Deceptive TV Auto Insurance Ads

01/13/2009 - Law Firm Blog - Link to This Entry

On a typical day GEICO, State Farm, Allstate and Progressive run ads on TV. They tout how inexpensive their coverage is and how prompt they settle claims. What’s deceptive about these ads is that they are only advertising property damage coverage not liability coverage. The most offensive are the GEICO ads. GEICO never advertises liability coverage. All GEICO ads use professional and non-professional actors, famous personalities, etc ... but deal only with property damage.

Why is this deceptive and noteworthy? Property damage is the cheapest and most efficient form of auto insurance because it is capped by the cost of the vehicle. Liability insurance involves medical issues, disability, paralysis, death, etc.... If your experience is similar to mine when dealing with GEICO and the other carriers, it is rare that you are involved in a dispute over property damage. Our litigation experience invariably deals with getting insurance companies to honor their responsibility to insureds third parties on medical claims, lost wages and pain and suffering damages. GEICO and its competitors are guilty of deceptive advertising, just one more example of “Bad Faith.”

Please share your thoughts with me by contacting me at 561-842-2820, or emailing me at edricci@edriccilaw.com. This is an issue that needs to be brought to the attention of the
State Legislature, Congress and other public officials who deal with auto liability insurance.