TIP: Dealing With Insurance Companies

Question

Yesterday Les and I had to help his sister Laurie when her pipes froze and busted causing damage to the underside of her mobile home. Les got the pipe fixed but when Laurie called her insurance company to report it she got the big run around. That really got her even more stressed out so Les toke the phone and talked the the insurance guy and told him he want Service Master to come out and mitigated the floors the insurance guy knew Les knew what he was talking about and called Service Master. Service Master called Laurie and Laurie put Les on the phone and arrange to have them come out the next morning to blow heat and air under the trailer to dry out her floors before mold set in. Also Service Master said they could repair the damage as well and if the pipe wasn't fixed they would fix that as well. Just remember if the insurance people tell you to find your own contractor DON'T listen they are just being lazy they have to send someone out to MITIGATE and use that word if the person don't know what your talking about demand to talk to a supervisor!!!!!

Susan Smith · Answer

Insurance companies cannot pick your contractor.

Ski13871806 · Answer

When I get the royal run around, I always ask for the supervisor! If it is someone overseas like INDIA, I ask to speak to someone ONSHORE, MEANING TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN THE USA! They may hang up on you but just call back and be your Bitchy self but in a nice confident way. It has worked for me. I know the US company does not want a bunch of complaints about their INDIA company customer service!

Deanna Nassar · Answer

Next time you have problems with insurance companies. Tell them you will call the Bureau of Insurance. They decide if the company deserves to be in business. Too many complaints and the company or office can lose their license. That bit of info given to me by an auditor for a title insurance company. Sure helped when a state owned vehicle rear ended our van while at a red light.

Jennifer · Answer

I work for an insurance company, yes we can recommend who we feel we have had the most positive feed back from, but you can still choose your restoration company. Also going through insurance companies that are only call centers do not care....get a local agent someone you can talk to every time you need them!!! I cant stress that enough! Claims are a stressful time have someone you know will take care of you! don't trust just whoever answer the phone in a call center.

Susan Smith · Answer

Not without your permission. There may be circumstances that they would have a company protect your property but not designated repairs.

Annie · Answer

Jennifer is 1000% right. Particularly with regard to homeowners insurance you need an agent to help you. They cut through the nonsense and get help to you ASAP. This is really important in the case of a flood. I had two sewer back-ups in my house with extensive damage. In the first event the mitigation company did a lousy job...sent pictures to my agent and they were right back the next day.

Sophia,M.,McConnery · Answer

You are 100 % right.It is also in the contract you sign,if you bring in another repair company,other than the one they use,you are responsible for ALL COSTS!

Bink · Answer

Gosh...I wasn't aware homeowners insurance covered ANY water damage! I wonder what else is covered that I don't know about??

Annie · Answer

Yes they do, make sure it's in your policy. It's an inexpensive add-on that my agent always adds on. Thank god I had it. In the first event I lost the furnace, hot water heater,

washer, a/c unit, not to mention the filth. The second time was just filth.

Shirley Kalinosky · Answer

My insurance man told me that pipes that were frozen and broke are NOT COVERED by the insurance because it was outside the house force that did it. I have a leak in my ceiling of my other house and I have a contractor coming to drain the pipes to find out which one of my bathroom pipes is leaking. My house is kept at 62*-65* and I have water running in both sinks upstairs and won and also keep the cabinets open and a small heater in the back room, so I know its not frozen pipes as all of the ones in the basement are foam covered. Repairman won't be charging me what the deducible is for my insurance is $500 so I won't be claiming for that. But since the pipes are possibly old, I will be claiming the repair of the pantry ceiling that partially fell down. You should look into the deducible and get an estimate on the work required to replace the pipes and dry out the insulation. It maybe that you have to replace the insulation also.

Linda Lavine · Answer

I am currently living in a hotel suite my ins company is paying for as we are in construction after water leak. There is a deck adjuster dealing w living issues who is on top of these things and another project adjuster who is not. Even tho damage mitigation was done quickly and efficantly I have yet to see construction proposal. I will use contractor recommended by is company so I know 100 % of repairs paid for and job is guaranteed by ins co as well as contractor. Ins adjuster will cut thru inevitAble BS to. And this is over christmas,too.

Earl Miller · Answer

YOU who got the worst customer service must have had Nation wide Insurance.

I worked as a claim adjuster for 5 different Companies for 46 years. The last one was Nationwide. Nationwide tells you to be customer service orientated but then gives you hell for doing so. They do not treat their own employees with dignity, All they do is try their best to degrade their own employees and do not do as they preach. My manager left me in the street after i fell off a roof, he was the first one notified but did nothing. My company car with all the computers and keys, and information were left in the car unlocked for 2 days before i was able to get help to move the car to safety. I was in intensive care for 7 days.

Horrible customer service, which is nothing at all.

DORLIS · Answer

They are being lazy and trying to get out of paying. Mine told me there was moss on the roof so they would not cover the damage. Cost me $9000.

Harry Harshaw · Answer

Not sure if you have them out there but you can use Farmers. I know a guy here in Georgia and he may know someone in the network. Contact him here. http://joelmcool.mogaconnect.com/

TIP: Dealing With Insurance Companies

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TIP: Dealing With Insurance Companies

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