Complaint Review: U-haul International and Republican Western Insurance Company - Phoenix AZ.

: I was involved in a auto accident on Oct. 13, 2001 where a young lady hit me in the rear of my Suburban with a company owned U-haul truck. This young lady was sited at fault, but disclosed to the police that the brakes went out on the U-haul truck. Come to find out through my insurance company that Republican Western, U-hauls own self insured insurance company agreed with the brakes going out on the truck.

: U-haul's insurance company has not be cooperative in handling this matter at all, in fact I can't even get them to reimburse me for anything! No out of pocket expenses I have incurred, addl. car repairs etc. As of 1/18/2002 U-hauls Insurance company as denied my claim period. Reason the young lady driving the truck did not purchase the addl. insurance coverage where U-haul makes so much of there profit!!! It should be irrevelent

regardles if she purchased the addl. insurance U-haul should still be required to pay for my vehicle and then she would be responcible for the $5000.00 damage to the rental truck.

: Well the accident to put it bluntly has made my life a living hell. I have a Suburban with body and frame damage. This vehicle will never be the same. Yes my insurance company paid only a portion of the total bill. But not the $500.00 deductable, addl. $423.00 for electrical work, car rental, lost time from job etc. The truck was down and not running for over 2 months due to elecrical problems associated with the accident. Still having problems with my truck even today.

: The greatest problem that I have with U-haul, is the fact they knowingly rent many unsafe vehicles on the road and they know it. They offer false security when you purchase there addl. insurance coverage through Repulican Western. There maintenance is absolutely horrible on there trucks. Quite frankly I believe the company cuts cost, they turn there heads the other way and they act out of pure negligence in normal routine maintenance of there trucks. Another point I will make is that they have more independent dealers than company dealers, they will set anyone up as a dealer many having no experience in renting or maintaining a vehicle. There are webb pages full of disgrunted customers who experience breakdowns and complain that the trucks are unsafe. Take a overloaded truck with defects or poor maintenance on our roads and hwys. and you have real problems (deathtraps). Where is the D.O.T. in all of this, has U-haul and the other companies bought them off? I have also written a complaint to the Florida States Atty. Generals Office and the Office of Consumer Affairs to address this issue hoping for some kind of investigation. As of 1/29/2002 I have not heard from these agencies either. Makes me wonder why I pay taxes thats a topic all in within it's self.

: I sincerily hope that you the consumer think twice before you rent a truck from U-haul or do busines with this company. And if you ever get hit by one then all I can say is be prepared to take them to court but in my case theres not a lawyer out there to represent me why because I wasn't killed!

Michael Murphey

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