Rockingham Farm Bureau Association, Inc.

Review: I purchased insurance from this company in July 2015. Kept payments up and renewed the policy in Jan 2016 to July 2016. I received a letter from them at the end of May 2016 stating I had to pay them $40 for a membership fee. Which I don't recall having to do when I first started my policy. This membership fee was due June 1, 2016. I called them up and asked what this membership fee was all about and if I had to have it. I was told that it gave me some discounts at various places for which I still don't know anything about. They said I have to pay it to keep their insurance, so I scraped up the money to pay the $40 extra by June 1, 2016. Now I really didn't want this membership but had to have the auto insurance, so I paid it. On June 13, 2016 they sent me a letter stating they was not gonna renew my insurance as of July 2016. Now I paid this $40 on the presumption that my insurance policy will be renewed in July, if I knew different I would not have paid for services I did not want or need. Now as of today I purchased another policy from another company and called Farm Bureau up cancelling my policy with them and asked for a refund of my pro-rated amount and my $40 membership fee for which I feel I was forced to pay to keep their insurance, for which they had no desire of keeping me as a customer. They told me that the membership fee was non-refundable, which I disagree on. I feel that they made me feel that I had to pay this fee(which is what they said) to have their insurance which they wasn't going to honor by renewing my policy. Now it's odd that when I first purchased insurance from them in July 2015 I knew nothing about this membership. And I get a payment notice in end of May 2016 which is 10 months after my first initial purchase. Now if I purchased this so-called membership with my initial insurance policy in July 2015, Why didn't I get the notice for the membership in July 2016, not 2 months earlier. Actually all in all I feel that they forced me into this purchase with the presumption of renewing my policy, because I didn't want or need it. Because it.s only good for their insurance members.Desired Settlement: I would like my pro-rated refund of my policy since I cancelled on June, 14 2016 and the refund of my $40 membership fee which I feel they forced me to pay it

Business

Response:

Per our conversation today, the Rockingham County Board of Directors will be voting to refund Mr. [redacted]’s $40.00 membership next Thursday evening 7/21. We will be in touch on Friday with the decision.Respectfully, [redacted], CLU, LUTCAgent VirginiaFarmBureau.com

Business

Response:

the Rockingham County Board of Directors voted to refund the $40.00 membership fee for Mr. [redacted] Mr. [redacted] should be receiving his refund check later this week.Sincerely,[redacted]Member Service SpecialistRockingham County Farm Bureau

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. Have received the refund and consider this resolved.

Regards,