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This website is dedicated to empowering consumers with insurance claims against “low quality insurers” . It began with help from UClaim.com, a “do-it-yourself” insurance claim advice eBook website.
This website will help with auto, home, marine and business claims for losses by and including fire, water, wind, flood, theft, total loss and denied claims. This website aims to help consumers with existing claims as well as “preventative maintenance” – avoiding “low quality insurers” before you have a claim. Click on “Rate Your Adjuster!” and comment on your adjuster, insurer, contractor body shop, etc.
Our contributors give you their best insurance claim advice. Posts and website content are from the viewpoint of insurance claim advocates for the policy holder, not the insurer .
InsuranceClaimHelp.org was born out of frustration with “low quality insurers”, who like many big businesses today, have been allowed to do whatever they please, much like many large corporations in the early 1900’s that spawned antitrust laws and the formation of labor unions. Unfair claim practices laws mean nothing to low quality insurers, who routinely violate those laws and dare anyone to do anything about it.
Don’t count on the Media or the Government to solve this problem. The media and the government are controlled by big money. You are not going to hear in your local newspaper that European Smart Cars are getting 70 MPG (American Smart Cars only get 33 mpg!) when your local car dealer is buying full page ads to sell his gas guzzlers. Insurers don’t spend ad dollars just to get blasted by the media they fund. The answer to the insurance problem is YOU voting with your wallet. See below “YOU are the answer”.
The Problem – The mainstream media is more interested in ratings and advertising revenue than really helping John Doe. Consumer advocate news stories are token window dressing to make it appear that the media really cares. The government just is not doing the job. Legislators will not enact the laws needed because most legislators depend on campaign contributions and other “perks” from the big corporations. Most of our “not so honorable” honorable Judges have ignored the purpose of punitive damages. They won’t even impose a 1% of net profits penalty. And let’s face it, while we may believe that we have the best judicial system in the world, just as we believe America has the best of everything in the world, it just ain’t so. Judges get bribed here and set up with untraceable numbered off-shore bank accounts, just like everywhere else in the world. The insurance regulatory Executive branch of government is mostly staffed by ex insurance company personnel, who truly believe “the insured is the enemy.” For states where the insurance commissioner is elected, occasionally a true consumer advocate gets elected. But their efforts are resisted by their own employees. More typical are insurance industry friendly insurance commissioners who master the art of propaganda – making it appear they punished a 200 billion dollar insurer with a 2 million dollar fine that should have been 200 million dollars, or “going after” an insurer who failed to donate enough money to his election campaign, taking credit for premium reductions, mass publicizing the prosecution of fraud by a little guy body shop or insurance agent (and they should go after fraud by both insurer and insured, but the point here is that they really don’t punish fraud by insurance companies). Local district attorneys are no different. They have no interest in fraud by insurers. But they eagerly go after the little guy. Local district attorneys often get much of their funding from the insurance companies themselves. So why would a district attorney want to bite the hand that feeds it?
This is not to say that there are not any good insurers or corporations out there. Companies like Nationwide Insurance, WallMart and Southwest Airlines are too few. Most of today’s consumers are suckered with slick advertising by insurers like Geico, Progressive and Allstate, and cheated when it comes time to pay a big claim. Note- to those of you who say “oh, my company paid my claim fairly and right away”, I say most of you are talking about repairs to a vehicle. It’s pretty hard for an insurer to screw an insured on a vehicle repair when all you have to do is open your eyes and see if the paint does not match or the panel is not straight.
YOU are the Answer – The best way to punish or change a “Bad Boy” insurer is to take away their business, or, put them out of business. How do YOU do this? By giving your business to the “Good Boy” insurers. How do you find out who are the good boys and the bad boys? Currently, the best claims rating website of insurers and their vendors is on this website. It was donated by one of our contributors, Ron Cercone at www.uclaim.com. These ratings are by insurance consumers and their representatives who have had insurance claims. They are not insurers conducting their own surveys. They are not ratings by “A.M. Best”, which rates insurers on financial strength, for example “AAA+”. Beware insurers with advertisements like “we have a 95% customer satisfaction rating”. They are just rating themselves. Beware insurers who boast a high A.M. Best rating, which is not relevant for 99.9% of consumers. The consumer rating system here is not just insurance company ratings . It gives ratings of the insurer’s own employees and vendors. You can see ratings on their adjusters, body shops, contractors and even their lawyers. If you don’t like the adjuster assigned to you, ask for the one with the good rating, and punish the Bad Boy adjuster with a bad rating. This is how YOU, THE PEOPLE take back America from those corporate bad boys drinking their Marguerita on a Caribbean beach with your money .
August 25th, 2008 at 12:54 am #Ben
Thanks. Good news. I’ll become your regular visitor.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:29 pm #admin
Thanks Ben
October 11th, 2008 at 2:11 pm #Jolie
Hello,
Does anyone know about State Farm’s Texas mobile homeowners policies? They are written through their general Ins co. I am looking for the meaning of the following endorsement codes; FGP-4926, FGE-4886, FP-4978, FE-4669, FE4564 and FE-4706. Anyone with any information would be helpful! Thank you!
Jolie
October 16th, 2008 at 5:07 pm #admin
Hello Jolie,
If you don’t want to ask your agent for those endorsements (for whatever reason), try calling a SF agent/s in another town/s in Texas. You don’t have to give your policy number or full name, just tell them you are not happy with your current agent and are looking for another agent. Who knows, maybe they will even fax or mail you a copy of the actual endorsements. You may have to call several agents before you find one hungry enough to help you.
If your agent refused to give you copies of the endorsements and you don’t care whether he likes you are not, call the SF home office in Bloomington, Illinois and ask them. I’m sure they will want your policy number to confirm you are their policy holder first. You can even ask for a complete certified copy of the policy be mailed to you.
If you have an open claim, ask the adjuster for copies of those endorsements. If he refuses or refers you back to the agent, ask for the claim manager. If he refuses, then go straight to the SF CEO in Bloomington.
Also, try asking the other mobile homeowners who they are insured with. If its in a mobile home park, I’m sure there will be others in the neighborhood insured with SF. Ask to see their policies.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:46 pm #David L.
Great website, something that is surely needed to deal with the ever growing greed of big insurers. One topic worth mentioning to the sites visitors seeking assistance, is the Public Adjuster. In my opinion, this profession is the single best weapon the consumer can use. Just make sure you find a reputable one.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:12 am #admin
Welcome David,
I agree completely. There is some free advice on how to get a good public adjuster and how to retain one without risking losing part of your settlement offer to the public adjuster’s fee (if he fails to increase the settlement) at http://www.uclaim.com/aboutadj.asp .
March 16th, 2009 at 11:43 am #Joe C
I have lived in my home and paid my insurance for 12 years. I recently had someone come to the door offering free roof inspection. They said I had hail damage and should file a claim. My insurance claim representative came by and assessed.After meeting with his manager, they decided that the roof should be totalled but rather than paying in full for the roof replacement they are offering a cash settlement due to depreciation. They indicated that the damaged occurred in August 2004 and the cash settlement would represent a reduced amount that is substantially less than the full coverage. What are my options?
By the way, my insurance company is State Farm.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:31 pm #admin
Hello Joe,
Try to get them to issue the money without your signing any release. Once you have the money, then you have nothing to lose if you get “under their skin”. If they make the payment without writing something like “your claim is not covered because it was not reported on time, but this money is paid as a compromise or a courtesy” then go for the full cost of replacing your roof (if you have replacement cost coverage).
If indeed the damage was in 2004, then you are lucky they are even covering your claim and paying anything. Most policies give 12 months to turn in the claim from the accident date. And most states override that by giving 3 or 4 years to sue your insurer for property damage. Check with a local attorney what the “statute of limitations” is to sue for property damage. They should not charge for a simple question like that.
Also find out if the “date of loss” in your state is the actual date of the physical damage, or when you discovered the damage (the idea being that you have no loss until you become aware of a loss). That is a question that most adjusters and even attorneys will not know the answer to. You could pay an attorney for 1 hour to research the answer.
If you can spare the time and “give back” a little something to this website, make a rating on State Farm and or their adjuster on the Consumer Ratings page of this website. You could also do a rating on the contractor who alerted you to your roof.
May 14th, 2009 at 5:13 pm #chris
HI We had a House fire on March 13, 2008 on brand new property. The fire started in the garage went into the roof and we lost half the house and 3 cars any everything in the garage. We were completly hounded by public claims adjusters even while the fire was still burning. We signed with one and that has been a night mare. They have been worthless there only concern is to get there 15%. The items that were saved need to be cleaned before they go back into the house. We had to contact Departmetn of Insurance for the State of California to get beds cleaned. Right now my sons mattresses havent been cleaned. Do you know of stories of public claims adjuster that have really help consumers? We havent been payed yet for the contents and the builders has place a len on property for the extras that werent on the scope by the insurance company. We had to get a attorney
May 15th, 2009 at 12:58 am #admin
Hello Chris,
If your story is even half true, then it makes my stomach turn. I feel shame for the PA profession in California.
We all know there’s good and bad in every profession. Unfortunately there are more bad PAs in California because the biggest player years ago thought he could wipe out the competition by forcing the “solicitors” to become licensed as public adjusters. Well, it backfired, because now you have people with PA licenses whose experience “working for insurance companies” consisted of sucking water out of carpets from toilet overflows. (And in fairness to the PA profession, there are excellant PAs who have never worked as insurance company employees, but they are few.)
Now if you want to know how to hire a competent public adjuster (or any professional for that matter), go to the “Free Stuff” page at UClaim.com http://www.uclaim.com and click on the line entitled “About Public Adjusters”. Scroll half way down to the yellow highlighted part and read those two paragraphs.
And if you and your lawyer want to know specifically if your PA followed reasonable PA procedures, get the PA’s “Bible” entitled “HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE CLAIM ADVICE AND HELP – ALL ASPECTS (deluxe)” at UClaim.com, top of the Product page. It was written in layman’s terms, for the common man. It will teach you how to pick up the pieces and do a better job than the guy you hired.
Good luck to you.
If the PA you hired was at your house as it burned of after hours, you may have a legal way out of the contract. Also, go to section 15006 of the California insurance code for a list of illegal PA practices. Go to Findlaw.com to access the codes for free.
May 17th, 2009 at 8:12 pm #david
Hey Chris, the best website to find a good PA is http://www.napia.com. It is the self governing organization for PA’s. They mandate continuing education and heavily scrutinize new and existing members to ensure they conduct themselves in a professional manner. Just my two cents. Good luck.
May 18th, 2009 at 1:38 am #admin
David,
Great advice and thanks for your “two cents”, which is most welcome here!
I might add for the visitors here that if one is looking at the Napia website for a PA, give preference to the ones with the designation “SPPA”, which means that PA has passed a number of college level type classes and exams in claim adjusting. While this is no “guarantee” that they will do a good job, it raises the odds that they will. And don’t necessarily rule out non SPPA members, or non Napia PAs. You have to take a good look anyone you are considering contracting with.
October 27th, 2009 at 2:08 pm #Tammy
What is the differenece between a HO3 policy and a DP3 Policy? Can I buy a DP3 policy if I live in the house?
October 27th, 2009 at 4:44 pm #admin
Tammy,
Both are RCV and all risk with named exclusions on structure, and ACV and “named perils” with named exclusions on contents. DP3 is usually purchased by landlords and HO3 by homeowners. HO3 includes liability coverage, DP3 does not have to have liability? HO3 has more bells and whistles, fufu stuff.
How about some of you visitors elaborate more for Tammy …
January 12th, 2010 at 3:20 am #admin
Attention Visitors who regularly monitor this website via RSS feeds or other methods. Due to the burden of increasing visitors with questions, your help is needed. Questions will be posted, but Admin responses may now either be delayed, or even not given at all. Your involvement in the Discussion Forum page of this website is also crucial to its success or failure. Thank you.
January 19th, 2010 at 7:27 pm #Susan B
My Mercedes SLK was flooded on 12/17/09. It’s three years old and is still under manu warranty. I had it towed to the dealer. State Farm has been quite uncoopeartive and today decided to basically clean up the car and see what happens. It’s been sitting at the dealer for one month, wet. The value of the car is 25K and Mercedes estimates it has roughll 22K in damages. What are my rights in Florida? The warranty is going to be voided and the resale value will be minimal if CarFacts shows it as a flood car. Can I go against State Farm for the excessive depreciation since they wouldn’t fix it to certified pre owned status? Help….
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:16 am #anthony kushner
last year I was in an axcident and my ins. fixed the car and when I got it back I noticed that it was leaking coolent and it was overheating ..I brought it back right away and they fixed the prob. almost a year down the road my cars engine finally broke..and the damage was a cracked block.. this is from it overheating and how do I get the claim to take care of the cost.??
April 4th, 2010 at 10:07 pm #admin
Anthony,
1. You have to prove that it cracked due to some negligence in the repairs by the original shop.
2. If the shop was one you chose (instead of one chosen by your insurer) then you can’t get your insurer to pay for that shops screw up.
July 1st, 2010 at 3:17 pm #Lillith
My relative in Pennsylvania moved to another state, their house burnt down (was for sale) The insurance company is not paying saying they suspect arson and their family is under state police investigation. They had already moved to another state and no one was home at the time of the fire. Is this a tactic that the insurance company uses not to pay. They are presumed guilty and being withheld from their payment. Financially this has become a burden for them as they are still responsible for the mortage. Who can help this family?? The insurance agent will not return their calls.
July 1st, 2010 at 6:06 pm #admin
Lillith,
Suggest you start with the eBook on denied claims at UClaim.com. And consider an attorney and or public adjuster on contingency fee.
July 10th, 2010 at 4:04 pm #Crystal
I had a house fire 2 months ago my items have not been cleaned and or restored! Can anyone tell me is restoring those items from smoke and soot damage the way to go? Also I was told by another source that after restoring electronics, this shorten there life span is that true?
July 12th, 2010 at 11:15 am #admin
Crystal,
1. Withdraw your authorization to clean the smoked up items and let the adjuster give the authorization, so if the stuff does not clean up, then it won’t come off your policy limits.
2. Regarding the electronics, get it in writing from from an electronics repair shop and submit to to your insurer.
3. And get the eBook at UClaim.com on “Contents Packed Out Advice” for in depth details.
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:00 pm #Lesley
My house was broken into a couple of days ago and the thieves took, among other things, a lock box I used to store all my family’s personal paperwork such as passports, social security cards, adoption paperwork, green card, naturalization certificate, birth certificate, etc. I have applied for a new birth cert for my daughter (born in NJ) which cost me $35, but then discovered that to re-create the dossier for myself (born in the UK) and my adopted son (born in Russia) will cost over $1000 plus the cost to get my passports reissued.
Can I claim these fees against my home owners policy or will they only cover the cost of items stolen?
August 17th, 2010 at 6:48 pm #admin
Leslie,
Look in your policy under Coverage C, Special Limits. Most policies will cover cost of reproduction up to a certain amount. The ISO HO3 10-00 Special Form gives up to $1,500.00. And also any cost over that can be used to “pay down” the deductible. On the other hand, it may not be a good idea to use your insurance on such a small claim.
September 9th, 2010 at 11:04 am #sharon
I had replacement cost on my roof when I bought my house in Jan 2001, I had a claim in 2003 and they paid full replacement cost, then hail damage to roof in 2009, which they depreciated by quite a lot, State Farm agents office said I only had actual cost value, I called and was told it changed in 2003 after my claim, I said I didn’t change it, only thing I changed was the deductible from 500 to 1000 (because my policy jumped almost 350 dollard within 2 years), Leslie said the change in deductible would take it down (which I never saw), anyway, now they won’t even give me the $327.00 supplemental offered if I had roof replaced (which I did), Leslie said the $327.00 was for the gutter only, why would they offer $327.00 supplemental on the one item they gave me so little for, I think they gave me 700.00 of gutter. I feel like I’ve been advantage of and lied to, I have had State Farm for about 20 years all total (both auto & home), but if this is the way they treat their customers, I will look else where.
Can you tell me who to contact to file complaint in Oklahoma?
Thank-you
September 21st, 2010 at 4:43 pm #KT
Rather than read every posting, I’m just going to submit my troubles. I have renter’s insurance through State Farm. My apt (along with a few others) burned down completely in Dec. I have 3 more months to finish my lists, which yes, I have been procrastinating on. I have so many questions and it’s almost impossible to get ahold of my claims rep.
For starters, I have bought back quite a bit of clothing but I was told I have to “group” things. I don’t buy 20 of the same shirt, so…what am I supposed to do there?? Second, what happens if something I have claimed has gone down in price? Do I have to pay them back or can I buy a newer model??
I’m sure I’ve got more to ask, but this is a start. Thank you!
September 21st, 2010 at 10:18 pm #admin
KT,
You might want to post on the Home Insurance Claims Questions page. Also if you have a lot of questions, take a look at the Table of Contents of the Homeowners Loss eBook at UClaim.com.
October 9th, 2010 at 12:16 pm #Dan Stone
Dear Admin:
Please remove the below posting I posted over a week ago. Also, please remove my email address from displaying with that post. I am getting emails from unknown sources soliciting my acceptance of advertisement offers. hank you very much.
Dan Stone
Post: Home insurance claim for roof damage filed 13 months after hail storm.
October 18th, 2010 at 7:17 am #admin
Dan,
Ok, its done. Sorry for the delay. There was a problem with the editing software for the Discussion Forum.
FYI, here is a copy paste of the question you posted. You are welcome to re-register and re-post it on the Discussion Forum:
“My daughter, who lives in Colorado, recently filed a claim for roof damage by a hail storm that occurred approximately 13 months ago. The insurance company sent an adjuster out and estimated the overall damage at $7,000 (i.e. roof replacement with no depreciation). However, they only sent her a check for about $3,500 since she filed her claim more than 12 months after the damage occurred and they will NOT reimburse her the remaining $3,500 regardless of the repair action she undertakes. In other words, had she filed her claim within 12 months, she would have received the full $7,000 (less her $500 deductible of course). What is the statue of limitations for home insurance claims in Colorado? What options does she have to recover the full $7,000? “
November 6th, 2010 at 9:26 am #sean jenkins
Hi my girlfriend has been in the hospital 3 times within the past 8 months. Her father has had some trouble with his job lately so luckily all three of these incidents were with three different insurance companies. The first two were claimed but the last was not. The last hospital episode was very expensive and we want to know if there is any way to get help for it in order to lower the cost. I really appreciate it. Thank you for your time.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:13 pm #Jane
I am a Californian making payments on my car and currently have full coverage car insurance.
About a week ago, I was driving my car on the freeway. It had been raining earlier that morning. A car beside me switched lanes in front of me suddenly. (She did not hit my car and kept going unaware that she’d almost hit me.) but she caused me to loose control, my car hydroplaned spun out and hit the center divder on the freeway. No other cars hit me.
My car has damage to the tire, rim and the right rear of my car from the back door to the bumper has scrathes and damage.
I did not file a claim at first because the cost of my insurance is already $108 (because of a ticket) and I did not want it tod go up.
But after paying to replace the tire, the rim and some other issues with the axile for $606….and the tow service which was $125; I’d like to know if any one has an idea of which would be more beneficial.
Should I pay the $1000 deductible and have my car fixed through the insurance company, even though my monthly payments will increase?
Or should I just continue the repairs out of pocket?
December 15th, 2010 at 9:22 pm #Angel
Was insured with liability coverage thru Omni Insurance company at the time of an accident. I went to my boyfriends house and hit the back of a girls car parked in the lot. I paid her deductible for her insurance company to cover expenses and gave her my insurance information. My insurance comany denied the claim and now her insurance company hired CRs collections and they have been calling me threatening if I dont pay the entire 5300 in damages that my lisense will be taken away or worse. Can i send the letter of validation of debt to buy some time with what I owe and than report my insurance company to the state insurance commisioner to possibly appeal the denial?
Thanks for your help, its ten days until Christmas and I do not have the funds and need to know my rights
January 12th, 2011 at 9:10 am #Linda
Can anyone help? A tree fell on y house 6 years ago. I still have not got payment from my insurance company. Have a lawyer ,though that didn’t help. Insurance dropped us after we paid premiums for 1 year after tree fell. Had this insurance company for 36 years. Insurance says they will only pay for storage of household property for 1 month. Been 6 years now in July 2011. House had more damages than house was worth, I had replacement cost. Husband died in 2009 Feb, 10 and house burned 2009 feb 6. Knew that house would probably burn eventially. Oh yeah, we had to live in this house because they didn’t offer living expenses. What can I do if anything? Really need that storage fee amount. Oh yeah, my lawyer tells me after six years, he is running for judge and can not finish this case.Help I don’t know what to do Linda
January 13th, 2011 at 8:20 am #Kyle
Linda,
What State do you live in? Most states will have a statute of limitations for an insured to pursue additional payments or file a lawsuit against an insurance company.
I would recommend finding a local Public Adjuster to review your case to see if you have any leg to stand on at this point. Each state is different and every claim needs to be adjusted on its own merit.
Kyle
January 13th, 2011 at 8:40 pm #Ners
Hi, I just need some help to give me good idea’s what should I do in my situation. I lived in my house for 11 years now with the same insurance for all this time without any claim.
I went vacation last December with my family for 6 weeks, when we come back I found out my house with a big flood and someone get in to stole some of my stuff. I reported these things to the police and contacted my Insurance.
It was a big damage, we found out that the water came from the second floor because the pipe made of plastic was broke under the sink. Started from the 2nd floor until the 1st floor was destroyed the stairs, some ceiling destroyed as well. The most damage was our finished basement. All ceiling was fell down, door destroyed,rooms and bathroom. waters everywhere its completey destroyed the whole basement.
Adjuster came to visit and investigate. He asked some paper works and bring with him the pipe we took from the sink. For few days he come to the house. He said he has a company do this repair etc. and he suggest that we had to moved for few months and insurance will pay for all the cost. After we told him we will stay and had a company contacted he change. 2 days after he called us, he said the company don’t cover nothing, its our fault coz we dont turned on the heater when we left, and policy dont covered.
What we supposed to do now….pl. help us…
thank you..
January 14th, 2011 at 7:50 am #Kyle
Ners,
I hate to hear stories such as yours. When significant damage is sustained to an insured property and the insurance company denies the claim. Unfortunately, these stories are extremely common.
From what you wrote, I am assuming the insurance company denied your loss as you failed to maintain heat in the dwelling and the upstairs pipe froze. Your policy covers resulting damage from frozen pipes however only if you can prove you maintained heat in the dwelling to prevent freezing of the water lines. You can prove the heat was maintained by providing gas utility statements indicating the usage per month. If they denied your claim without reviewing this information, it is a premature denial and unfair to say the least.
As I suggested before to Linda, finding a local public adjuster will help you re-open your file, properly document all of the aspects and reach the settlement you are entitled to.
Also, when the adjuster suggests he has a contractor that will do the work – BEWARE!! First and foremost, an adjuster or insurance company can not have any financial interest in the repairs or reconstruction to the home as this represents a conflict of interest. Many times insurance companies have “preferred contractors or vendors” and will hire them to provide a cost of repair from a contractors standpoint, and mean while this ‘preferred contractor’ will attempt to enter into a contract with you, the homeowner to complete the repairs. This contract has direct payment authorizations where the contractor sent by the insurance company will be included on YOUR settlement check, leaving you with little to no control as to how the money is disbursed to repair YOUR home. So needless to say, stay away from any contractors sent by the insurance company.
Hope this helps!
Kyle
January 21st, 2011 at 12:06 pm #Jack
There is a work book “Homeowners Insurance before and after the Loss” which is great, but I don’t know where you can get it.
February 23rd, 2011 at 9:26 am #Jeff
Hi ,
My car was hit and totaled 6 weeks ago in my yard along with property damage. The woman did not report it to her insurance agent so I did. She still did not call until two weeks later. Now the company says its investigating the loss. She was charged by state police. Here I am six weeks later with a totaled car in my yard a 1000.00 rental car bill and no payment . Any suggestions.
Thank you
Jeff
March 1st, 2011 at 7:06 am #Earl
I have a problem with central air and heating unit in my 1930 frame house causing the floors to be the condensation point and causing the floors to rot.Please advise
March 15th, 2011 at 10:21 pm #DeAngelo
Can I now put in a claim for Vandalism. since they won’t cover the theft?
I was told by American ACCESS that my claim was denied due to no evidence of forcible entry. That no claim will be covered loss is due to theft if evidence exists that no forcible entry was used to gain access to the vehicle, or that the keys were left in the vehicle while unattended or no evidence that ignition wires were altered to operate the automobile without keys. From the time i reported my car stolen it has been in the possession of the thief, then the police, then the pound, and now American access. They state that no forcible entry was used to gain access to the vehicle.
ALL OF MY WINDOWS ARE BUSTED OUT!! Including front windshield, and rear windshield How much evidence of forcible entry to gain access do they need present?
American Access states that the ignition has to be tampered with.
(My ignition is no longer housed where it should be it is pushed in to the dash).
American Access states that wires were not tampered with. THE RF RING that IS PART OF THE IGNITION THAT READS THE KEY TRANSPONDER WAS REMOVED FROM ITS PLACE ON THE IGNITION and is missing So I say that’s being tampered with!!
I am so frustrated we as consumers are forced to pay for insurance by law but it’s funny how when we come to collect on what we pay for the insurer won’t pay. So why are we forced to. Then we get all of these legal wording that a normal person won’t understand and god help you if English is your second language.
Oh and also They claim they hired a third party company to investigate and inspect the ignition
By reading my policy it states that forcible entry has to be present if a thief to gain access to my car.
My busted windows are proof of that.
I also understand that the ignition and wiring has to be tampered with.
My ignition and RF ring where moved from its mounting housing and maybe broken.
My radio is missing; there is damage to both left side doors and fender and mirrors they did not mysteriously get there on its own.
But that’s not enough for them.
Someone could have copied the key , got a key fob made or towed my car in my policy it does not say if these things happened coverage will be denied
And the department of insurance is a joke no help from them either
March 16th, 2011 at 12:21 pm #Gary
I had a house fire in October 2010. The house burned to the ground and I fought Farmers Insurance (Midcentury) for 5 months, they never paid me or even offered me a dime. The stress became so bad it was affecting my health, personal life, my work, everything for 5 months. I finally just withdrew the claim of $48000 in contents to just clear my head. My thought was I can replace what was lost, but not my health. Once I withdrew the claim, I immediately starting feeling better.
My question pertains to the structure. I have continued to pay the house payment promptly through all this, but now after 5 months, it is time for Farmers Insurance to come through, and they still have not. Per my policy, they are supposed to replace the property or pay it off. Can you elaborate on this, and tell me what my next move is. Thank you.
April 7th, 2011 at 5:41 pm #Polly Ann
If I have homeowners insurance and there is a fire will my girlfriend of 4 years that lives with me personal property be covered? WI. form HO3
May 17th, 2011 at 10:43 pm #Bill Woods
Question?? We had a big hail storm hit Phoenix on Oct. 5 2010. I’m a general contractor representing a number of commercial property owners that I do a varity of construction for. I was asked by the property owners to file insurance claims for the roof top hail damage (HVAC units & roofs) on their properties. I’ve completed several negotiations with one particular insurance co. and settled the claims with them matching our numbers for the damage. Our prices for the replacement costs have been more than fair with a couple of different adjusters being very pleased with the pricing. I have one adjuster that is giving me grief. He settled on one property using our proposals and matched our numbers. Then on the next 2 properties he called in 2 other HVAC contractors who underbid us and is now only agreeing to pay what the lowest bid came in at. The insurance co. is the same for all our property owners and have already settled using our quotes on several other properties in the same area. Is there an insurance board or someone to talk to concerning what I feel to be an unfair practice by this one adjuster? The insurance co. has already been paying a set price for new units on all the other buildings. Now we have another contractor underbiding us by $17,000 on the replacement of 19 units. We can’t compete with that pricing and by the way the other contractor is not specing the same brand units we are. Ours have the best warranty in the industry which is a huge plus for the property owners in future maintenance costs. I need help on this one especialy with temps expected to be over a 100 in Phoenix next week and they are still dragging this claim out that was filed back in Feb. of this year.
June 2nd, 2011 at 4:25 pm #Dee Long
Our barn was totally destroyed in a wind storm and the house sustained roof and guttering damage. Adjuster said only half of roof need replaced. We have a qualified roofing contractor coming to give us his opinion. Also the barn was insured for $15,000. It is a total loss. Adjuster is telling us they will cover that but we will only get $750 for cleanup of debris. How is this possible? We have liability insurance and pay $1500 a year for this policy. The barn is huge with wood and steel needing to be hauled off. Can anyone advise? The property is in the State of Missouri.
June 3rd, 2011 at 12:42 pm #admin
Hello Dee,
I’m answering your question myself since your “property is in Missouri” and I want to get a special message to Missourians (and any disaster victims anywhere for that matter). The specific answer to your question will come at the end of this response.
To all DISASTER VICTIMS, while Dee’s situation may not ultimately involve any mishandling of her claim by her insurer, I guarantee you that there will be plenty of unfair claim practices and valuable claims information withheld from all of you. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL TALK RADIO STATIONS and ask them to get good insurance claim experts as guests for question and answer shows. I recently suggested to Larry Boyd, the Market Manager at KZRG Talk Radio in Joplin, Missouri (Office:417-624-1025 Cell:417-825-5260) that he get Ron Cercone of UClaim.com on as a guest, for free. His written response was “we have more guest than we can support with PSA and paid advertisers”. Now I may be wrong, but I would question whether any of the guests Mr. Boyd referred to are insurance claim experts, and if so, of the caliber of Ron Cercone or of the contributors here at InsuranceClaimHelp.org. I also wonder if Mr. Boyd has any idea that the biggest obstacle to rebuilding their community is going to be their “good old good neighbor” insurance company. In my opinion, I think many of the talk radio listeners in disaster areas would give up one hour of Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity for a guest with a little more relevance at the current time.
Specific Answer to your question: Your situation may be a long shot, but here is one way to approach it. Technically, your policy probably has a 5% “debris removal” clause. Check to see if it’s 5% of total structure limits (which includes the house), or 5% of the separate structure coverage of $15,000, the barn. Also, look at the definition, if there is one, of “debris removal” in the “Definitions” section of your policy. And THINK CREATIVELY (as I’m doing right now). Make sure they are not including “demolition” in with the debris removal. And if you have to, argue that the removal should only apply to the trucking charge to the dump. Argue that loading up the truck at the loss site is to access the repairs. Argue that dump “fees” are not debris removal. And the cost to locally move the debris away from the area to be repaired or rebuilt should be considered “removal to access repairs” and included in underlying structure coverage, not separate debris removal coverage. Since this is a barn and probably in the countryside, push the debris to another part of the property away from the construction site. And if you really want to be pushy, claim the cost to put the debris in a big pit and cover it so the lot looks as it was before the loss. Now this may not be possible due to local building and planning ordinances, it does not mean the insurer does not still owe you what it would it would cost to put you back where you were before the loss. And look closely at your endorsements for “extensions of coverage” and other tidbits. By now you may have some mold in all that wet debris. So use the policy mold limits, usually 5 to 15K, to help with the debris removal? You probably have an “all risk” with named exclusions policy. This means if the insurer cannot specifically disprove every new argument you come up with, then they cannot deny your claim.
June 3rd, 2011 at 1:16 pm #Dee Long
Thank you for the information. The problem I am having right now is that the insurance agent will not return my calls. I have tried for a month to reach him regarding questions about my policy. The barn was destroyed in a storm about two weeks into my request for him to call. It has been another two weeks. He called me once, said he would check into it, and now will not return my calls. I am trying to get a complete copy of my policy but the national office in Springfield, Missouri, tells me they cannot provide this to me – that only my agent can – who will not return my calls.
June 3rd, 2011 at 2:02 pm #admin
Dee,
Your story is so typical. People can’t even get a copy of their policy after a loss from their own insurer. This is what the mainstream media doesn’t understand (or care about). I tried to get the San Diego Tribune to print where people could get free policy copies after the big firestorms there, but they were not interested. They sure didn’t mind showing big full page color pictures of sad people standing in front of their burned out homes. Amazing!
Go to UClaim.com to get a free copy of your policy for Disaster Victims.
June 7th, 2011 at 4:28 pm #jax37
just recently had my apartment burgurlized. filed a police report. I have been paying rental insurance for about two years and I filed a claim however becuase the suspect went through my bathroom window (the only way is to have a ladder), pull down the screen and tossed over to the neighbors yard (polic report states this), my claim was denised because there was no evidence of the force entry.It must be visible ( breaking of a window or window lock. the bathroom window had no lock on it. what do I do next
June 9th, 2011 at 1:36 pm #admin
To all of our great contributors:
You may show your company name and website address at the end of each post if you think our visitors might benefit from your services.
June 29th, 2011 at 4:33 pm #macksboy
Can my insurance carrier ask me questions about my personal life and finances that have nothing to do with my claim? Can they require my personal financial records(bank statements, Cell, bills, tax returns) to show my current financial position to deny a break in and theft into my vehile. They seem more interest in my backgroud and have aske me to take a statement under oath after i have given a recorded statement to the agent. I have been a insurer with them for 15 years. What should i do?
June 30th, 2011 at 12:56 pm #admin
Macksboy,
You are in real dangerous territory with an EUO (Examination Under Oath). They can only ask for what is reasonable and relevant and it must be done in a “non adversarial” manner. In reality, most insurers attorneys will side step the law. You should have an attorney with you in an EUO. And since 99% of attorneys don’t know the difference between EUO and deposition, they (and you) should get an eBook on EUO advice at UClaim.com in the miscellaneous products section.
July 5th, 2011 at 5:42 am #Daniel Thomas
I rented an apartment and was asleep when a neighbor came over and said smoke was coming from the kitchen, my family and I were able to get out safe. the kitchen stove had some sort of malfuntion and caught fire and destroyed some of the kitchen about a 1/3. the apartment owner had insurance with statefarm. statefarm came later and paid the owner 20000 and the apartment was worth 30000. statefarm did a so call own investigation and has determine it will pursue me for the damages and have sent me a payment coupon booklet, how can this be. I don’t own the home or the stove that malfunction, what and who can I call for assistance with this matter? Dumbfounded in georgia! unbelievable
July 12th, 2011 at 10:22 am #phillr3
I have been working with my Insurance Company: Standard Insurance/US Lloyds in Hurst TX due to recent hail storm. I have had two roof Inspectors state that my roof needs replacement due to hail damage.
Standard has inspected my roof 3 times now, the last included AN “engineer” from the company. They esimate my damages at less than my 1500 deuctible. Although they did increase it by a few hundred after the second inspection with my roofer present to mark the damage. Note the total payment is still less than my deductible.
My roofer was at another home with same adjuster from Insurance company and told him that if he was going to lowball this inspection like he did mine, not to bother even going on the roof. Adjuster claims that they are a small company and simply can’t afford to repair/replace everyones roof.
Same adjuster did lowball that job also. Meanwhile several homes in my immediate neighborhood are having roofs replaced. Some even have the stronger architect roofs being replaced.
I’ve complained to the Texas State Insurance Office with no response as yet.
What should I do next?
July 12th, 2011 at 10:41 am #american vanguard
@ phillr3
Please email me privately at kyle@avitexas.com.
We are a licensed public adjusting firm with a principle office in Houston and we assist homeowners just like yourself to achieve the settlement you are entitled to. There are many individuals currently facing the same battle after the hailstorm in dallas last month.
I will be visiting DFW next wednesday and thursday and would be available to visit your property to provide suggestions and advice on how to proceed.
Regards,
Kyle H.
July 12th, 2011 at 10:59 am #Fran Leitner
Tornado roof damage. Roofer submitted bid to ins.adj. I accept proposal of ins.settlement. Now roofer wants 3,000+ more for job. Is this legal.
July 27th, 2011 at 1:27 am #leo gutowski
please help me i got hurt at my job on a trucking company and they are leaving me in pain everyday of my life for the past three years.they keep refuseing me to see doctors.please can you call me at 1-773-708=3808 or 1-773-708-3805 i pray to god to here from you. thank you very much for your time.
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:05 am #Ananth
I have joined my father for emergnecy care at locat health care center and my insurer has denied the my claim saying it is a pre-existing condition. Here the fact is I took the insurence on 17th April onwards since my parents came to this country as visitors on that day. He got chronic constipation problem on 19th april . But the physician said in his report he dont have bowl movement 4 days before the day he admitted. By showing this as a reason teh Insurance company has denied my claim. Can you please suggest me what should I do in this case.
Thanks
ananth
August 3rd, 2011 at 11:42 am #Scott
I have a house boat that was in the middle of a severe wind storm. The boat was going through and over 4 to 5 ft waves. The front of the boat would go down, and the back of the boat would come out of the water, this caused the motor to over rev and eventually threw a rod through the block. The insurance company is dragging there feet paying out on this claim. Ordered a total tear down of the motor. This has been going on for over a month now with no results. What are my options on this.
August 11th, 2011 at 8:21 am #ANN
I had a claim recently on my home. Due to the recent passing of my grandfather (owner of the home) the check was made out to “estate of ______” ( my grandfather’s name). The bank said the would deposit it into my account with signature from the executor of the estate and that it what I did. They verified executor’s identity and witnessed the signature and put a 4-day hold on the check but the teller said that the insurance company may dispute the signature. Is that possible?
August 29th, 2011 at 11:30 am #Donna Tomaini
I still have a mortgage, is it required by law in the state of P.A. to have a licensed general contractor fix my roof for an insurance claim or can we do it ourselves?
August 31st, 2011 at 8:35 am #John Carver
I am Licensed & bonded in the state of PA. In Public Adjustment (soon to be Nj. & Md.).
We help homeowners MAXIMISE their claims settlements.
You would be surprised by all the cool things covered by your insurance company.
For a free consultation or any questions call or Email.
John Carver
267-266-2301
jcarver@mertopa.com
August 31st, 2011 at 9:58 am #John Carver
I also have another number.
267-217-3624
24/7
Emergency Services!
September 4th, 2011 at 9:53 pm #megatron
I just finally unravelled the words around my State Farm renters insurance and
realized they depreciate the value of all my posessions. So a cellphone,
computer, etc would be practically worthless if I had a claim. Their words
make it sound like they replace with a new item, but if you keep asking
questions, you realize that they don’t. I am changing this week. Thank you
for your help in listening to the experiences of others.
September 4th, 2011 at 11:34 pm #John Carver
If you have damage to your property with this storm, let me know! A public adjuster is your legal representation to make sure your Insurance Company settles for the MAXIMUM amount. Licensed and bonded in Pa. I can help you every step of the way, taking the anxiety out of the whole claims process!
Call me for a free consultation!
John Carver
267-266-2301
September 14th, 2011 at 10:44 am #Gunvant Patel
If bloen tire from other car hit your car and your car get damaged, what is the insurance company policy?
September 28th, 2011 at 10:07 am #William
I have a warranty policy with a insurance provider for my Buick Century Custom which was supposed to provide coverage for repairs subject to a deductible of $100; the policy also covers the cost of rental car for up to 5 days for any repair covered under the warranty. There has been a need to replace the motor and the car was sent to authorised workshop. The provider took 5 days to agree to send the inspector, and the provider’s inspector took more than 2 days to visit the workshop to examine the car before sending in his report. Then the provider took another 4-5 days before agreeing to cover the repair, and the shipment of the replacement motor took more than 11 days. The whole duration lasted almost 1 month (about 28 days), but now the provider says it will only provide rental car cost for up to 15 days (including the 5 days under my policy). I feel the delay is wholly due to the provider’s delay in getting to the repair, and so I should get my rental car costs covered for the entire 28 days. What recourse do I have? Appreciate your quick comments as I will be billed soon. Thanks!
October 2nd, 2011 at 1:20 pm #Peg
Hi, I need some help here. Last January, I noticed that my carport which was attached to the house was coming down. Not being certain as to what is and what is not covered, I called a Public Adjuster who a friend recommended and asked them to come out and look and see if this was something I could claim or not claim. When I got home there was a contract in my door stating that they felt I had a legitimate claim. So I signed the contract and emailed it back to them. It wasnt until about 2 weeks later I found out they submitted a hail claim from my insurance company. I called them and asked what about the carport which is what I called them for. They submitted another claim for that as well indicating it was covered under snow and ice. When the insurance company came out and looked at it with the owner of the Public Adjuster’s firm the Public Adjuster pulled the claim.
I then get a letter from my insurance company saying I have to repair the carport within 45 days to keep my insurance. That cost me 4000.00.
To date my insurance company thinks that the damage to my siding and roof isnt greater than my deductible and I can hardly get the public adjuster to talk to me.
I did file a complaint with the State of PA’s Insurance Commission and waiting on their findings. I was also to ascertain from my insurance company that there was correspondence between the Public Adjuster and the Insurance Company that the Adjuster failed to send to the commission. I have forwarded it to the individual at the commission who is handling the complaint.
At this point I am out over 4000.00 and this Public Adjuster is obnoxious and accusing me that they told me 2 years ago that the carport wasnt covered as I had them come out 2 yrs prior to look at my garage and they told me that the garage was not covered and I never filed a claim.
The firm sent out a new adjuster who basically doesnt totally know what he is doing, and the owner of the firm is trying to push it back on me.
Do I have any legal rights to sue the public adjuster for failure to do their job? If so any help on how to go about it would be appreciated.
October 5th, 2011 at 4:27 pm #admin
Dear website visitors,
Most of our questions and answers for October 3rd and 4th were lost as a result of a malware attack on our website. In addition, some of our pages were “redirected” to malware websites. We have now incorporated stronger security measures.
While we have no proof as to the original source of the hackers, suffice to say that this website had never experienced hacking problems until shortly after we posted the page “BOYCOTT FARMERS INSURANCE?” which exposed criminal acts by Farmer’s CEO and their Los Angeles based attorney Richard O Knapp.
October 6th, 2011 at 6:35 am #Rick
Hello,
My vehicle was struck by a taxi cab and I am trying to work my way through the claims process. 1) For the first time ever during a claim, the taxi’s insurance company just cut me a check based on an estimate and said that the garage can contact them and they will respond out to do an adjustment if the costs will be more. This does not sound normal. Also, it puts me in a position where, depending on whether or not this should happen, I am out of a car for an indefinate amount of time. 2) Recognizing that I am going to need to get a rental car, I spoke to the adjuster who advised that they will reimburse me $29.99 a day for a rental car. I pulled up a few quotes and the cheapest rental per day is over $40, plus a surcharge because I am only 24. How do I make this adjuster get on the same page so that I am not coming out of pocket for their client’s negligence. This occured in Wash, DC and the taxi driver was cited for “Failure to maintain speed as to avoid colliding” – Basically, I was stopped at an intersection and he just came up from nowhere and smashed into my back bumper.
Thank You!
Rick
October 6th, 2011 at 7:13 am #Jason
Rick,
You should be able to get a weekly rate for less than $40. Also, call the adjuster and tell him your situation about additional transportation. Also, this body shop may have a loaner or a rental that they may be able to bill to the insurance company as an additional fee for you.
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October 11th, 2011 at 4:00 pm #LILIAN
I sumitted a claim back in April 2011. it was a nightmare to deal with the adjuster. right now the claim is closed but is not settled they are waiting for me to submit information but I haven’t because I’m not sure how and what to put down in those forms. Is there a place in Phx. AZ where they can assist me with type of problem?
October 12th, 2011 at 8:34 am #Jason
Lilian,
You are probably referring to the proof of loss. It’s a lot more simple than it seems. The forms are complicated but you just have to indicate on the form what caused your loss (for example, water)
Then indicate how much you are claiming and sign the form and submit it to your insurance company. If you have specific questions about the forms, just ask.
October 12th, 2011 at 8:43 am #Peg
I wanted to resubmit this in case it was lost when the site was attacked. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi, I need some help here. Last January, I noticed that my carport which was attached to the house was coming down. Not being certain as to what is and what is not covered, I called a Public Adjuster who a friend recommended and asked them to come out and look and see if this was something I could claim or not claim. When I got home there was a contract in my door stating that they felt I had a legitimate claim. So I signed the contract and emailed it back to them. It wasnt until about 2 weeks later I found out they submitted a hail claim from my insurance company. I called them and asked what about the carport which is what I called them for. They submitted another claim for that as well indicating it was covered under snow and ice. When the insurance company came out and looked at it with the owner of the Public Adjuster’s firm the Public Adjuster pulled the claim.
I then get a letter from my insurance company saying I have to repair the carport within 45 days to keep my insurance. That cost me 4000.00.
To date my insurance company thinks that the damage to my siding and roof isnt greater than my deductible and I can hardly get the public adjuster to talk to me.
I did file a complaint with the State of PA’s Insurance Commission and waiting on their findings. I was also to ascertain from my insurance company that there was correspondence between the Public Adjuster and the Insurance Company that the Adjuster failed to send to the commission. I have forwarded it to the individual at the commission who is handling the complaint.
At this point I am out over 4000.00 and this Public Adjuster is obnoxious and accusing me that they told me 2 years ago that the carport wasnt covered as I had them come out 2 yrs prior to look at my garage and they told me that the garage was not covered and I never filed a claim.
The firm sent out a new adjuster who basically doesnt totally know what he is doing, and the owner of the firm is trying to push it back on me.
Do I have any legal rights to sue the public adjuster for failure to do their job? If so any help on how to go about it would be appreciated.
October 20th, 2011 at 6:27 am #John Carver
LILIAN,
This is a great example why a Public adjuster is very important. What a P A does is assist them in the processing of their claims and recovering their property losses to the fullest amount possible, but it also means giving them the tools with which to better protect themselves against the profit-driven interests of the Insurance Companies. Towards this end, it is the goal to help educate the Property Owner and help them in understanding:
How an insurance claim is processed and what some of the determining factors are when determining a settlement amount
What a Public Adjuster is and how one can help protect you and your family
Common questions and misconceptions about property insurance and the insurance industry in general
How to read your insurance policy and how to interpret some of the more complex conditions and limitations
I am in the industry, I am Licensed in Pennsylvania. IF you live in a different state, I would look one up.
Good luck!
John
267-266-2301
October 20th, 2011 at 5:44 pm #Jason
Peg,
I did respond to your post last time before the site went down. You can sue anybody you want. However, there is no guarantee you will win your suit. Suing someone is complicated and you likely will need an attorney to assist. They have to be paid and they will have to be paid by you.
You may be better off using that money you would use to pay your attorney and instead use it to fix your carport.
October 22nd, 2011 at 4:25 am #Peg
Hi Jason
Thank you for getting back to me. I didnt see the post on here. I apologize. I already did fix the carport. That is what cost me the 4000.00. That was completed back in March.
Just the other day I found out that the hail claim that the public adjuster advised me that I needed a new roof and siding which they estimated to be 15,000 in damages my insurance company said that the damages were less than my deductible and the public adjuster has closed there files. Now mind you it took me 15 emails to get a response from them and that is even after the insurance commission has been involved. They have accused me in emails of forcing their new employee to file claims that were not legitimate.
All I did was ask them to come and look and see if the carport was a covered claim or not because I did not know if it would be or not. Had they said no then that would have been the end of our relationship but as a result of their errors I am the one who suffered as a result.
Don’t I have any recourse for their failures?
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:53 am #Jason
Peg,
Are you serious? If you don’t have damage and your claims are denied (or closed because damage is below your deductible) what do you want done? If you think you need new siding and a new roof, put those on your house.
I fail to see how you suffered and I simply don’t see any errors by anybody.
November 15th, 2011 at 5:42 am #Albina Winters
Hey Nice Article! Thanks for the good information Keep up the good posting.
November 27th, 2011 at 8:03 am #mike
glad to find this site…
my rental house burned to the ground for a total loss. was determined accidental by investigators. the adjustor did his thing, and i was reasonably satisfied with his estimate to replace the house, though i have not sent the claim check to my mortgage company, yet.
the amount that he allowed for demolition to clean up the lot is my main concern at this time. i was allowed a little over $12,000 for the job,which was included in the settlement check, but i have had two estimates for around $29,000 for the service. therefore, must i pay the overage out of the settlement check, which would reduce the amount that i would be receiving to replace the structure? i realize that his estimate for the demolition probably comes from a set pecentage of the loss, but i can’t find anyone to work that cheaply.
my main question is… why have i been paying policy premiums for coverage that was around $70,000 more than the replacement costs that he figured?
i am not trying to make money off of the fire, but is there some recourse to offset the costs of the demolition?
thanks
November 27th, 2011 at 1:26 pm #Jason
Mike,
Do you have a replacement coverage policy? If you cannot get someone to do the demolition for $12,000, you need to bring this to the attention of your adjuster. That should be adjusted so you have enough funds for the entire project at each step of your rebuild.
Send the check to your mortgage company do you can work with them on how you’re going to get those funds. Your insurance company can send you additional checks, if needed.
If you want specific details about your claim instead of general information, e-mail us at complete.insurancehelp@gmail.com Any responses will be posted on here without any of your personal information in the post.
December 3rd, 2011 at 12:22 am #Christina
Hi there,
I am hoping that someone will be able to shed some light on a matter related to property owners insurance that has been ongoing for 11 months now. My parents live in a rural area and reside within a property that encompasses approximately 12 acres of land. They have lived here since 1988. As of January 2, 2011, the roof of the barn collapsed due to snow. My mother called the insurance broker to report the incident and was advised that our insurance policy does not cover damage to a barn. She had alleged that my mother had ‘turned’ down coverage on the barn back in June 2010 (when the policy was up for renewal and had been changed from property homeowners to farm liability insurance, with a 50% increase in her premiums). My mother only answered questions pertaining to the use of the barn (ie. if income is generated from use of the barn, etc) and proceeded to renew the policy under the assumption that any/all structures would be covered. She did NOT (at any point) confirm with the broker in making the decision to turn down/refuse coverage. That same day, I took the phone and argued that the terms/conditions of the policy state that ‘detached private structures’ are covered under our current policy and I demanded that we have this claim further investigated. She then stated that she would look into the matter further.
On January 6, 2011, a claims adjuster came out to the property to assess the damage to the barn and review the circumstances surrounding the occurrence. We were then sent a blank ‘Proof of Loss’ form (in the mail) several days later. Several months had gone by and we had not heard from the claims adjuster and/or the insurance company. I proceeded to make several inquiries (on separate occasions over a period of 9 months) to inquire about the status of our claim. We were informed on a continual basis that the claim was ‘well past’ the initial stages and entering the final stage and were advised that this matter would be settled by the end of September.
Another month had passed and I made an attempt to contact him again and we were advised on November 2, 2011 (verbally over the phone) that our claim was being denied due to the fact that the barn was originally registered with the township office as an “agricultural building” and its original owners/builder intended to use it as such. We, as residents of this property, are not commercial farmers and only use the barn as personal storage. We were told that it is completely irrelevant that we do not use the building for anything agriculture-related and/or generate revenue from the structure.
We were informed of this decision in writing from the claims adjuster, as of November 28, 2011 (with only 1 month left to challenge this decision within a 12-month period). This is the primary reason as to why the claim is being denied, coupled with the fact that our insurance broker is “claiming” that my mother did not want coverage (which is a total lie) and is as a result of failure to perform her due diligence when dealing with my mother on this matter. We were not officially informed (in writing) of this exclusion until May 31, 2011 when the renewed policy, for the period August 10/11 to August 10/12, was mailed to us. This was the first time that we were informed of this change to our policy. As of now, we only have one month left to challenge this matter. We feel that we have been dragged through the mud and are at our wits end as to what course of action to take. I don’t know if it is advisable to contact a public adjuster to assist in this matter or if we should proceed with legal action against the insurance company or broker. I realize how limited we are in terms of the deadline (January 2, 2012 – 1 year from date of claim) to proceed any further and if there are grounds to fight this. My parents are both retired people on a fixed income and I personally feel that they are being taken advantage of due to the circumstances and the fact that English is not their first language. Any advice or additional insight would be greatly appreciated. I don’t know what to do to help them at this point…..
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December 10th, 2011 at 1:52 pm #Mary Smithwick
Jason,
How difficult is it to get a $10 million E & O Policy for a new business whose function is to hold funds and disburse for certain investments. We have never had an E & O Policy, just a small liability policy. Not an attorney, and we are not regulated by any governing body. What kind of due diligence is customarily needed for the insurance company to issue the policy, e.g. certified audit, background checks, banking records, existing contracts, legal opinions, etc. ? My insurance agent is unable to get the Policy placed and I am very frustrated. Have things changed that much since Madoff, now Corzine and others, have lost or misappropriated funds, etc ?
Thanks – Mary S.
December 10th, 2011 at 2:17 pm #Jason
Mary Smithwick,
Many insurance agents don’t handle this kind of business because they don’t have much of a demand to do it on a regular basis.
No, not much has changed. This is a lucrative business and a lot of money can be made on the premiums and managing business in this area of the insurance industry.
If you are looking for the easiest and most simple way to secure an E & O policy for $10 million, it might be reasonable to obtain a policy from Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. You can basically obtain a policy online and be bound with coverage in a matter of minutes. This company has a user/customer friendly approach and their coverage is as good as the next E & O insurance company.
Simply do a google search for hiscox usa and the top search result will likely be this company. Of the research I periodically do, this company ranks as one of the most competitive in the market for premium/coverage.
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December 10th, 2011 at 2:29 pm #Jason
Mary Smithwick,
Many insurance agents don’t handle this kind of business because they don’t have much of a demand to do it on a regular basis.
No, not much has changed. This is a lucrative business and a lot of money can be made on the premiums and managing business in this area of the insurance industry.
If you are looking for the easiest and most simple way to secure an E & O policy for $10 million, it might be reasonable to obtain a policy from Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. You can basically obtain a policy online and be bound with coverage in a matter of minutes. This company has a user/customer friendly approach and their coverage is as good as the next E & O insurance company.
Simply do a google search for hiscox usa and the top search result will likely be this company. Of the research I periodically do, this company ranks as one of the most competitive in the market for premium/coverage.
This kind of coverage is a “claims made” type of coverage and the due diligence you mention is minimal and not intrusive. It might be as simple as you asserting that you don’t have any claims or are not aware of any claims that could be made resulting from your business practices. If there are, they would be excluded anyway. You may even want to transfer your liability policy to this company if you elect to be insured with them.
December 19th, 2011 at 5:34 am #sue
Jason,
I had a small tree branch fall on my 2 yr old car, which slightly dented the top of the roof a bit. You have to look for it to see the couple of dents, about 1/4 inch deep and about 1 inch diameter. We submitted pictures to our NC Farm Bureu, which is 2 miles from our house. We got three estimates for repair, and then the insurance co. sent a check. We received a letter from Farm Bureau, under the heading “Deletion of Specified Items/Converage, Policy remains in force… and it goes on ” we are sorry we cannot continue the coverage listed below (it’s comprehensive) in accordance with the provisions contained in your policy, the insurance is hereby non-renewed” – in a month! It goes on, the coverages may be available now at a higher premium.
The reason given on the 2nd page of the letter was the “vehicle has unrepaired damage”. Since when is it absolutely required to repair a vehicle, and in a certain amount of time? I researched on the web today and cannot find an answer to this question. Is this something new?
Reasons we have not had it repaired yet: My husband’s job is 2 hrs away and is only home on weekends, and my job is precarious and haven’t been able to schedule a time to get it fixed yet either as this would leave me without a car indefinitely. Also, we found that the damage seems to be mostly cosmetic and not causing leakage from the roof as we had feared it might, and are having second thoughts about a major repair that might come out worse than what we have now.
Further, it says that state law requires that we can submit a written request concerning the decision in 90 days, which the Farm Bureau is to correspond back within 21 days. In the meantime, I have this cancellation or pay higher premiums notice in hand because the car is not repaired.
What are my options?
Thanks!
December 19th, 2011 at 6:51 am #Jason
Sue,
Just get a different insurance company. Sure you can send them a written request but they will just re-affirm the insurance cancellation.
Or else call and talk to your agent about what your options are. They probably run into this a lot.
December 20th, 2011 at 5:42 pm #Dorian
What happens to my insurance if there was an accident and I am at fault, and the other party has back pains after the accident?
December 20th, 2011 at 7:50 pm #Jason
Dorian,
Your insurance provided coverage for you for the property damage you cause in addition to the injuries you cause. We don’t know exactly what will happen to your insurance in this instance. It could range from nothing, to a small increase, to cancellation. Don’t expect anything extreme but we don’t know your specific situation.
January 5th, 2012 at 9:32 pm #Bella
If a hot tub located outside on the patio somehow froze up completely solid would this be covered under insurance policies?
January 5th, 2012 at 10:17 pm #Jason
Bella,
Probably.
January 6th, 2012 at 12:10 pm #Robin
Someone filed a claim against my homeowners policy in April 2000? they now want to reopen the claim. Is there a statute of limitations?
January 6th, 2012 at 8:48 pm #Jason
Robin,
When you ask a question, you have to provide enough information for us to address your question.
Sure there are statutes of limitation but we don’t know if they apply to your situation. If there was a claim 12 years ago that turned into a lawsuit, there still might be a valid claim against you. A lawsuit extends, or adds onto, the time frame when things can be pursued.
Also, another item that has a lot longer time frame is if the claim against you involved a minor child. The child can make their own claim once they turn 18. They have a limited amount of time to make a claim in those situations once they turn 18.
There may be other instances but since we only know you had a claim presented 12 years ago and now one at the present time, we can’t provide anymore information than we already addressed.
January 9th, 2012 at 11:34 am #Judi
I live in apartment and have complainted about my carport. Now it rained real bab and the carport came down on my car. What do I need to do. Is the apartment responsible for the repairs.
January 9th, 2012 at 12:10 pm #Jason
Judi,
You complained about the carport and you continued to use it. Either you believed your observations about the carport were erroneous or you welcomed putting your car in harms way.
Since you were aware of the carport’s unsafe condition and you continued to expose your car to the harm it could do, you accepted any risk of damage that would happen.
The apartment, just like you, was aware of the carport’s condition (because of your complaint). You put you car in harms way by parking it underneath and it caused damage to your car. The only one responsible for the damage to your car is you.
If you were serious about the carport’s condition, you would not have parked your car anywhere near it until it was repaired or replaced. The only way the apartment would be responsible for the damage to your car is if they parked it under the carport that collapsed on it. It is unlikely they parked it so no, they are no responsible for your car’s damage.
January 9th, 2012 at 1:46 pm #John Carver
Judi,
I dont think that you are held liable
January 10th, 2012 at 6:03 pm #martha
i tried to jump over the fence in the back yard but chicken wire was on the post so when i jumped over my left leg got caught on the chicken wire and i fell on my right leg and broke my tibia in 3 places had surgery got metal plate and 2 screws its gonna be more than a year before i can walk on my own can i file a claim on the homeowner ins
January 10th, 2012 at 6:20 pm #Jason
Martha,
Based on the information provided, this fence in in your backyard of your home. Your policy does not provide coverage for you as an insured.
If this incident occurred at a home owned and insured by someone else, you could file a claim for medical payments coverage under the other person’s policy. You could not make a successful claim for anything else because in order for that to be in your favor, the homeowner would have to be liable (negligent) for your injuries.
In this case, it is reasonable for chicken wire to be attached to a fence post and it is not expected that someone will be jumping over it. This just happens to be an unfortunate injury.
January 17th, 2012 at 2:37 pm #Julie
I was at a stop light and rear ended. The other driver was cited for the accident. My all wheel drive vehicle was damaged enough so that I could not drive it. Thus it was towed to a garage/body shop. Because it is an all wheel drive vehicle and the right rear tire badly damaged, all four tires now need to be replaced. The driver’s insurance company will only pay for one tire. The accident was not my fault and I feel the driver’s insurance should replace all 4 tires. If my vehicle were front wheel or even rear wheel drive I would not expect 4 replacement tires and this would not be an issue, however with all wheel drive vehicles, the vehicle can incur more damage, especially to the axels if the tires are both old and new.
I have discussed this issue with local tire specialists/mechanics and all have stated that even if one tire is damaged on an all wheel drive vehicle, all 4 tires must be replaced other wise the vehicle should not be driven, due to damage caused by uneven tires.
The manager for body shop where my car is now even stated that the vehicle needs to have the four tires replaced before the vehicle can be test driven after repairs are made otherwise the axels, abs system, etc.. could become compromised. What bothers me is that when the claims assessor came to see the vehicle (unbeknownst to me) the mechanic did not discuss this.
Is the insurance company responsible for replacing just the one tire or all four for this type of vehicle?
January 17th, 2012 at 2:59 pm #Jason
Julie,
If the person that rear-ended you caused a tire to be damaged, that is what they are responsible for.
Since you are fully aware of the damage you can do to your vehicle by driving with 1 new tire and and other ones used, simple put 3 more times on your vehicle and you will have no more concerns.
You ask if the insurance company is responsible for replacing 1 tire or 4 tires. They are responsible for replacing the tire they damage and you are responsible for replacing the other 3. If you don’t want to replace the other 3, you don’t have to. Just deal with the wear from not doing that because they will wear a little unusually. You do have options here.
The other option you have here is to file this with your own insurance company. They will replace one tire as well. This isn’t a new concept.
January 19th, 2012 at 12:43 pm #Michael
I am the owner of a vehicle but was temporarily allowing a companion to use it with the understanding that he would be responcible and keep it insured for that time period. The vehicle was ultimately totalled in a house fire where we lived. The insurance company, not wanting to deal with this small claim, made the check out to us both and pretty much said “you figure it out”. I knew very well that he would just take the money and not repair my vehicle. The result was neither he nor I would endorse the check. This happened 10 months ago. I’ve asked the insurance company to compensate me on my vehicle. Afterall, that’s what insurance is for. What are my rights? He no longer has interest in the claim but never signed over the check out of spite. This was not his primary source of transportation. Is it that unreasonable for the insurance company to reissue a check to ME, as the owner of the damaged vehicle they insured??
January 28th, 2012 at 3:23 pm #Danielle
I am in a quandry. My house was flooded on Aug 28th and I’m now getting a large check from the insurance company. Problem is the town is not allowing any building permits in my area so I won’t be able to rebuild for another 10 or so months. I also have to sign this check over to my mortgage company. Because I have to pay a mortgage for a house I can’t live in I am considering walking away from this whole mess. What will happen to my insurance check when I get it? Should I just hand it over to the mortgage company and walk away from this mess with nothing? Do I have any rights at all?
January 29th, 2012 at 2:20 am #Jason
Danielle,
This is a lot more complicated that you think. You are allowed 180 day to complete the work. You may have to get written allowances and extensions from both the city and your insurance company so you don’t leave so much insurance money on the table. This is so important that you will want to look into how much money will you lose if you don’t do aything you need to at least figure out how much money you lose if if you don’t do anything.