If you find this helpful or outrageous, please repost. Due to Allstates handling of my insurance claim for the burglary, I will be switching providers in the next day or two. After having done some research online, I have found that Allstate consistently ranks as one of the worst insurance companies to deal with in the event that you need to make a claim. In fact, Consumer Reports stated that 35% of clients have reported a problem, as opposed to 14% of clients who are insured by smaller carriers. The term Allsnakes came up more than once, and I am inclined to agree with that assessment. For those who want to read the small novel that is the summary of how they handled my claim, please read below. Incidentally, Cheri and I will most likely be switching to Amica insurance for all of our future insurance needs. When I purchased the policy, I asked about insuring the horns specifically. The person I spoke to on the phone (4 years ago) told me that the instruments would require a rider to cover them if any damage or loss happened outside of the home- at a gig, for instance. As I am ridiculously careful with my instruments in public, and had to make my savings last through an additional 4-years of school, I was not worried about damage outside of the home, and did not purchase the rider. I live near a University and was more concerned with theft from my home and wanted to be sure they would be covered in the event of a break in. I confirmed with this individual on the phone that the instruments would be covered if anything were to happen inside the home, but did not get anything in writing (BIG mistake!) When I called to file the claim the day after the burglary, I told the adjuster that I wanted to get the claim rolling ASAP as I needed to replace the instruments in order to continue using them to teach and perform, as this was a part of my livelihood. I asked specifically if the instruments would be covered under unscheduled property several times throughout the claims process and was told repeatedly that they would be, not to worry, and that Allstate was going to take care of this for me. Two weeks later, I received a call from the adjuster that I had been corresponding with. She said that they had priced out the replacement value on the horns and were ready to cut a settlement check, but that she just needed to record a short 15-minute statement. As I had been honest with her for the previous two weeks about how the instruments were used, and had been told repeatedly that they would be covered, I didnt think that anything was awry. She asked a bunch of questions about how the burglar gained access to the house, how soon the crime was reported, joked with me about our dogs, etc., and then said, Tell me a little bit more about how these instruments were used. As I had told her many times in the previous 2 weeks how they were used, I reiterated that they were used for teaching, and performance, and (at her prompting) that these activities generated income. It was at that point that she regretfully informed me that because the instruments were used professionally, they would be scheduled as business items and subject to a limit of $1,000, instead of the $13,000 they had been priced out at with depreciation. To add insult to injury, she added that had I told her that I played them in the home as a hobby, or just had them as family heirlooms, they would have been covered, but since I told her they were used to make money, they were not covered. Keep in mind we had been discussing how the instruments had been used for 2 weeks, and she had told me repeatedly that they would be covered as unscheduled items In addition to not getting the information from the first person I talked to in writing, heres one place I went wrong: The original policy (Allstate will only send you this once- at the very beginning) does state that business items are subject to a $1,000 limit of liability. However, they will send you a 14-page policy renewal packet every year with your bill. After a couple of years of seeing this and reading through it every year for 4 years, I assumed that this was my policy. It is not. The policy renewal packet looks very much like the original policy documents, and lists some, but not all of the coverage limitations. The business items definition is one of the omissions on the policy renewal packet, and there was nothing in this documentation to make me think that the instruments wouldnt be covered. So, yes- do read your policy (and make sure it is THE policy), do purchase a rider, but also beware of claims adjusters and don’t believe anything the insurance company tells you until you have a check in your hand. consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/september-2009/home-garden/homeowners-insurance/overview/homeowners-insurance-ov.htm
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 23:26:16 +0000
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