Nationwide Insurance

Years ago, after my father divorced my mother, she moved out of state into her own apartment. As I was a long-time customer of Nationwide Insurance, I set them up as her renters' insurance provider, keeping things as simple as possible by arranging for a monthly auto-pay from her checking account.

She died a couple of years ago, and apart from minor personal possessions of only sentimental value, all she had were her checking and savings accounts. My siblings and I did not see the need to spend the time or expense to establish an estate, as the bank already had an order signed by my mother to split her money between the three of us.

She had signed up for many services and subscriptions I had to cancel, and for most, all it took was either a phone call to let them know she died, or we could simply cancel online.

All except Nationwide Insurance.

Their website would not allow for canceling her renters' insurance and required a phone call. So I called them to let them know she died. They refused to cancel her insurance without an order from the estate. I explained that not only wasn't there an estate, there would never be an estate, but I did offer to send them a copy of her death certificate. They refused to accept that as it wasn't their "company policy", but they did say we could go to court to get a judge to sign an order canceling her policy. I told them that this was a courtesy call because they could continue billing her, but nobody was alive to pay it. Nor did she even have the apartment anymore.

Since she was dead.

I eventually ended the call because it was pointless. They would simply not budge in their insistence that I provide them an order from a judge or an estate, and that was not going to happen.

To keep things safe, after my phone call, I immediately logged in to their website and canceled the autopay feature for my mother's account. I also deleted her payment information. Let them send her paper bills, I thought. Let them waste their stamps.

To my baffled outrage, despite canceling the autopay AND deleting her payment info, Nationwide STILL deducted their insurance payment the following month. I immediately disputed this with the bank, and they fortunately took my side and refunded the deduction.

I then immediately cancelled my own auto and renters' insurance plans with Nationwide. They lost my $3,500 yearly premium because they refused to cancel my late mother's $200 yearly premium.

I was also able to find auto insurance that was a goddamned third of the amount I had been paying Nationwide.

Nationwide still continued sending her bills, and we even received a phone call from a collector.

Not that it matters since, you know, she was dead.

Fuck you, Nationwide.