Insurance company finally looks into woman’s car damage claim after 7 months

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - A freak car accident continues to be a lot of trouble for one Chesterfield County woman.

Carolyn Chambliss says her car literally struck a hole as she pulled up to a gas pump. She then reported the damage right away and says everyone was on the same page about reimbursement, but now she feels she’s getting the runaround.

Liberty Mutual is the insurance provider for the Fast Mart Hull Street Road - where the accident happened. Everyone is being tight-lipped but Carolyn says the insurance agent started talking to her again once NBC12 On Your Side Investigators got involved.

Most people pulling into a service station aren’t looking for a hole.

“When I pulled in, I wasn’t focusing on the ground. I was focusing on trying to find a pump that was clear so I could get some gas,” Chambliss said.

But a hole became the focus of back and forth conversations Carolyn had with Fast Mart - Hull Street Road, and the service station’s insurance provider Liberty Mutual for seven months. She vividly remembers the day it happened and says it scared her when her car hit the hole making a loud boom sound.

Carolyn says she drove into the hole last December and Fast Mart - Hull Street Road called a tow truck to pull her out. She believes someone failed to cover the opening after a gasoline tanker finished refueling an underground tank and left. C

“They left the hole open and didn’t have the cone up to block it so you’d know that there was danger. When I got out and looked at it I said, ‘Oh my.’ My front wheel of the driver side is in a hole. I looked on the side, I saw the cone laid down. My front tire was in a hole,” Chambliss said.

Documented damage to her 2018 Nissan Sentra was $389, which Carolyn paid to have her car repaired but now says she’s in the hole for it because Liberty Mutual - the company where customers “only pay for what they need” - has yet to pay her.

“I think I’ve waited long enough. That’s my savings account and I need that money back in my savings account,” Chambliss said.

Carolyn says the insurance agent has been telling her since she filed that he’s waiting on approval, then later blamed COVID-19 for delays.

“He said one of the offices was closed. I’m sure they have more than one office that you can deal with. He said ‘I’m waiting for approval.’ I called three times and he did not answer my calls.”

NBC12′s Diane Walker called that same agent who said he couldn’t talk and hung up. Then I emailed above his head and received an email from Liberty Mutual which says in part:

“Thanks for bringing this to our attention”...We don’t publicly discuss the details of our customers’ claims; but we’ll have someone look into this today and contact her directly to discuss her concerns.”

Carolyn says she just wants reimbursement.

“I would like to be reimbursed for the damages that my car took when I went to that service station. I would like to be reimbursed,” Chambliss said.

Carolyn said that the agent who stopped taking her calls did call her Tuesday, and said he’s sending a form she has to sign by certified mail.

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