USA Small Town America & "IT'S THE JOE SHOW" PROPERTY DAMAGE INSURANCE TRUTH! GET IT HERE!!    IT'S NOT COVERERED UNDER YOUR POLICY! IF we've heard that once, we heard it a thousand times!! RE-READ your policy!! Read the fine print!! Consult with the experts in property damage claims! RE-READ YOUR POLICY AGAIN! If you cannot locate your policy, have your agent provide you with a copy!! This is VERY IMPORTANT!!! Policy conditions requires you to prove your loss to the insurance company. Most people falsely believe that when they have a claim they can just call the insurance company and leave it up to them. All property insurance policies have a section that is titled "REQUIREMENTS WHEN LOSS OCCURS" this section of the policy spells out your responsibilities. Generally you are required to provide immediate written notice to the insurer of any claim. This does not necessarily mean that you have to sit down and write a letter. In fact, in most cases a telephone call to your agent will suffice to meet this requirement. The agent will generally fill out a form that is sent to the insurer relaying the information you have furnished to the agent about the particulars of your claim. Claims adjusters from the insurer are generally divided into to segments, staff adjusters (work directly for the company, capitive empolyees) independent adjusters,(work for independent companies hired by the insurer on a case by case basis to adjust its claims.) Claimants often believe that independent adjusters receive a cut of what they save an insurance company, this is not true. Nonetheless, the independent does have a vested interest in protecting the insurer. Common sense tells you that the independent adjuster has to put the insurer first since future assignments depend on keeping the company happy. MANY TIMES AGENTS DO NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE POLICY THEY SOLD TO YOU THEMSELVES! IF DENIED, BY AGENT OR COMPANY; Ask for specific reasons for denial, and ask them to indicate in writing - where in the policy it says your claim is not covered! If you still feel your loss should be covered, AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY STILL DOES NOT WANT TO PAY, then it's time to get an attorney and/or a public adjuster! CASE FILE STATISTICS #1: Joe Caulfield had ONE CASE DENIED exactly AS THE SAMPLE ABOVE! Yet upon Caulfield's evaluation of the policy, and after evaluating the conditions causing the loss, Caulfield was confident the loss was covered. They called the insurance company. GUESS WHAT? THE INSURANCE COMPANY PAID THE CLAIM! AND THIS CLAIM WAS SUBSTANTIAL, ESPECIALLY TO AN ELDERLY MAN IN HIS UPPER 70'S, WITH LIMITED INCOME, WHO LOST ALMOST EVERYTHING IN HIS LOWER LEVEL/BASEMENT, and CARPETS, CONTAMINANTS, ETC., ON HIS FIRST FLOOR. BUT CAULFIELD WAS ABLE TO COLLECT THIS GENTLEMAN THE PROPER DOLLAR AMOUNT! THEREFORE, RE-READ YOUR POLICY, OR CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL OR EXPERT!! GROSS UNDERPAYMENT ON YOUR CLAIM! Your insurance Adjuster has a contractor who can make repairs for about HALF the actual damages! EVER WONDER WHY? Perhaps they SUPPLEMENT the claim, collect the money from the insurance company, then - of course - there is THE POSSIBILITY OF MONEY EXCHANGING HANDS, YET YOU ARE STUCK WONDERING IF THE CONTRACTOR RETURNED YOU TO PRE-LOSS CONDITION!!! FIRST THING TO KNOW: IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, IE; PUBLIC ADJUSTER - GET YOUR OWN ESTIMATES! Get 2 or 3 estimates! Make sure all damages are listed for repairs! REMEMBER, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESENT YOUR LOSS TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY ~ IT SAYS SO RIGHT IN YOUR POLICY! ALSO, Remember to ALWAYS get EXPERT advise on damages, to the extent of damages, including, insulation, stud walls, contamination, smoke infiltration and mold!! It's the damages you DON'T see that can kill you! Finally, IT'S YOUR PROPERTY, BUSINESS OR HOME! The Insurance Company owes you to 'put you back in the same condition - as prior to the loss' IT IS YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FAMILIES' HEALTH, YOUR FINANCIAL WELL-BEING AND YOUR ECONOMIC FUTURE AT STAKE!! WOULD YOU GO TO COURT WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY? WOULD YOU FLY A PLANE WITH OUT A LICENCE OR EXPERIENCE? Of Course NOT! THEN DO NOT BE TAKEN FOR A FOOL BY AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER, WHO ~ IN ALL PROBABILITY ~ DOES NOT HAVE A LICENCE TO REPRESENT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES! REMEMBER ~ THEY REPRESENT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES!! WHO REPRESENTS YOU???? GET YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL/EXPERT! IT SAVES TIME & MONEY, GET YOU INDEMIFIED & HAVE YOUR PROPERTY RESTORED CORRECTLY AND FOR THE PROPER DOLLAR AMOUNT! ASK IF YOUR INSURANCE ADJUSTER IS LICENSED IN YOUR STATE; GET HIS QUALIFICATIONS FOR EVALUATING YOUR LOSS AND DAMAGE YOU ARE ENTITLED!!! Save 25% on Domain Names! DENIAL OF CLAIM ~ IT'S ARSON!! The First thing the Insurance Company wants to do is DENY YOUR CLAIM! If you are late on any monthly payments, BEWARE! YOU could be suspected of ARSON! Not only do they NOT PAY YOUR CLAIM ~ THEY CAN THROW YOU IN JAIL! PARTIAL PAYMENT ON TOTAL LOSSES! In some States, the VALUE POLICY LAW is in effect, but is OFTEN IGNORED by the insurance company! In such cases; the Insurance Company CAN NOT DENY THAT THE PROPERTY IS WORTH THE VALUE FOR WHICH IS WAS INSURED! Then; if they do pay and you are under-insured, they want to TAKE ALL YOUR DAMAGED PROPERTY!