Insurance claims

[stiles watson]

When I was talking to the parts and service department about materials to repair the roof, they suggested that my insruance company would probably cover the replacement of the entire roof. This damage occurred while traveling on a public street in my stick house neighborhood. I have about 35' of small tears as a limb bounced along my roof.

Questions:
(1) Have any of you ever filed such a claim and if so, what was your experience with the insuring entity?
(2) Is an incident like this treated as an automobile accident?
(3) If you have had such a claim, did you face cancelation?

The answer to these questions are important because If it is treated like an auto accident, then rates on all my vehicles would be subject to increase due to the points system in the State of Texas. Cancelation would make it difficult to obtain the required coverage to satisfy the note holder.

I can fix the roof myself for about $30,00. The replacement would run about $4000.00. My experience as a mental health provider is that insurance is an ingma wrapped in a mystery then clocked in confusion. A new roof would be desirable but....

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Knock on woood (tapping on his head) I haven't had to make any insurance claims in years and hope I never have to. Vehicle Insurance is like that fire extinguisher, you have it but you really don't want to ever have to use it.

I would think a call to your insurance company would be the next likely step. They aren't going to raise your rates by merely asking a few questions.

[Bill and Ann]

I wouldn't count on it. I know someone who had their insurance cancelled for asking about possible repairs to their vehicle.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Maybe in Canada but here in the states such action would call for a law suit as the insurance carrier would have absolutely no justification for such an action.
I tried to find the actual case without any luck but there was a court case where an insurance company canceled a persons policy when the client ask what would happen if their "covered" daughter had an accident driving their car. They were concerned if the rate would increase. The court ruled in favor of the client and the insurance company was required to reinstate the policy. Of course within days the client turned around and canceled the policy. Not 100% if the insurance was State Farm or Allstate. I do recall it had the word state in it's name.

[stiles watson]

Additional information: The carrier is Formost. Perhaps someone has had exerience with them.

[Gene Chaltry]

I had coverage with Cincinnati Insurance. IN 2002 while in North Dakota, My roof started coming off due to the wind. Had it replaced in Minot. Insurance didn't want to cover it but finally it did. YES, it counts toward your other vehicles. You get three claims on any of them and your insurance rates WILL go up.

[Treecounter]

$4000. Seems a bit steep for a roof. I would check around for bids. Insurance is a rip off if you don't use it they don't lower your rates but if you use it they do. They can't lose. Glub is a retired Marine Insurance agent.

[Montana_1774]

Answer to question # 1: Yes
Answer to question # 2: Yes
Answer to question # 3: No

I tore the roof of a 30' fifth wheel by way of getting up close and personal with a low hanging tree limb. Insurance Carrier is USAA. Repairs were made to the tune of $5500. to include replacement of top portion of nose cone. Rates did go up, but no threat of cancellation. Foremost. That scares me. They are big in the Mobil Home business and are pretty close with their adjustment. They cannot cancell you for asking a question. $4000. for the replacement is not out of line, based on what me and USAA paid.

[Sue]

Ahhhh....something I can say I know about. (I own an insurance agency). Never heard of your rates going up for asking questions, but someone did mention here about rates keep going up and never down, and without sounding like I agree with EVERY company and their policies, they go up because the cost of living goes up, this is how they keep up with inflation. All of our Homeowners policies are sold with a 4% inflation guard (meaning the coverages go up automatically by 4% every year)

With that said, this is what you pay premiums for, and I can't answer for Foremost, but you most likely will have to pay your deductible first. Here in Michigan we are "No Fault" not sure what you have, but since there is no other vehicle involved you most likely will be charged as "at fault" and most likely your rates will go up if the underwriter reviewing your file at renewal does his/her job right. There is NOT a ticket involved from the police, but the at fault SHOULD follow you from carrier to carrier as everything is now on computers.

Insurance companies now (I dont' agree mind you) can give you discounts depending on your "credit score". The better the credit, the more discounts you can get. Don't figure that one, but I am not the company.

As far as "Facing Cancellation" I can only state what our 30 some companies would do, and if you have 3 claims within a 2 year period they can cancel you. They also can surcharge now depending on what your claims are.

Long and short, don't claim every little incident. Save it for the big ones, which I would consider this a BIG one.

Hope I helped.

P.S. We represent Foremost too. So far no bad experiences with the claims adjusters. But, you can get a bad one that will put a bad taste in your mouth. Just like anything else discussed here, it's the people that represent the company and its the people that work for the companies that can either "make it or break it".

(sorry for such a long response)

[stiles watson]

I did call the insurance company as asked about a "suppositional" case. Of course the deductible would apply, but cancellation would not be a question unless the insured indulged in frequent claim activity.

The trouble is I know that I can do the repair and make it water tight for lesss than $10 worth of materials. None of it is visible from the ground. So it is $10 vs $250 deductible. It boils a Scotsmsn's blood to spend money unnecessarily. But then there is a new roof to be had. Grumble, grumble.....

[tbhd]

We tore our roof on a low branch that was hidden from view in a campground in Wall South Dakota. We have AAA and they assigned me with a three point at fault accident. And yes, my rates did go up. My agent told us that we should have gotten a police report and sued the campground as they had assigned us the site and knew there was a low branch on that site. Live and learn. Also, for replacing the roof, shop around for a price as we found they can be very different from place to place.

[Sue]

quote:Originally posted by tbhd
My agent told us that we should have gotten a police report and sued the campground as they had assigned us the site and knew there was a low branch on that site.

AAA claims should of subrogated with the Campgrounds insurance carrier if he really felt you had a case...