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By Miriam Raftery
August 6, 2014 (California) – Consumers have launched an online backlash against Adriana’s Insurance Service after the company delivered five-gallon buckets filled with coins as payment for a $21,000 settlement to an elderly man assaulted by a company employee.
Andres Carrasco, 73, reportedly has a hernia and is unable to lift the coins to get them counted and deposited at his bank. NBC TV in Los Angeles reports that Carrasco asks, “Adriana’s Insurance, is this the way you treat everyone?”
An East County Magazine investigation has found that Carrasco is far from alone in his criticism of this company. Complaints abound on the Internet. Adriana’s Insurance has one-star on Yelp—the lowest possible consumer rating. Recent ratings link to news articles on the company’s treatment of Carrasco, but many older ones also cite a variety of complaints against the company.
The Better Business Bureau has not accredited this company, but does list several California locations for Adriana’s Insurance, some not rated, others with ratings ranging from C to C-.
Numerous consumer complaint sites on the Internet include warnings about Adriana’s using terms such as “rip-off”, “thieves” and “avoid them like the plague.”
East County Magazine spoke with Nancy Kincaid in the California Insurance Commissioner’s office. She told us that “unfortunately, there’s nor regulatory statute” that would allow them to take action against the firm for paying off its settlement debt in coins. But she added, “it’s really disappointing to see that a licensee by state of California would behave so unprofessionally and reprehensibly especially toward a senior citizen.“
Online consumer activists have posted the customer service phone number of Adriana’s Insurance (1-888-344-7058) , for those who wish to voice their views of its service to Carrasco.
Adriana’s reportedly had a van full of the buckets with coins dropped off at Carrasco’s lawyer’s office. Ironically, the company slogan is “circle of trust” , according to its website. The company has declined to return media calls thus far on its actions.
Payment in coins is prohibited by some entities, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prevent vindictive individuals or companies from using such tactics. Businesses are also free to refuse coins as payment, if they choose. But unless a lawsuit settlement specifies the form of payment that is acceptable, payment in coins is considered legal tender—albeit obnoxious when a weighty load is dumped off as payment to a disabled senior citizen.
So what’s to prevent this company or others from staging similar stunts in the future?
One potential solution to protect consumers in the future from vengeful corporations would be for the California Legislature or Congress to enact a law to give all consumers the right to receive payment of legal settlements in checks or money orders, not loose change—and empower the Insurance Commissioner to take action against companies that engage in such harassment of consumers entitled to settlements for corporate wrongdoing.“
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