Be Aware BE Very Aware (car rental, insurance, vehicle, auto)

[Norm Barnes]

Well I have to say my 2018 Kia Forte LX Experience was really pretty good. It's flaw was not one of performance. The flaw was one of Security technology and apparent saving of pennies. If I knew the susceptibility to Theft my baby and I would long have been separated. It gets worse younlearn your vehicle is a target, your insurance company (AFICS) sucks, your bank is careless (WSFS), Your collision center is greedy and exorbitant, your Adjuster (AFICS) is wacky, your not treated as a victim but more like an offender. Insurance policy headings don't mean what they seemingly indicate. You lose a car, work time, monies, and a great deal of fortitude and patience. This had some peculiarities to it that created the perfect storm.
Here goes on 12/23 spent day for dinner at former wife's cousin a prelude to Christmas. Drove home and decided I'd take about a $100 free play I accumulated and go to Harrahs Casino. Not my first rodeo. I pulled into gated parking on racing level. Observed the normal parking caution insured a well lit area, camera located above the rear of my car, parked only 30 yards or less to Harrahs entrance on this level. 15 foot away I turned pointed my remote at car to insure locked (A ritual). I spent aboutv2 hours in there. I left. My car was stolen. Apparently security a bit lacking that night. My FOB remote later found not working. It was 5 years old and apparently chose this precious moment to go dead. I'm 76 and JM a security officer asked for my keys for in spite of my ritual he thought this kindly old man just forgot where he parked. Lol. He came back 50 - 70 Mins later then finally called police. They were pretty prompt and accommodating but I didn't have some of the info they needed. VIN in the car. License number not a clue. Cell phone s___ left in the car. Got that info to officers next morning. They find the car on W 24th St Chester. They parked in the drive of a vacant home. They damaged the steering column and the ignition so you could start the car with a simple screw driver. Later I learned you tube had a virtual training program fircwoukd be thieves. Sickening. I was informed where vehicle had been located abd shown by a great police officer how to start it to bring it home. It was then that learned my FOB was dead and thus car possibly unlocked as when I got car home I couldn't lock with FOB. Insurance Company contacted next day. Adjuster on vacation until 1/2/2024. My cell phone stolen with car. She calls cell a number of times rather than contact number I left abd thus normal contact with her until 1/4/2024 when I got a replacement phone from Insurance I carried. I hook up with car rental on 1/10/2024. According to policy I had 30 day coverage. I brought car to Collision Center and told damage 6 - 8K. An Adjuster never directly saw or examined vehicle done by phone and pictures they totalled car and offered $13,180 though I had been offered about $11,200 plus 9K over allowance and a lawsuit pending yet not awarded for a minimum of about $3600. Now the insurance informs me that rental end 5 days from time they made offer on the totalling of my car, they would not cover personal items I had in auto because no forcible entry. Now I'm not entitled to more than 5 days rental from date of settlement acceptance originally I thought coverage consistent with tome for them to honor claim.. They would pay claim provided certain info Forwarded to them. Reasonable request. I have sent 3 times since. Theft means forcible entry in their interpretation. It gets worse I refinance car and WSFS handled improperly title came to me I returned title to branch. The salvage company wanted to see a title that had WSFS as lienholder which they could not produce since they must have failed to follow procedure to have the encumbrance on title changed. Here is the lesson to learn. Watch what you buy!! Does the vehicle provide for an engine immobilizer. Read your insurance does 30 day coverage mean 30 days. What is theft? How soon after I agree to salvaging will I be paid can I have that in writing. Remember always you are not a victim your just another insured and never, never be more than that. You dont have an agent on hand taking your pups out of fiery building. You have a person on hand with zippered pockets. This theft was the perfect storm. Merry Christmas. Lol.

[Hemlock140]

That's an unfortunate experience, mostly bad luck and not the best choice in vehicles. You probably bought it well before all of these Kia & Hyundai thefts started. One item to look for in buying now is the feature on my wife's 2020 Outback. It costs us $19.95/month for it to have a cell number, but it allows us to locate it at any time, even if off, via a Subaru smartphone app.

We would never leave anything like a phone or tablet in a parked car these days, especially in a large parking lot, because with the lack of policing and prosecution these days there are thieves prowling any place with a lot of cars unattended for a while. Casinos, restaurants, malls, airports and casinos are the popular places for car prowls and thefts.

Hopefully others can learn from your experience and your luck changes now.