Very slow at paying money back
by Hobie on Nov 21, 2014
1.5 out of 5 stars
After a 25 year clean driving record and over 10 years with this company I made the mistake of calling them to say that is backed into a post and wanted to know what my deductible would be and how it would affect my premiums. They could tell me only what my deductible was. They couldn't tell me how it would affect my premiums because that isn't calculated until renewal???? I say fine, I'll leave it and pay for the repairs myself. That's when she said that it would still show up on my record as an at fault accident. I went up the monkey chain a couple of levels and got the same canned reply. One supervisor thought that maybe the premiums wouldn't go up that much if I didn't complete the claim. This outfit is a ripoff. They suck you in with big alumni discounts and then jack up their prices yearly. Don't ever use them.
TD Meloche Monnex simply didn't take out my June premiums (via PAD), so I call and ask why (and try to pay of course), they said it was an error in their payment processor and that I would have to mail them a certified cheque or pay with a visa. I chose the visa method because it was simply easier. My insurance was $141 a month (also the amount owing) and they ended up taking $937 (in three separate payments) off my credit card. I was furious. Called back several times and got the run around (one call was 2hrs and 32mins no joke!). They said the money would be returned to my Visa in 3 days and when it got refunded to await a call from them with instructions on how to repay (weird?). 14 days later the money appears on my Visa. 14 days. I call in to square up my policy as I'm worried about possible cancellation they say don't worry we will take it out again. The day of my PAD (July) comes and goes and they don't take it out again! I've now made about 12 calls to them and decide its time to create a paper trail. I sent them a fax detailing what has happened, who I spoke with, the dates, everything. I still get no call back! HOWEVER... they send me a $25 Tim Hortons gift card via mail with an apology. Next day I get a registered letter saying my policy has been cancelled due to non-payment... say what?
I'm freaking out. I've done nothing wrong. I call in for an explanation, they say don't worry your policy is fine and to disregard the letter. I get another registered letter saying my renewal has been cancelled as my policy was terminated. I call back and they say I haven't had insurance since July 1st and to NOT DRIVE. I miss a few days of work cause of this, my financing company politely informs me that if my car isn't insured I must surrender the plates or face repossession. I call TD Meloche Monnex back and literally say "how much money do you want right now to fix this? I've done everything you've asked me to do..." They say there is nothing they can do and my policy has been cancelled due to non-payment. What!?
I call another company for a quote so that my car doesn't get repo'd and so I can go to work and live life (even though I've done everything TD asked). The new company says that they will gladly insure me (I've never been ticketed or even pulled over in 9 years of driving), however my abstract shows a cancellation from TD due to non payment. I call TD back they say I have to just "deal with it and to call another company..." (are you kidding me?)
This incorrect black mark on my abstract makes my new premium about $282 a month (from $141 a month) I am furious. I call a lawyer for advice, she sends a letter to cease and desist the incorrect report to my abstract and advises me to contact the Financial Services Commission of Ontario's official complaint officer listing for Meloche Monnex who is listed as: Sid Nightingale (at https://www5.fsco.gov.on.ca/Licensing/ComplaintsOfficerListing/eng/lede…)
If anyone else is having the same problems I highly suggest you follow the same action I took. The next day I visited a broker to help (and face this new false reality of being a high-risk driver, even though I've never even been pulled over) and he said the black mark on my abstract was "magically" removed overnight. Someone from TD was scheduled to call me also on this day and didn't. Sid called me back 2 days later and left a message saying he sent my complaint back into the "client services" department, even though the reason why I called him was because this had escalated so far.
I have a feeling they realized the mistake and just tried to cover it up (sweep it under the rug) without admitting any fault or apologizing. I am now with a broker paying $21 less a month and my abstract says that TD reported my policy as being cancelled by me and no trace of a non-payment black mark. Sounds fishy. I'm just thankful this mess is over.
If you value your time, money, and stress levels..... STAY AWAY FROM MELOCHE MONNEX. They are a complete and utter joke of a company. I was driving without insurance for a month without any notice of cancellation (even though they helped themselves to almost 6x the money from my Visa!). I crossed the US/Canada border 3 times in this period and drove about 700km. Imagine I got into an accident? Or my car stolen? I always think about this and it scares me. Thank god and GOODBYE TD MELOCHE MONNEX! They are right when they say your best insurance is a broker.. I had a new policy the next day and they didn't even ask for any money until next month! I will be mailing the TimCard back to TD :)
I tried to pay my bill by cash at the local TD bank with my bill in hand. The teller was unable to process the transaction ( the account # on the bill was in the wrong format). The teller tried to call meloche but was unable to get through. So I called meloche myself and waited on hold for 20-30 mins. The man from meloche told me the best thing to do was to send a certified cheque by overnight post. So I went to my bank got a cheque and jumped through that hoop. Later I called to get a quote to add my car to my home insurance. I was informed I had no home insurance. Apparently my bank printed an official cheque not a certified cheque. Meloche cancelled my home insurance without a phone call. I am told by my bank an official cheque is the same as certified. So I called and explained all this meloche and to tell them my bank would vouch for my story. Melcohes decision: I owe them $100 and I can't get insurance from them for 5 years.
I haven't had a claim experience yet with Meloche Monnex, but the customer service experience otherwise has been very good, including helping me with policy updates, sending premium info for accounting purposes, etc.
Whenever I do call in, I find that I consistently get someone who is obviously knowledgeable in the insurance product I'm inquiring about, which is a big bonus over some of the other companies I've gotten quotes from but haven't ended up doing business with.
If I will need coverage on a new product, I'll shop with Meloche Monnex first.
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After 10 years with TD Meloche Monnex I decided to get other quotes. I was very surprised that I could save $800 per year on auto because I thought I was getting a good rate from them due to my post secondary affiliation discount. I canceled my insurance with them and was told they owed me about $500 and would get it in a week and I also owed them a small amount for my home ins. They kept their promise of taking the money owed but not the money they owe me. Instead of 1 week I have to wait 4 weeks. I called and of course they say there is nothing they can do. Funny how insurance companies and banks are extremely efficient at taking $$ but not at giving it back.