Cutting insurance payouts on homeowner losses

MACKTEXAS

Well-known Member
The storm swept into Tulsa County, Okla., around dinnertime on May 21, 2024, hammering people's houses with hail the size of golf balls. It was so loud that when a neighbor called Tim Willard, he couldn't make out what they were saying on the phone. Afterward, Willard walked outside his home to see shingles ripped from the roof and a lawn covered by an inch of ice.

Weeks later, Willard claims that an adjuster for State Farm, his home insurer, said his roof should be replaced. But that same day, State Farm reversed itself and denied Willard's insurance claim. Soon after, State Farm canceled Willard's coverage, leaving him with a battered roof that no other company would insure.

Entire story on NPR
 
I had to put in a claim when my cellar flooded after receiving 4 inches of rain in an hour. My insurance only allowed $5000 for water remediation and personal property loss. They considered the water in my basement "sewage" (even though it was rain water that had seeped in). I got a few estimates from restoration companies, the least being $12,000 and I estimated I lost about $500 in personal property.
Their ads say "You're in good hands with Allstate.", but all I got was a finger.
Lucky my neighbor with the help of his friend cleaned it up for $3800. Between that and a dumpster rental, I just about broke even.
 
State Farm is the worst.
Thanks? ;)
It's the one I have right now. Formerly, I had Farmers but they went to a 2% dedcuctible for wind and storm damage, so I switched to State Farm, which I had many years ago. Back then they were good. I've had no claims with them since switching.
 
I have Allstate for many years now.

A roofer told me they were the worst to do business with.

I asked Google if homeowner's covers a roof and it said typically insurance companies will only pay to repair, but not replace a roof.

I had a tree come down in my backyard. The only reason Allstate would pay $4500.00 for its removal was because it destroyed my back wooden fence.

Still, they asked the tree removal inspector if the tree had been hit by lightning. Because if it had been, coverage would have been denied under the condition that it was an "act of God" that knocked it over. It was covered. But man, you would think they could cover $4500 pretty easily and not seek a way out of it.
 
they asked the tree removal inspector if the tree had been hit by lightning. Because if it had been, coverage would have been denied under the condition that it was an "act of God" that knocked it over.
See, I don't understand how they get away with that. Homeowner's insurance covers hail and wind damage, and it seems those would be considered "an act of God."
 
They were the only underwriter that would take me as a customer because of no credit. They also had a local office which was handy. Two years ago, that office closed and my account was transferred to another agency much further away. When I called them to file a claim, they said they didn't handle claims through that office, all they did was sell insurance. I would have to call the main company number. I never heard of an insurance broker that didn't handle claims. :mad:
 
Right now State Farm is being sued in 2 states, mine and OK (?) for not repairing roofs. I've never had a claim but I'm getting more and more concerned about depending on State Farm to do what I've been paying them for for years.
 
Not providing what you pay for has been part of the insurance industry's business model for as long as I can remember. Maybe there are honest insurance companies. I don't know. Over the years, we have been accustomed to expect unfair treatment from them. There's always some new way they can come up with to take advantage. The Act of God dodge is new to me. If I lost my house in a disaster, I would expect to be by an Act of God.
 
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