Car Insurance and Auto Loan Complaints: Where to Get Help

When a claim is delayed, a payment is applied wrong or an add-on shows up that you didn’t choose, it helps to know which office can actually act. This guide maps the common problems to the right place. It is education only; Car Bills Explained is not a law firm or a government agency and can’t file complaints for you. For legal advice, contact a consumer attorney or a legal aid office.

What should you do before you file a complaint?

• Contact the company first. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) points out that companies can usually answer questions specific to your account. Ask for a supervisor or the complaints department, and ask for answers in writing.
• Write down the facts. Dates, names, what you were told, and what you want to happen.
• Gather documents. Your policy or loan contract, the buyer’s order, add-on contracts, letters, emails, receipts and photos.
• Keep copies of everything you send and note the date.

Where do insurance complaints go?

Insurance companies and agents are regulated by the state. Your state insurance department handles complaints about claims handling, cancellations and non-renewals, premiums and agent conduct. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners keeps a directory of every state insurance department.

Insurance departments can’t do everything. Texas: the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says complaints must be in writing (it has an online complaint portal), and that it can’t decide who was at fault in an accident or determine damage amounts. Its guide lists other options when you disagree with an adjuster’s estimate: asking for an appraisal, which is a process for disputes about the amount of a claim, or going to court; claims under $20,000 can go to Justice Court, the state’s small-claims court. The TDI’s phone line is 800-252-3439. TDI also says that, if you ask, a company must tell you in writing why it turned you down, canceled or didn’t renew your policy.

California: the California Department of Insurance takes complaints online and through its Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357.

Where do auto loan complaints go?

The CFPB accepts complaints about auto loans and other consumer financial products at consumerfinance.gov/complaint, or by phone at (855) 411-2372. The CFPB describes the process:

1. You submit the complaint and get email updates on its status.
2. The CFPB sends it to the company, or to another government agency if that agency is better able to help.
3. The company responds. The CFPB says companies generally respond in 15 days, and some give a final response within 60 days.

The CFPB also notes that you generally can’t submit a second complaint about the same problem, so include the key facts, the documents and the result you want the first time.

State agencies license many lenders too. California: the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) oversees many financial service providers and takes complaints through its Consumer Services Office; its help line for the complaint form is 1-866-275-2677. The DFPI notes that it does not regulate national banks, which are handled by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

What if you were pushed into an add-on?

The CFPB says that if you are turned down for a loan because you refuse to buy optional products such as GAP or an extended warranty, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB, and also to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your state attorney general or state consumer protection office. See dealer add-ons and GAP for how to cancel an add-on you didn’t want.

Where do dealer and scam complaints go?

• The FTC collects fraud and scam reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. It doesn’t resolve individual complaints, but reports help it and other agencies spot patterns.
• Your state attorney general or consumer protection office handles many dealer and sales-practice complaints.
• Unwanted calls about car warranties can be reported at DoNotCall.gov and to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); see warranty scam calls.

What if the problem is on your credit report?

The CFPB says that if your complaint is about inaccurate or incomplete information on a credit report, you are required by law to first dispute it directly with the credit reporting company. See free credit reports before a car loan for how to get your reports.

What should a complaint include?

• Your name and contact details, and the company’s exact name.
• Your policy, claim or loan number (only on the official form, never in an email to a third party).
• A short timeline in your own words: what happened, when, and who you spoke to.
• What you have already done to fix it with the company.
• What you are asking for: a payment, a correction, a refund or an explanation.
• Copies (not originals) of key documents.

What can and can’t an agency do?

Agencies can require a company to respond, look into whether rules were followed and, in some cases, act against a company. They usually can’t act as your lawyer, award damages for you or decide fault in an accident. If money or legal rights are at stake, a consumer attorney or a legal aid office can tell you about deadlines and options. Be wary of anyone who charges an upfront fee to “recover” money for you.

How should you follow up?

Keep the confirmation or case number, save every response, and calendar a date to follow up if you don’t hear back. If the company’s answer doesn’t resolve the problem, most complaint portals let you reply or say you disagree.