Single dad buys insurance, ordeal
Trouble reversing firm’s large withdrawal from his bank left struggling man strapped
It’s tough being a single dad. No one knows that more than 36-year-old Phoenix resident Bob Pembleton.
Pembleton is an overnight supervisor at a residential treatment center for troubled youth. He’s also raising three young girls, ages 2, 3 and 6, by himself.
His situation got even tougher after a simple transaction.
Last month Pembleton decided to switch car-insurance companies. He went online and signed up for a policy with Allstate Insurance. With the click of a mouse, he agreed to have $198 deducted from his bank account to go toward his first monthly payment.
Pembleton kept the receipt for his transaction.
But the insurance giant then immediately took $516 from his account.
“The effect was horrendous,” said Pembleton, who lives paycheck to paycheck.
“I called them (Allstate) right away because they have a 24/7 hotline, and they told me they would cancel the policy and issue a refund within 24 to 48 hours, and that did not happen.”
Pembleton’s next step involved calls to the insurer’s executive offices. But, that proved to be the most disheartening calls he’s ever made.
Pembleton explained to a representative that he needed those funds back in his account because the money was set aside to pay his electricity bill. If he didn’t get the cash, his power would be shut off within days.
“They were very rude, very unsympathetic to my hardship,” Pembleton said. “I was hung up on six or seven times.”
Pembleton waited again. Two days turned into a week. By then, his bank account was depleted.
That’s when he decided it was time to go down to the local Allstate office in Phoenix near 47th Street and Thunderbird Road.
He packed his three girls into his van and drove down there. Representatives tried to help with his refund.
“I told them I absolutely cannot leave until I get the money because I needed gas,” Pembleton said. “My gas was on empty, the electricity was a day from getting shut off. I needed food for the kids. I needed Pampers. I mean, we were just stuck.”
A manager at the local Allstate office promised the funds would be back in Pembleton’s CALL 12 FOR ACTION account the next day. It didn’t happen. By this time, Pembleton was distraught.
“When you don’t have the necessary funds to take care of your children, that’s an unnerving feeling. It’s like imminent death,” Pembleton said.
Discouraged but adamant, Pembleton went back to the local office the next day. While he waited there, he reached out to Call 12 for Action. That was a Friday.
After our volunteer got involved in his case, the money was back in Pembleton’s account by Tuesday morning.
But Pembleton had no money to get him through the weekend. Representatives at the local Allstate office gave him gift cards for food while he waited for his money to show up in his account.
Allstate spokeswoman Chelci Vaughan even filled up his gas tank so he could get around.
Vaughan provided this statement from Allstate:
“On occasion there is a different understanding of the policy price or down payment requirements when you complete a transaction online. In this case, the misunderstanding led to a request for a policy termination. There was an issue processing the policy termination request, which resulted in a delayed refund. We felt badly about the mistake and worked with the family to ensure they were in good hands while they waited for the refund. We’re pleased that we were able to help the family out despite the processing error.
“When in doubt, call a local insurance agent. Allstate encourages consumers to talk to an insurance agent about coverage, discounts and payment options before purchasing a policy online. A conversation with an agent can be very helpful to discuss the ins and outs of the complex insurance industry. While getting a quote online can be very convenient, it’s also important to note that quotes are estimates that often do not immediately verify factors such as prior insurance and driving history.”
Pembleton is more than thankful, not just to the local Allstate office but to Call 12 for Action.
He became a single father after a bitter divorce last year. Pembleton said his ex-wife gave up her parental rights after that divorce and currently owes him thousands of dollars in accrued child-support payments.
He still struggles to take care of his daughters, but says he’ll never forget the kindness shown him throughout his refund process.
“I really appreciate all you do,” Pembleton said.