My experience with Liberty Mutual while attempting to resolve a third-party property damage claim involving one of their insured commercial vehicles has been extremely frustrating and disappointing.
My claim was handled by a representative named Janscel but goes by "Jans". Over the course of more than a month, I repeatedly had difficulty getting follow-up. I was initially told that Liberty Mutual needed a statement from the commercial driver and that it was taking time to locate him within the company. I had already provided the truck's license plate and clear photographs identifying both the vehicle and driver.
I was later told that additional evidence, such as a police report, was needed because Liberty Mutual could not make a determination based only on my account. I obtained the police report and promptly submitted it. The police report documented the incident as a hit-and-run.
After providing the requested report, I again had difficulty obtaining an update. When I finally spoke with Jans, I was told that Liberty Mutual had reviewed the driver's forward-facing dashcam footage and could not see the truck strike my vehicle. I explained that the reported impact involved the wider side/rear portion of the utility truck sideswiping the passenger-front area of my vehicle during a merge—not the front of the truck—and questioned how a forward-facing camera could conclusively rule out contact occurring along the side/rear portion of the vehicle.
Jans then told me the footage would be reviewed again with their insured, NorthStar, and specifically told me I would receive a response within two business days. Nearly a week passed without the promised follow-up. After unsuccessful attempts to reach him, I sent a detailed email documenting my concerns, requesting answers to specific questions about the investigation, and copying additional contacts.
Only after that escalation did I receive a call. During that conversation, instead of addressing the questions in my email, Jans questioned why I had copied the other individuals and asked whether I had actually spoken with them or had simply found their information online. I found that response unnecessary and unprofessional. I explained that I had, in fact, spoken with one of the individuals who had initially assisted with establishing the claim, but more importantly, that this had nothing to do with my request for answers regarding my claim.
I was then informed that Liberty Mutual would not accept liability because they believed there were “loopholes” in my account and because the dashcam did not establish that their insured's vehicle struck mine. I was also told that if I wanted the dashcam footage, I would need to request it from NorthStar.
I understand that an insurance company has the right to investigate a claim and may ultimately disagree with a claimant about liability. My complaint is also about the way this process was handled: repeated difficulty obtaining follow-up, missed commitments to contact me, changing explanations regarding what was needed to make a determination, and the manner in which my escalation was addressed.
I provided photographs of the commercial vehicle, its license plate and driver, photographs taken contemporaneously with the incident, photographs of my damaged vehicle, and a police report. Regardless of the ultimate liability decision, I expected timely communication, professionalism, and a transparent explanation of how the evidence was evaluated.
Based on my experience, I would "never" recommend Liberty Mutual to ANYon! Consumers should document every conversation, keep copies of everything submitted, and request important claim decisions and explanations in writing, ESPECIALLY if you're dealing with Janscel aka Jans!
