ACCC about those negative reviews with the BBB and the Texas Department of Insurance, and we haven’t heard back.
If you’ve had problems with ACCC, the Texas Department of Insurance wants to hear from you. Please fill out the Consumer Complaint Form found online at nbcdfw.com/responds.
For more information from the Texas Department of Insurance, click here.
