Finally, A Letter from ALLSTATE

“Over two months since my home was flooded by the storm surge from the hurricane and my roof was damaged by the wind and rains.

ALLSTATE has had, since about a week after the storm, my home number (connected to an answering machine at all times), my work number, and my cell number (on me at all times I'm not at home).

Today, I receive a letter from an ALLSTATE Adjuster in Palatine, IL telling me how hard she's been trying to phone me. I am to call her now to make an appointment since she can't get a phone call to me.

She tells me to call a certain number and leave her a message.

I guess I should be happy I even have a claim number.

What a sweet racket to be in!”

“What a crock!

Good luck SS.

Time to change insurance after you get paid?”

“I'll be lucky to get anything.
I did not have 'flood' insurance, but maybe I can get some money for the roof damage.
ALLSTATE told me I didn't need flood as I wasn't in the zone that required it for my home loan.

My only hope is maybe a few dollars from FEMA, but I have to have ALLSTATE officially tell me what they will and will not cover before FEMA will lift a finger.”

“The biggest problem is the major Insurance firms are just stopping writing new policies for MS, so you are stuck with your present insurer if you have a mortgage.

Get rid of the mortgage and only then can you opp for no insurance.”

“SS, why would Allstate tell you that you didn't need flood ins. You property backed up to a canal didn't it?”

“It has to do with how high your house is above sea level, Ewker.
Flood height maps of coastal areas are made and a certain letter class is assigned for floodable areas.
My house was high enough in my area zoned by the maps not to require flood insurance.

Guess what? The maps are just now being found to be incorrect.

I'm not that concerned about the flood damage, what I want is money for the roof.
Flood insurance doesn't cover contents very well anyway. Most of my losses were from the contents.
last edited: 10/31/05 9:25:47 PM”

“If you are not in an area mapped by FEMA as flood zone A (100-year flood zone) or if the area has not been mapped yet, your lender will not require you to have flood insurance. This does not mean that flood insurance isn't available, it just means that you are not required to have it. From what I hear, flood insurance is rather expensive.”

“good luck steve - sounds like you are going through hell.

Insurance - if you put more than one claim of any type in over a 3-year period on your homeowner's insurance you go into a high-risk group and your insurance company will not renew you. That's what happened to me. I had to get high risk/low coverage insurance for a few years until the claims were more than 3-years old.”

“FEMA flood maps are not updated very often. Development affects flood zones significatnly, and as a community developes, the flood zone changes. The county I used to live in just had their maps updated after ~20 or more years of development. Zones changed significantly.

By the way, a 100-year storm has a 1% chance of happening every year, not once every 100 years.”

“Correct wingding.
I've never filed any claim before on my house.
Been in it since mid 1989, ALLSTATE the whole time.
I even got a no claim discount of 5%.
LOL”

“My theory is that the Insurance Companies didn't make any money off the Flood Insurance since it's a Fed program.
The extra cost would make their price look so high, they discouraged it.

Many more people in my area that got flooded, did not have Flood Insurance than did have it.

I'll be buying it after hurricane season is over.”

“SS, glad to hear you heard from them. I wish they had told you that yours was their millionth claim and you had won the vacation of your choice.”

“In defense of AllState, and I am biased since they are a client of mine, they have been absolutely swamped with claims the past 6 months. Try to believe they are working as hard as they can to meet everyone's needs. Please try to be patient. The damage to your property may not be at the top of their to-do list, but it will get done. Every time they seem to get a leg up another natural disaster hits and they are back at square one. Yeah it sucks, but it beats the alternative of not being insured right? Count your blessings my man.”

“LOL
I was wishing on the FL Lotto!

Anyway, the point of the thread was how slow ALLSTATE was to respond and when they finally did kinda respond, they are implying it's my fault, because they couldn't get me on a phone.”

“Stovestomper.

Sad to hear about your loss and frustration.
last edited: 10/31/05 9:55:56 PM”

“Kevin, hoping everything works out for the best for you.”

“bionicear - No reason for TWO MONTHS of being ignored. Someone dropped the ball and it wasn't me.

I got fed up and took last Thur off from work and went to my local ALSTATE Office. After waiting a damn long time I finally got to talk to a young girl who didn't seem to know anything, but she promised me she would look into my problem and call me back that afternoon. She never called.

I suspect she dropped a dime on this Adjuster who wasn't doing her job. Therefore the letter I got today.”

“Anyway, the point of the thread was how slow ALLSTATE was to respond and when they finally did kinda respond, they are implying it's my fault, because they couldn't get me on a phone.”

Well what I help them do is create automated messages that they send out to their claimants informing them of what to do. You should have been given a number to call and your adjusters extension. Try calling 1-800-547-8676. That should get you thru to a real person that can help. Sorry you're having a hard time.”

“Good luck with 'em Stove and hang in there!

Allstate could just be honest and apologize for the fact that they are swamped. Honesty goes a long way. Delays are how insurance companies operate - the longer they can hold onto their money the better. It took about 4 or 5 months after I filed a claim to even get an offer - and there was not major natural disaster complicating things. And, I still keep getting low ball offers on things, in hopes that I will be desperate enough or frustrated enough to settle for less than I'm supposed to get (as is written in black and white).

I don't mean to make this about me. It's just that I can vouch for Stovey's perceptions of how these guys operate.

I can't blame FEMA for not wanting to pay for things that insurance might - but it seems to punish people who have some coverage (i.e. who show responsibnillity).
last edited: 10/31/05 10:04:24 PM”

“The automated messages that AllState sends out via phone are very apologetic and they do exlplain that you could be waiting a long while to get money, because they are completely swamped.”

“A letter! Sniff, sniff. You received a letter! You sure know how to hurt a guy. I can't remember when I last received a letter. Sniff.”

“It's not just ALLSTATE, State Farm and the others are screwing everyone right and left. You should hear the tales my coworkers tell. One of the Adjusters told one of my bosses he would only get 17 cents for each tab broken from a shingle. LOL

I feel I'm going to need a lawyer.”

“The only letters I receive are my "friends" at Metro Water or Sprint asking me to send them more money. I hate getting the mail. No mail is good mail.”

“Stove: A good adjuster is worth the 5% they take (or up to 10%). Mine was a lawyer and a contractor. He kept telling me to be patient, but when the company really got audacious he did manage to crack the whip and get them moving.

I'm sure there is better information you have specific to this situation, so if my advice isn't good - just take it as a gesture of support.”

“pedx, you are correct about FEMA.
People with no insurance had checks in hand weeks ago.

I found out my parents had no insurance on their house. I had no idea.
The FEMA guy came out, looked over their minor damage to their shingles. They received a check from FEMA for the Generator they bought and had their shingles paid for.

FEMA will not touch me till ALLSTATE does what they are supposed to do.”

“And I'm just trying to cheer you up! Sniff, sniff. He got a letter! Sniff, sniff.”

“LOL
I did laugh when I read your first response nowghostly.”

“Why should FEMA be responsible for anyone's damage? Why should I pay for your home repairs? Did I at some point when I was drunk encourage you to move into a hurricane prone region? Funny, I don't recall doing that. Take it on the chin and move on. AllState will pay in due time. They aren't one of the largest insurance companies in the world because they don't take care of their customers. Remember...you're in good hands! I called that number I gave you BTW and spoke with someone. So you could call and they will be glad to help you ASAP.”

““Why should FEMA be responsible for anyone's damage? Why should I pay for your home repairs? Did I at some point when I was drunk encourage you to move into a hurricane prone region? Funny, I don't recall doing that. Take it on the chin and move on. AllState will pay in due time. They aren't one of the largest insurance companies in the world because they don't take care of their customers. Remember...you're in good hands! I called that number I gave you BTW and spoke with someone. So you could call and they will be glad to help you ASAP.”
bionicear
10:25:46 PM
10/31/05

These Insurance workers sure are touchy.
Everyone is talking trash about such fine companies.
LOL

Dude, don't take it so personal. My friend Radagast is in Insurance up to his eyeballs and I still like and would hike with him anytime.
last edited: 10/31/05 10:37:14 PM”

“I don't work for allstate, I am a contracted laborer of sorts. I have no real dog in this hunt other than to try to help you. I encourage you to call the number I gave you. I think it should help you.”

“bionicear, that is the 1-800-54-STORM number ALLSTATE uses for every hurricane.
Who do you think I called to make a claim?
I called that number TWO MONTHS ago.
The number I will be calling is the number of the Adjuster that sent the letter today during biz hours tomorrow.”

“Good luck SS!

Last year when Ivan came through...it took me two weeks to get an Adjuster to my house...and I live in North Alabama!!

Hang in there! Keep praying that your numbers will come through!! LOL”

“It would bother me to hear a story about how I couldn't be reached when I knew my phone and answering machine were both working.

SS, this kind of chronic stress is not what you need for your blood pressure. I just keep remembering how you were wanting/needing a backpacking trip BEFORE Katrina. I hope there's a way to get something 100% relaxing on the calendar soon.”

“Sometimes you just gotta take charge of your own calendar. No one will do it for you.”

“Sorry to hear about your insurance headache. Woohoo, hurricanes. Good thing you're a backpacker - you've always got a tent handy when the roof springs a leak :)”

“Why should FEMA be responsible for anyone's damage? Why should I pay for your home repairs? Did I at some point when I was drunk encourage you to move into a hurricane prone region? Funny, I don't recall doing that. Take it on the chin and move on. AllState will pay in due time. They aren't one of the largest insurance companies in the world because they don't take care of their customers. Remember...you're in good hands! I called that number I gave you BTW and spoke with someone. So you could call and they will be glad to help you ASAP.”
bionicear
10:25:46 PM
10/31/05

Freudian slip?”

“After last years hurricanes, I had a tree in one of my rental properties and I couldn't get in touch with my insurer. I finally used my own money to fix everything! I finally heard from them 3 1/2 to 4 months later. After that they were great but the whole nobody returning my calls not even being able to get through. I feel your pain.

Get ready for the mass exodus of major home insurance companies from your state. Same thing happened in Florida. Yeah sure all the insurers still wanted to keep writing more lucrative auto insurance policies but not do business in the home insurance business in FL, oh they had to petition the state to do it and FL let them. LOSERS!!!


So good luck! Count your blessings as I know you are.”

“Out here in California, not too many of us have earthquake insurance - we'll be looking toward FEMA when a big one hits. I can think of worse things that our tax dollars can and are used for.”

“I have earthquake insurance, but am considering dropping it. The deductible is really high, so it will only be valuable if our home is a total loss. It is already bolted to the foundation, and the foundation is in good condition, but I could add more bolts and some sheer strengthening. Once I do that, it is highly unlikely our house would be a total loss, even in a gigantic quake, so I'll drop the coverage. There is expected to be a big earthquake here sometime in the next 30 years....”

“Bowlder - one thing to consider, is when you design a building for hurricanes you intend for their to be no damage. When you design a building for earthquakes you intend for their not to be a catostrophic loss. You expect and actually intend for their to be damage. Just an fyi.”

“They're not one of the biggest insurance companies out there by giving out a dime more than they are forced to.”

“I wonder if I can get volcano insurance? Yellowstone's going to blow one of these days ya know.”

“You mean the free market isn't all it's cracked up to be either?


If it were me, I'd hire an attorney.”

“Oh, yeah, dayhiker. I think I'll take a stucco and plaster class, 'cause I'll need it!”

“Insurance companies are spawn of the devil.”

“Lawyers are the checks and balances to the insurance company.”

“Lawyers are spawn of the devil.”

“Called the number the Adjuster had in the letter.
As I expected, got her voice mail with a very long spill about how it might take her a long time to return my call due to all the work she has.
Still I left my cell number and claim number as requested.
Maybe she will return the call today, maybe next month, maybe never.”

“Lots of good people work for the insurance companies. Actually the first adjuster for the company I worked with (against) - was resonable. I disagreed with his assessments, but he was timely and was doing his job - making an opening offer for negotiations. It was the higher ups who took months before authorizing the numbes he came up with to be presented as a formal offer.

The contractor who works for them and has come out to the house was a thoroughly decent guy, too. He ws no pushover and definitely contested things - and insisted on thorough documentation of expenses.

Advocating for the company is one thing, stonewalling and unecessary delays are another. If the insurance company delays 6 months, the money works for them that much longer - while the customers are stuck paying interest on borrowed money.”

“Day 2, Call Number 2 into the ALLSTATE Adjuster's voice mail box of death.

Still no reply.
I guess they are just too busy.”