Property Insurance Problems?

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am a Public Insurance Adjuster and am willing to help out any of the nice folks here on the Forum. I realize that most of you probably don't know what we do so here is a quick take!
We fight Insurance companies on behalf of the Policyholder so as to Maximize the claim settlement. We work for the home and business owner, not the insurance company. We are the good guys! But insurance companies don't generally care for us!!
Part of our service is to educate folks on what their HO policy does and doesn't cover before they run into a problem! Most people have never read their policies (or perhaps have tried but gave up!) and don't really know if they are properly insured or not!

If anyone has any questions or problems that I may be able to answer, please ask and I'll do my best!

Glenn Harris
(570) 688-7888

Here is our company website:

http://www.metropa.com

Hey what a coincidence. My employers have an expensive shore house and they had some recent water damage. They think the smoker maid, who comes in once a week, left a kitchen window open. Heavy winds caused a shade to fall off the kitchen window, hit the kitchen sink faucet, and the water overflowed for days. I spent a few days last week tearing out the kitchen.
Due to homeowner's insurance requirements, they sent a guy from Maxons to look at the damage. I had already mitigated most of the damage by taking out the wet cabinets, under floor insulation, and setting fans up in the crawlspace.
The guy made recommendations, place dehumidifiers upstairs and blower fans in the crawlspace. Treat the wet wood with a product called Milgo. The crawlspace has a sand floor, this is waterfront property. Most of the water flowed into the sand down there. We agreed that it would be futile to place dehumidifiers down there.
He had a crew there the next morning. The three stooges arrived in a dilapidated van. Two illiterate illegals and one boss who barely spoke English. They didn't understand about placing the dehumidifiers upstairs, they put them in the crawlspace and let the condensate discharge right back into the sand. They were unprepared, and bummed extension cords from me. They set five blowers down there, two of them nowhere near the damp areas.
When they arrived, their pump sprayer wouldn't work. They got it going and discharged Milgo all over the driveway within 25' of a storm sewer. I had checked out the product specs on Milgo-- it's ammonium chloride. Not to be disposed of in waterways. What a freaking circus.
Check out Maxons slick website that says their crews are professional. I just got out of their way and bit my lip. I think this mitigation was required by the insurance company, so I tried to remember I need to cause the least inconvenience to the owners. Looks like $50,000.00 damage by the time the kitchen is replaced.

The insurance companys are like most U.S. companies if any that are left. They just want to make a showing like they really care about your claim. What they want is cheap. It`s all smoke & mirrors to make it look good then raise the rates on the home owner. How dare they use their insurance.

Dann757 wrote:Hey what a coincidence. My employers have an expensive shore house and they had some recent water damage. They think the smoker maid, who comes in once a week, left a kitchen window open. Heavy winds caused a shade to fall off the kitchen window, hit the kitchen sink faucet, and the water overflowed for days. I spent a few days last week tearing out the kitchen.
Due to homeowner's insurance requirements, they sent a guy from Maxons to look at the damage. I had already mitigated most of the damage by taking out the wet cabinets, under floor insulation, and setting fans up in the crawlspace.
The guy made recommendations, place dehumidifiers upstairs and blower fans in the crawlspace. Treat the wet wood with a product called Milgo. The crawlspace has a sand floor, this is waterfront property. Most of the water flowed into the sand down there. We agreed that it would be futile to place dehumidifiers down there.
He had a crew there the next morning. The three stooges arrived in a dilapidated van. Two illiterate illegals and one boss who barely spoke English. They didn't understand about placing the dehumidifiers upstairs, they put them in the crawlspace and let the condensate discharge right back into the sand. They were unprepared, and bummed extension cords from me. They set five blowers down there, two of them nowhere near the damp areas.
When they arrived, their pump sprayer wouldn't work. They got it going and discharged Milgo all over the driveway within 25' of a storm sewer. I had checked out the product specs on Milgo-- it's ammonium chloride. Not to be disposed of in waterways. What a freaking circus.
Check out Maxons slick website that says their crews are professional. I just got out of their way and bit my lip. I think this mitigation was required by the insurance company, so I tried to remember I need to cause the least inconvenience to the owners. Looks like $50,000.00 damage by the time the kitchen is replaced.

Any delamination of flooring?
The policy entitles them to replacement of all damaged areas all the way thru paint.
Did the ins. co. see the damage yet?
Save all damaged pers. prop. The owners need to prove what was damaged. Sounds like a bigger claim than 50k!

Also, the cause of loss could be considered wind damage. If that is the case, chances are good that any damage on the exterior of the home can be covered also, on the same claim.
Remember, if you are fighting for the owners, the policy entitles you to pre-loss condition. If some shingles or siding was damaged during the storm, they may be entitled to have it all removed and replaced! Have you ever seen a roof or siding w/ different color repairs made? That's not pre-loss condition. People just don't know what they are entitled to and the co. usually doesn't want to tell them!

Samhill,
Just so ya know.... Your HO policy cannot legally be canceled or your rates raised for having a claim.

Good to know Glenn but I`ve had mine raised in the past. Same with auto ins. I just changed insurers & even had to pay them more because of it. I racket if I ever saw one, first question for auto ins. is how much it cost then it goes from there. If you paid $20,000 thats the starting point $20,000 worth of ins. Then if you total it in a year or so even if you`ve been paying premiums for $20,000 you only get half if your lucky.

I am liscensed Public Adjuster in Pa. In this state, as well as many others, a homeowner policy cannot be cancelled or rates raised for filing a claim.

There are 4 reasons they can do this according to the ins. dept.
1) Non payment of premium - I'd cancel you too!
2) Increase in liability - Install a swimming pool and deck w/ no gates or railings, usually give you about 60 days to make it right
3) Misrepresentation on application - you say that you don't have a dog but you actually have 5 pitbulls!
4) Fraud - you burn your house down on purpose and try to get paid for it!

Also, most policies give them the option that within the 1st 60 days, they can cancel you for any reason they feel appropriate!
They also cannot single one person out for a rate raise. Sometimes they have an across the board raise and they can do that also.
Now, I am not saying that people don't get canceled or have their rates raised sometimes, What I am saying is that it is illegal for that to happen unless it's for one of those reasons.
I am only talking about home owners insurance. Auto policies they can do whatever they want!

But if you ever feel like you have been treated unfairly by your ins. co., I recommend 1) call me, I don't mind giving you suggestions and/or 2) file a complaint w/ your state ins. dept. Insurance companies are scared to death of them and if they are doing something not quite right, the ins. dept. will set em strait!

In Pa here is a link to the Ins. Dept.

http://www.ins.state.pa.us/ins/site/default.asp

Glenn Harris
570 688-7888

Thanks for your reply. It had happen to me twice in the past, two different co.s two different houses. I`ll make note of the link & keep it incase I should ever need it, sure hope not. Thanks again.

Here is an interesting site to see where your ins. company ranks! Best and worst 100!!

http://www.badfaithinsurance.org/

Welcome to you Glenn Harris!
Thank You for the offer of your help to all of us in general with our HO questions.
I am sure you will get a good amount of questions and if your like the rest of us learn a lot from here also.

This is such an interesting site that I just needed to whet your appetite for taking a look at it! Here is an excerpt from it.
Where does your ins. co. rank?

http://www.badfaithinsurance.org/


Ranking Of Insurer Groups Claims Payment Practices *
(from 655 insurer groups comprising 3693 insurer companies)

HALL OF SHAME
CLAIMS DENIED *
BAD-FAITH PRACTICES *
(#1 = THE WORST) HALL OF FAME GOOD-FAITH PRACTICES *
(#1 = THE BEST) CLAIMS PAID *


Rank Bad-Faith Insurers * Rank Good-Faith Insurers *
1. The Hartford [do not buy] * 1. Chubb [ok to buy] *
2. State Farm [do not buy] * 2. Amica [ok to buy] *
3. Allstate [do not buy] * 3. Allianz [ok to buy] *


* CLICK HERE to view the 'FBIC 100' (the 50 worst bad faith and 50 best good faith group insurers along with notes, research sources and methodology used in FBIC's ranking system.)
* Ranking at September 2008. No company is complaint-free. Ranking list is subject to change.
* All Rights Reserved. Read our Legal Disclaimer and Copyright

Well I sure do get drawn into things I don't have the wherewithall to deal with. I know how to fix things, I don't know how to deal with people. The owner saw the water damage for the first time today, she wants a lot more than I went over with the "project manager" from Maxons. Slick polished website, scummy personell. I sent the "project manager" photos in email today of the insufficient remedial action his crew did. They discharged condensate water from their dehumidifiers directly back into the crawlspace they were supposed to be drying out. They rigged non-grounded extension cords to power their fans on damp sand.
I met the insurance company's "shill" "kitchen expert" there today, his expert estimate took all of five minutes. He's in bed with the claims adjuster and will throw out a lowball estimate.
The "project manager" called me up after seeing my email and I ended up screaming at him. Then I apologized and listened to him cover his ass for a while. I like to stick up for my employer but this is ridiculous. They need to get out their lawyers.