Summary Timeline of Events

7/21/2016: Car accident.
7/22/2016: Call sales agent Martha. Martha returns with voicemail saying that I should call the national line, as that is what she would have to do anyway.
7/22/2016: Called to report accident claim - claim found already on responsible party's insurance. Added to claim. Received claim number. (CSR name not recorded.)
7/26/2016: Called to check on claim. Claim not found. Provided information again to CSR Arianna.

8/23/2016: Called State Farm main line. CSR Dustin transferred me to Property B. CSR Barbara Informed that they can't get a hold of responsible party. No predicted timeline for resolution.

9/13/2016: Notified that claim is approved, and that I can take my car in for repairs or to an assessor.
9/16/2016: Attempted to take car in to State Farm approved dealer, but shop is full. Told to come Monday.
9/19/2016: Dropped car off at body shop, and picked up rental
9/23/2016: Notified that car estimated repairs would be around $5,900.
9/28/2016: Phone call from autobody shop about releasing car to State Farm. I call back and find that it has been declared a total loss. Waiting for notification from State Farm.

10/5/2016: After not hearing anything, I call State Farm and am transferred to claims agent Valerie. Left a message.
10/6/2016: Call body shop, informing them that I haven't yet heard from State Far. Elect to release to State Farm and contact.
10/13/2016: Call again, and am transferred to Valerie voicemail. Left a message.
10/18/2016 (12:00 pm): Call direct number to Valerie No answer. Left a message.
10/18/2016 (5:00 pm): Call my sales agent, George, who says he will call.
10/21/2016: Call State Farm. CSR Kendra tries to help, but only can transfer me to same claims agent. Left a message.
10/24/2016 (1:16pm): Call State Farm twice, and now automatically transferred to Valerie's voicemail. Left a message.
10/24/2016 (1:45pm): Call sales agent George. Second sales agent, Martha, blames busy schedule for no follow-up, as well as the fact that claims is separate from what they do.
10/24/2016 (2:32pm): Martha calls, lets me know she was disconnected after 45 minutes on hold with claims.
10/24/2016 (4:00pm): Sales agent George called, let me know he spoke with a supervisor, and that I should receive a call from a claims agent with an offer within the next 10 minutes.
10/24/2016 (4:04pm): Claims Agent Kenneth calls, leave a message.
10/24/2016: First pending charge from Hertz appears on my credit card.
10/25/2015 (8:43am): Kenneth calls and leaves a message.
10/25/2016 (9:12am): Call Kenneth. No answer. Left a message.
10/25/2016 (1:44pm): Call Kenneth. He informs me he is finishing up with a client, but asks for callback number and promises he will call me after this claim.
10/26/2016 (7:36am): Valerie calls.
10/26/2016 (7:38am): Receive email from Valerie. Includes attached offer and a statement (in all caps): CALL ME INSTEAD OF CALLING THE QUEUE LINE  EMAIL . 10/26/2016 (8:03am): Valerie calls.
10/26/2016 (8:59am): Valerie calls.
10/26/2016 (12:49pm): Call Valerie. Left a voicemail.
10/27/2016 (8:45am): Valerie calls.
10/27/2016 (8:54am): Valerie calls.
10/27/2016 (9:43am): George calls. Says Valerie is trying to get a hold of me.
10/27/2016 (1:46pm): I send Valerie an email requesting that we communicate via email. I ask for several bits of information, including why she did not call back for three weeks.
10/29/2016 (2:20pm): Didn't get a reply from Valerie, or a call. So I call State Farm's main line and request to speak with a claims supervisor. CSR Jose informed that claims is closed on the weekend. I request a new claims agent. Jose says that he will send me a form and that it will take 5-10 days. Misunderstands me and starts changing my sales agent. I reiterate I want to change the claims agent. He mentions a name that is unfamiliar to me. Was I assigned a new claims agent? If so, why didn't they call me. He says he will leave a voicemail with his manager. I ask if anyone can answer my questions about the rental, but am told it will have to wait until Monday.
10/31/2016 (1:34pm): Call George and update him on the situation. George seems to imply that it was my fault for not knowing how to file the claim properly. I reiterate that Martha told me to call the number and file the claim, and explain how the claim was filed.

11/1/2016 (1:00am): Created My State Farm Nightmare blog.
11/1/2016 (3:50pm): Taylor fixed nearly everything in ten minutes. The one thing he couldn't fix (charges for rental) at least came with clear guidance (ask sales agent to send claims a declaration of insurance). I have the rental until the 11th. Could this be over?

Welcome (I guess) To My State Farm Nightmare.

Hi. My name is Ryan.

On July 21, 2016, 6:55pm I was in an accident in which a van rear-ended me at a stop and sent me into the car in front. The guy who hit me admitted fault, and had State Farm insurance. I figured that, because I also had State Farm, this was going to be a relatively straightforward process.

Today is November 1, 2016. I still haven't been compensated, and haven't been able to secure very basic information from a claims agent. After a great deal of frustration, I decided to make this blog so I don't have to re-explain everything to every new person I speak with over the phone. I also will leave it as a testament to a pretty horrible experience. I'll update it if it gets resolved successfully, and if State Farm actually fixes anything that would reduce the chance of what I can only describe as a systemic, comprehensive failure at multiple points of contact.

I'm not angry about the total loss payment. I'm angry that I can't get basic information about coverage for my rental. Doubly angry because I'm starting to see pending charges from Hertz, which are either because the coverage for the rental has lapsed, or because it's fraud (and a separate headache).

I'll try to break this up into parts. Will fill in more details as I have time/energy. Hope this gets resolved before I need to do that.

Summary Timeline of Events

Part 1: Reporting The Accident

Part 2: Waiting For Approval for Repairs

Part 3: Rental and Repairs

Part 4: Totalled

Part 5: No Communication

Part 6: New Claims Agent

Part 7: New (Old) Claims Agent?

Part 8: Limbo