***Official 2023 Weather Thread***

[mapnerd]

Having a contractor, who is legit and will tel you honestly, is the best bet at the beginning. Have them look and then if warranted call and file a claim. I am a project manager for a small central Iowa company and if I see no to very little damage I tell the homeowner it really is not worth filing a claim. If it is damaged I will be there to work with the insurance to get everything that should be owed to the homeowner.

I am looking for a little input and would appreciate any knowledge you are willing to share. We filed an insurance claim a few hours after the 3/31 hail storm. I just did it through the state farm app. Not long after that I contacted a local roofing/siding contractor to have them come out and look at the damage and give me an estimate on repairs. There was damage to the roof, some aluminum fascia, window screens and gutters. That's what he told me anyway and I have no reason not to believe him. I can tell that from his photos. Over the next week or two, my state farm rep (not the local office) contacts him and he sends them info. Hopefully pictures describing the damage, etc. Well his quote to me is X amount. Just yesterday at around 5:30 pm (on purpose I assume), my state farm rep calls and basically says they need to do a 'soft closing' on this claim. The amount they are going to give is about 60% of X it would seem. That is total - but comes in two installments based on depreciation. We can open the case up though and supply supplemental information to get more money I guess. Is this normal?

I called my contractor back and he said that state farm has been pretty terrible for this incident. He said they are a multi billion dollar company and yet they are making the small local companies do all of the work. He said to ask for a detailed assessment and damage report (or something like that). I did that and of course had to leave a message. I have no idea how they came to the amount they are going to give me.

So all in all this seems pretty crappy. It seems to me they are going to give a low ball blanket amount on all of their claims, and if you REALLY want what you are rightly owed then you have to fight a little harder for it.

Any help would be appreciated. Let me know if I have a good reason to call and scream at my local state farm rep Monday morning. I'm willing to accept that I may be wrong. I've never done this before.

 

[somecyguy]

So all in all this seems pretty crappy. It seems to me they are going to give a low ball blanket amount on all of their claims, and if you REALLY want what you are rightly owed then you have to fight a little harder for it.

Any help would be appreciated. Let me know if I have a good reason to call and scream at my local state farm rep Monday morning. I'm willing to accept that I may be wrong. I've never done this before.

I don't have any direct advice, but I know from multiple people in Cedar Rapids, that State Farm was by far the biggest PITA to deal with after the derecho. They fought everyone, with 2 of my neighbors forced to take them to court to get a proper settlement.

 

[BigBake]

I am looking for a little input and would appreciate any knowledge you are willing to share. We filed an insurance claim a few hours after the 3/31 hail storm. I just did it through the state farm app. Not long after that I contacted a local roofing/siding contractor to have them come out and look at the damage and give me an estimate on repairs. There was damage to the roof, some aluminum fascia, window screens and gutters. That's what he told me anyway and I have no reason not to believe him. I can tell that from his photos. Over the next week or two, my state farm rep (not the local office) contacts him and he sends them info. Hopefully pictures describing the damage, etc. Well his quote to me is X amount. Just yesterday at around 5:30 pm (on purpose I assume), my state farm rep calls and basically says they need to do a 'soft closing' on this claim. The amount they are going to give is about 60% of X it would seem. That is total - but comes in two installments based on depreciation. We can open the case up though and supply supplemental information to get more money I guess. Is this normal?

I called my contractor back and he said that state farm has been pretty terrible for this incident. He said they are a multi billion dollar company and yet they are making the small local companies do all of the work. He said to ask for a detailed assessment and damage report (or something like that). I did that and of course had to leave a message. I have no idea how they came to the amount they are going to give me.

So all in all this seems pretty crappy. It seems to me they are going to give a low ball blanket amount on all of their claims, and if you REALLY want what you are rightly owed then you have to fight a little harder for it.

Any help would be appreciated. Let me know if I have a good reason to call and scream at my local state farm rep Monday morning. I'm willing to accept that I may be wrong. I've never done this before.

I can't claim to be an expert in this but for my roof claim last year I got two checks. An initial one and then another afterwards. They did replace the whole roof and gutters.

Have you contacted another contractor? You may want to get one that is more familiar with ins claims. I used Superstorm because they are local and knew how to deal with adjustors and ins. I would recommend them too, I didn't want to use a fly by night chase the storm out of town company and Superstorm did an excellent job.

 

[mapnerd]

I can't claim to be an expert in this but for my roof claim last year I got two checks. An initial one and then another afterwards. They did replace the whole roof and gutters.

Have you contacted another contractor? You may want to get one that is more familiar with ins claims. I used Superstorm because they are local and knew how to deal with adjustors and ins. I would recommend them too, I didn't want to use a fly by night chase the storm out of town company and Superstorm did an excellent job.

No because the good ones are super busy right now. The one I went with is a recommended contractor by a different State Farm agent in Ames and has worked with them a lot. I figured they would be a good choice.

 

[madguy30]

'Can't wait until April to get out and paddle etc.' I said.

Nature: 'Highs in the 40s or super windy and weird if it's nice all month so STFU'.

 

[SaraV]

Two pair of socks.
Two pairs of pants.
Long sleeve shirt and heaviest hoodie.
Winter coat, scarf, gloves stocking hat.
Blankets.

Off to 13U soccer!

 

[NoCreativity]

Two pair of socks.
Two pairs of pants.
Long sleeve shirt and heaviest hoodie.
Winter coat, scarf, gloves stocking hat.
Blankets.

Off to 13U soccer!

I had a couple friends do the youth soccer thing earlier this week.

Showed a before and after pic where they are toughing it out on the sidelines only to end up back in the car halfway through.

 

[Gunnerclone]

'Can't wait until April to get out and paddle etc.' I said.

Nature: 'Highs in the 40s or super windy and weird if it's nice all month so STFU'.

April sucks now in the Midwest. November is the new April.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Two pair of socks.
Two pairs of pants.
Long sleeve shirt and heaviest hoodie.
Winter coat, scarf, gloves stocking hat.
Blankets.

Off to 13U soccer!

Get the multi pack of the hot hands with the hand/feet/body warmers. Game changer.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Two pair of socks.
Two pairs of pants.
Long sleeve shirt and heaviest hoodie.
Winter coat, scarf, gloves stocking hat.
Blankets.

Off to 13U soccer!

No shoes?

 

[3TrueFans]

No shoes?

Two pairs.

 

[BCClone]

I can't claim to be an expert in this but for my roof claim last year I got two checks. An initial one and then another afterwards. They did replace the whole roof and gutters.

Have you contacted another contractor? You may want to get one that is more familiar with ins claims. I used Superstorm because they are local and knew how to deal with adjustors and ins. I would recommend them too, I didn't want to use a fly by night chase the storm out of town company and Superstorm did an excellent job.

The two checks are common if you have replacement value. If you don’t have that, you get one. The first is after depreciation is taken off. Once it is finished you get the rest. Farm bureau gave me a complete piece by piece statement detailing everything.

 

[madguy30]

Are there current/daily satellite images available that show things like ice cover on lakes?

There's a general snow cover radar type but I can't find anything for ice.

 

[StClone]

Snow is on the ground yet in Central WI from last night's storm. Planting the garden today with spuds, spinach, broccoli, carrots, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce...come what may, or should I say May.

 

[Big Daddy Kang]

April sucks now in the Midwest. November is the new April.

April is the cruellest month...

 

[ClonerJams]

April is the cruellest month...

January would like a word

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Thank God they decided last night to cancel our granddaughters softball games in Ames today, no way I wanted to go sit out in this to watch 3rd graders play softball.
Been spitting snow down here along the Missouri border, glad to just stay at home and play with the dogs.

 

[CychiatricWard]

I am looking for a little input and would appreciate any knowledge you are willing to share. We filed an insurance claim a few hours after the 3/31 hail storm. I just did it through the state farm app. Not long after that I contacted a local roofing/siding contractor to have them come out and look at the damage and give me an estimate on repairs. There was damage to the roof, some aluminum fascia, window screens and gutters. That's what he told me anyway and I have no reason not to believe him. I can tell that from his photos. Over the next week or two, my state farm rep (not the local office) contacts him and he sends them info. Hopefully pictures describing the damage, etc. Well his quote to me is X amount. Just yesterday at around 5:30 pm (on purpose I assume), my state farm rep calls and basically says they need to do a 'soft closing' on this claim. The amount they are going to give is about 60% of X it would seem. That is total - but comes in two installments based on depreciation. We can open the case up though and supply supplemental information to get more money I guess. Is this normal?

I called my contractor back and he said that state farm has been pretty terrible for this incident. He said they are a multi billion dollar company and yet they are making the small local companies do all of the work. He said to ask for a detailed assessment and damage report (or something like that). I did that and of course had to leave a message. I have no idea how they came to the amount they are going to give me.

So all in all this seems pretty crappy. It seems to me they are going to give a low ball blanket amount on all of their claims, and if you REALLY want what you are rightly owed then you have to fight a little harder for it.

Any help would be appreciated. Let me know if I have a good reason to call and scream at my local state farm rep Monday morning. I'm willing to accept that I may be wrong. I've never done this before.

The two checks part is completely normal. They hold back depreciation until work is completed and invoices for. Our company does work for the insurance estimate. Most insurance companies are pretty good at getting the roof part estimate right. We only tend to argue when things are missing from the scope they provide to the homeowners.

You should’ve received a detailed report from State Farm, as is normal for all insurance companies. They will line item out what is being covered in a multi page document. As a contractor, I then sit down with homeowners to review and talk through everything. We do supplement for things if they pop up but most of the time we get all items included before we even start work.

It’s a little harder to answer questions unless I can see paperwork which is why we ask to have that shared with us instead of just sending our estimate because it becomes hard to compare apples to apples. I am always open to chat more in depth via phone calls and you can always DM me and I’ll share. There is a lot of misinformation out there and I only want to help. Ames is where I was born and raised and lived until only a few years ago. Now just down in Des Moines but up in Ames now helping customers.

 

[mapnerd]

The two checks part is completely normal. They hold back depreciation until work is completed and invoices for. Our company does work for the insurance estimate. Most insurance companies are pretty good at getting the roof part estimate right. We only tend to argue when things are missing from the scope they provide to the homeowners.

You should’ve received a detailed report from State Farm, as is normal for all insurance companies. They will line item out what is being covered in a multi page document. As a contractor, I then sit down with homeowners to review and talk through everything. We do supplement for things if they pop up but most of the time we get all items included before we even start work.

It’s a little harder to answer questions unless I can see paperwork which is why we ask to have that shared with us instead of just sending our estimate because it becomes hard to compare apples to apples. I am always open to chat more in depth via phone calls and you can always DM me and I’ll share. There is a lot of misinformation out there and I only want to help. Ames is where I was born and raised and lived until only a few years ago. Now just down in Des Moines but up in Ames now helping customers.

Thanks for the info. I figured the two checks is normal. My issue is they don’t add up to what I think they should. No detailed report yet. State Farm seems like they are just slamming this through. I just don’t want to get screwed. I’m definitely going to call my agent Monday morning.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Just got done with my son's soccer game in Parkersburg. That was cold.