We all have insurance; it is a necessary part of adulthood.  No one expects to get into an accident or to have a fire or theft… until it happens.

My husband was on his daily commute on a busy and notoriously dangerous stretch of highway in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The traffic unexpectedly came to a complete stop and he was in a collision that totaled the car.  He was ok, but the car was a goner.

The police were notified, the insurance company was called and the car was towed.  After the initial shock of the accident, the process began with our insurance company, Geico.  Insurance companies do not have the best reputation for providing good customer service.  We expected the run around and delays before we even picked up the phone.

Showing Concern

To our surprise, the agent was not only friendly but empathetic to our situation.  She began with her concern for my husband’s health and she often used the word “we” in the conversation as if she were part of our family.  That one word made us feel like we were being helped of by someone who actually cared; a rarity in any customer service situation.

Building Partnerships

We picked up our car the same day at a discounted rate.  The Enterprise staff already knew about us and expressed their concern about my husband’s wellbeing right away.  When the car we needed wasn’t available, they upgraded us free of charge.

Making It Seamless

The very next day we were told that the car was indeed totaled and were given the settlement amount so we could start shopping for another car.  The process was clearly documented and viewable online to include auto repair quotes, the police report, pictures of the damages and contact information for the Geico representative responsible for each step.  The whole process took about two weeks from start to finish.  I am still amazed at how relatively painless it was.  Every contact we had with Geico was with a professional who was not just a generic customer service rep, but an expert in his or her field which made the entire process go smoothly.

Geico is smart to have built relationships with rental, auto body and tow companies.  Not only did we benefit from reduced rates, we didn’t have to do any leg work ourselves, relieving us from the worry and hassle.  Geico is also getting it right by training their staff to take care of the details that are a part of any accident and by making us regular people with a standard policy, feel extra special.