Pekin Insurance

[cycloneG]

We got hosed initially because we got a terrible adjuster (according to our contractor who's dealing with multiple clients that were serviced by him). Ever since then it has been an absolute battle to get things covered because they keep wanting more and more proof and documentation. They originally only wanted to replace 20% of our roof and it took 3 further communications to get it 100% damaged out after I learned about the line of sight law. Only want to replace 3 of the 4 sides of gutter, don't want to pay full disposal cost, just a ton of little things that are adding up to multiple thousands of dollars in addition to the deductible. They have now simply stopped returning my calls for the last 3 months. We're probably going to just end up eating the cost because I'm sick of it (which I know is what they're hoping for).



This has been the most aggravating part of all of it. This was my first homeowners claim so maybe I was naive, but I have been flabbergasted at the fact that my agent has done literally nothing and is able to collect a paycheck from selling our policy. Everything goes through corporate. If that is the model, why don't they just sell the policies directly and cut out the middle man so they have more money to pay on claims?

That sucks! I've had zero contact with my agent during this entire process. I just submitted the claim through SF app on my phone so I could include pictures with the claim. Had a great video chat with our assigned adjuster as I walked around our property showing all the damage while they took screenshots for their report. Received our payout three days after the video chat. It was our first home claim as well and it couldn't have been easier.

 

[nrg4isu]

You can request an engineer's inspection. They'll come in and do a thorough inspection and rebuild all the weather from the time frame.

I was sarcastically told by the adjuster that I can go that route but it'll cost me around $5,000. That's just silly. If the contractor can determine that there is hail damage within 5 minutes and the adjuster can determine that there isn't hail damage within 10 minutes, then surely a 3rd party can make a determination within an hour.

 

[jdolson]

Maybe this exists and I'm not aware of it, but can the roof/shingles be a separate portion of home insurance with different terms? I'd be perfectly happy to have something like a $5,000 or $7,500 deductible on the roof or even where I cover a percentage of the replacement cost (maybe like 25% or 35%) if it meant I see less premium increase.

The main reason I want home insurance is for total or almost total home loss (fire, tornado, major flood, large tree falls on the house, etc.). I'd rather self insure for most anything that's under $25,000.

Check with your Agent and see if they provide a seperate Wind/Hail Deductible....Many of them have either made that a option or flat out enforced it on policy renewels.

On a side note, if the current weather/loss situation continues I could see someday in the future having to go to a seperate source (specialty company, the goverment (OH GOD, Please GOD, NOOOO), etc...) to get coverage for Wind and hail on homes and business.....Insurance compaines would then provide coverage for all other perils...

 

[Agclone91]

That sucks! I've had zero contact with my agent during this entire process. I just submitted the claim through SF app on my phone so I could include pictures with the claim. Had a great video chat with our assigned adjuster as I walked around our property showing all the damage while they took screenshots for their report. Received our payout three days after the video chat. It was our first home claim as well and it couldn't have been easier.

I had the same video chat with an adjuster - It went extremely well. Then I got a call two days later saying that they couldn't verify roof damage from our video chat and they sent out an in person adjuster who was supposed to just look at the roof, and he re-did everything and took off a bunch of things the video adjuster had damaged out. It was all down the shitter from there.

 

[ruxCYtable]

We got hosed initially because we got a terrible adjuster (according to our contractor who's dealing with multiple clients that were serviced by him). Ever since then it has been an absolute battle to get things covered because they keep wanting more and more proof and documentation. They originally only wanted to replace 20% of our roof and it took 3 further communications to get it 100% damaged out after I learned about the line of sight law. Only want to replace 3 of the 4 sides of gutter, don't want to pay full disposal cost, just a ton of little things that are adding up to multiple thousands of dollars in addition to the deductible. They have now simply stopped returning my calls for the last 3 months. We're probably going to just end up eating the cost because I'm sick of it (which I know is what they're hoping for).



This has been the most aggravating part of all of it. This was my first homeowners claim so maybe I was naive, but I have been flabbergasted at the fact that my agent has done literally nothing and is able to collect a paycheck from selling our policy. Everything goes through corporate. If that is the model, why don't they just sell the policies directly and cut out the middle man so they have more money to pay on claims?

Why would you want your agent involved? Your insurance company has a claims department that does nothing but specialize in claims.

If you want to cut out the middle man, you have that option. Ever heard of Progressive?

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Why would you want your agent involved? Your insurance company has a claims department that does nothing but specialize in claims.

If you want to cut out the middle man, you have that option. Ever heard of Progressive?

20/40/15, $1000 med pay and no UM/UIM and a $2500 deductible baby!!!!

 

[Agclone91]

Why would you want your agent involved? Your insurance company has a claims department that does nothing but specialize in claims.

If you want to cut out the middle man, you have that option. Ever heard of Progressive?

Like I said, first insurance claim so maybe I was naive, I didn't expect him to the adjusting or anything like that. I did however think he would support at least in some fashion when I've let them know I'm running into issues, or at least check in once in a while to see how things were going.

 

[CascadeClone]

Why would you want your agent involved? Your insurance company has a claims department that does nothing but specialize in claims.

If you want to cut out the middle man, you have that option. Ever heard of Progressive?

Your agent knows the internal processes and usually will act in your interest to help you navigate the process. Ours really helped with our derecho claims, esp when the good claim rep we were working with got promoted, and was replaced by a dead in the ass useless chump.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Your agent knows the internal processes and usually will act in your interest to help you navigate the process. Ours really helped with our derecho claims, esp when the good claim rep we were working with got promoted, and was replaced by a dead in the ass useless chump.

We basically facilitate communication and can at least push the process along sometimes.

Unfortunately, sometimes you get a dog **** adjuster and we're just as frustrated as you are.

 

[ruxCYtable]

20/40/15, $1000 med pay and no UM/UIM and a $2500 deductible baby!!!!

We don't write anything less than 100/300. Keeps the riff raff out. Now we're also going to stop writing monoline so that will likely be the end of our relationship with Progressive. No more people calling for SR22 and cancelling it after they get their license back.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

We don't write anything less than 100/300. Keeps the riff raff out. Now we're also going to stop writing monoline so that will likely be the end of our relationship with Progressive. No more people calling for SR22 and cancelling it after they get their license back.

Same, our baseline is 250/500 but we'll write 100/300 if they really push. There's just not enough premium difference there to not take the increased coverage.

The only reason that we've kept Progressive is for kids of current customers that are out on their own for the first time. Their rates can't be beat on those in most cases and that matters for kids that don't have any money.

We've gone to referring people with SR22/bad history/gaps/bad credit to Special Drivers Agency because not only do we really not want the business, they deserve to have access to markets that we don't have/don't want. I'd much rather them have SOMETHING from a surplus/specialty market than something that's not going to stay in force in the standard market.

 

[nfrine]

Your agent knows the internal processes and usually will act in your interest to help you navigate the process. Ours really helped with our derecho claims, esp when the good claim rep we were working with got promoted, and was replaced by a dead in the ass useless chump.

Are you saying Brian Ferentz is now a claim rep?

 

[ripvdub]

So are they pulling out of iowa for everything? I have a good friend that works for them.

 

[chadly82]

So are they pulling out of iowa for everything? I have a good friend that works for them.

Following lol I am starting as an independent next week

 

[Althetuna]

Our insurance company was going to cancel our policy because of "streaking" on our roof indicating potential damage. Needed to call out an inspector. Inspector said its typical disoloration. Roof was still functional.

...but the roof did show hail damage so now we have claim filed.

Adjuster coming this week to look. I'm anticipating a complete ********.

So an update...

Our insurance company approved the hail damage claim. We're getting a new roof and gutters.

So recap:
Insurance company was going to cancel our policy on a mistaken assumption roof underlayment was bad.

Inspector found roof structurally sound but did find hail damage. Insurance adjuster confirmed.

We're now getting a new roof and gutters. I'm not complaining but this couldn't have been the result our insurance company was after.

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

I'm licensed in 9 different states.... and SF has the same reputation in all of those states of being difficult in paying (actually mostly denying roof claims). Very strange since they have a TON more money than the other carriers. They never used to be this way... I think this new tactic started about 5-7 years ago. Maybe they need the money to pay Mahomes and Rodgers, lol.

They have such large market share in certain regions they will periodically stop selling policies for an extended period of time.. They have done this in Texas a few times over the years. They stop writing policies until other business grows to shrink market share (Texas example) of their total risk exposure.

 

[BCClone]

Hail damage from an Insurance standpoint, is usually 6 or more hits in an 10 foot by 10 foot square. If you have 6 or more hits inside that square, the roof is considered to be shot.

Adjuster that I dealt with said 10 hits on a slope.

 

[ClonerJams]

I guess you could say they've fallen down........


the Pekin order

 

[BCClone]

Like I said, first insurance claim so maybe I was naive, I didn't expect him to the adjusting or anything like that. I did however think he would support at least in some fashion when I've let them know I'm running into issues, or at least check in once in a while to see how things were going.

If they are not checking in, you have a crappy agent and need a new one. I’ve never had zero reach out from an agent in a claim

 

[cytor]

I always stand up for my clients when they need or want me. Fortunately I have had really good adjusters, so things have gone well.