BP Delays Claim; Can’t Find Escambia County’s Phone Number

July 1, 2010

An Escambia County claim for reimbursement from BP has not been paid because a claims representative says the company does not have a phone number for the county.

BP has hired the outside contractor ESIS to handle oil spill related claims.

“To date, we have not been able to contact you regarding your claim as we do not have a working phone number to reach you,” stated the letter from Harold Windham of the BP Claims Processing Center in Hammond, Louisiana.

Escambia officials have stated that all correspondence from the county to BP is on county letterhead which includes a phone number.

Pictured below: The BP claims letter to Escambia County, click to enlarge.

Comments

10 Responses to “BP Delays Claim; Can’t Find Escambia County’s Phone Number”

  1. David Huie Green on July 3rd, 2010 3:16 pm

    REGARDING:
    AL on July 1st, 2010 11:57 pm
    “Bob – are you the “good ol’ boy” they hired for PR?”

    I’ve noticed there a lot of people out there in cyberspace who think any attempt at balance but be done by hired public relations types.

    I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if the “no phone number” ploy was intentional, especially not if they sent it out to nearly everybody despite having letterhead giving the information. Even so, there’s always the possibility they don’t hire geniuses to do these jobs and you may have to spell out everything for some of them. Not likely, but possible.

    It’s also possible the third party does it as a standard practice but that BP officials were not aware of the fact. This is quite likely. They DO have a lot going on.

    Bob is also correct that this will wind up costing us. It’s like taxing corporations, it looks good because people don’t have to pay the taxes but corporations are organizations of people and ultimately the cost of doing business is always passed down to the consumer or the business goes out of business. (This doesn’t mean everybody goes out of business, but all do if they don’t make a profit eventually.)

    Does anybody really think BP wanted the bad publicity? either from the spill or from this ridiculous letter of no phone number? What do they stand to gain?

    David wondering at those who see secret PR guys under every rock

  2. Joe on July 2nd, 2010 12:39 pm

    everyone I know that has sent a claim to BP has recieved this letter. In the business world it is a ploy to delay the payment process. hold up the claims process if you will. I have seen it hundreds of times while working in the Federal sector. everyday people do the same thing with bill collectors. you send in your payment but do not sign the check. they attempt to process it and it comes back. you can avoid late fees and such doing this and buy some time with the issue. I know this from experience as I have had folks pay bills with unsigned checks. it seems like an honest mistake at first, until you see multiple folks do it and they do it over and over…

  3. huh on July 2nd, 2010 10:37 am

    I’m sure they randomly send this out to everyone, as a way for you to not get this letter or respond in time so they can close the case. Its not much different from how many other businesses work. Anyone that is to give you any benefits , treat people like dirt

    Although I can’t imagine they are any worse than the unemployment office

  4. AL on July 1st, 2010 11:57 pm

    Bob – are you the “good ol’ boy” they hired for PR?

    BP is forefront in the news because it is effecting every single facet of our lives here on the coast. Job lost due to fishing closures, empty restaurant and hotels…. dead / dying wildlife washing up along the shores… health advisories for residents… and deadhead excuses for not paying the county the millions owed to our reserves (the county had to go into reserves since BP was slow paying in the first place). When the county jacks up taxes to pay themselves back, please don’t be the first one here complaining.

  5. Tammie on July 1st, 2010 7:00 pm

    Maybe they didn’t dial a 1.

  6. Jim on July 1st, 2010 5:20 pm

    This guy must not know how to spell google, or white pages and so on. Normally you can put the address in google and it will but it will give the phone number or link to get the number. And most of the time you can get directions to the location if needed. Duh! So much for all the bright help huh.

  7. Floating? on July 1st, 2010 4:58 pm

    Isn’t floating illegal in the financial world? I guess BP has proven they can “FLOAT” more than just a HUGE AMOUNT OF OIL too.

    They are probably trying to keep a handle on all their bills / payments. It must be so difficult for BP… yep!

  8. Bob on July 1st, 2010 2:07 pm

    Everywhere you look and every newspaper you read, it’s BP this and BP that. Do not people have something else to do besides demonstrate and manipulate to try and get money from these people. Everyone must realize they have spent untold millions trying desperately to try and pay legitimate claims. The end result will be not a bankrupt BP by a long shot. Everyone that buys any product derived from crude oil will eventually foot the bill for this fiasco.

  9. Wendy on July 1st, 2010 10:20 am

    I don’t know the phone number for Gulf Power, but that doesn’t let me off the hook for sending them a check. I think BP should owe the county a late fee for this. 

  10. psu1earl on July 1st, 2010 8:54 am

    From what I have heard, the SRIA has recieved the same form letter.