Unfortunately, the following blog entry appears to be indicative of a new trend occurring post Katrina and Rita. We really need to get mobilized on tis issue and lobby our state and national representatives!

"1645. House Insurance Doubles
by bsyprsn, 10/17/05 19:34 ET
Unfortunately my house insurance is due this month ... Last year it was $874.00 yr. Now It's going to be $1,725.00 yr. for the same policy. I called to get quotes from another companies and the avg. was about $2,300.00 if there hasn't been any recent claims. "

This could really hurt a lot of people so we need to nip this in the _____ right now.

Tom

The following is important news for those awaiting calls from Adjustors - there is a big difference between a Reference number (the one you get the first time you call) and a Claim number. Also, if after reading this you feel bad, read the following song and I hope you feel better. The team who created it deserve an award!

20575. BywaterBlues.....
by nomoreboard, 9/28/05 14:38 ET
I read your earlier post re La.Cit. Fair Plan, (which is) also my homeowner insurer, and (I) thought the reference number they gave me 3 weeks ago was my claim number. I was shocked to find that , when I called yesterday, it wasn’t and that I was supposed to call back and update my file to get the actual claim number (even though no one ever told me in the many previous calls to them that I had to do this). I suggest that you call them and make sure you have a claim number assigned (as opposed to a mere reference number). They also gave me the number of the adjusting company (Insurance Company) but their line stays busy. This is rapidly turning into a fiasco and Fair Plan policy holders may need to take collective action. I too have State Farm flood insurance and found them to be accessible. Maybe we should start by registering a complaint with the La. Insurance Commissioner. After that, I'm ready to take legal action.

20575.1. 225 291 2773 fax
by BywaterBlues, 9/28/05 14:43 ET
Re: BywaterBlues..... by nomoreboard, 9/28/05

Please find attached (below) the most recent news on the initiation of severral class action lawsuits related to insurance, as well as various inital comments on the net/blogs.

Tom

19465. Insurance Class Action Filed
by Chathamchats, 9/16/05 10:33 ET
As predicted, the class action against the property and casualty insurance industry over its coverage position with respect to the hurricane has been filed in Baton Rouge, according to the TP. The attorneys involved, who are among the most powerful and savvy of the lawyers who typically represent the victims of wrongdoing, have promised to do everything possible to expedite the suit's resolution, and the State Legislature is putting enormous pressure on the industry as well. This is all very good news. All who are or will soon face arguments with their homeowners insurers over the extent of their coverage have reason to feel better about either seeing the carriers pay their limits in fairly short order or be more amenable to compromise. The fact that the insurance industry is also being pressured by the state's lawmakers to be more compassionate is highly significant. This is a factor that should not be overlooked.

19465.1. Awesome news
by Angelle2442, 9/16/05 11:31 ET
Re: Insurance Class Action Filed by Chathamchats, 9/16/05
Awesome post. Additionally, last nite on CNN, the governor of Mississippi stood up and said that he was going to force property and casualty companies to comply. Blanco needs to step up to the plate here in LA too! This is an $800 billion dollar industry folks, insurance companies have the capital to comply.

Please find attached the highlights for today:

Tom

What to Expect -- You Survived the Disaster -- Now What?
A view for a previous hurricane survivor
by "PC Bill" with permission

I can give you a little insight as I went through Charley last year.

I would not put much hope in FEMA, nor waste much time with them. They are good at wasting hours and hours of your time to then only give you pennies.

Fortunately damage to my house was not extensive enough to force me to leave. I could have left, not sure where I could have found a hotel, but chose not to leave. I have pets and I was not willing to end up with more losses from looters. I spent 26 days without electricity, for 16 days driving 30 miles one-way for gas (every other day). Gas was roughly $1.75 a gallon then and a generator used 10 gallons a day. I have no clue about how much gas I used to reach a gas station with power.

I had no income for nearly 45 days. My Insurance deductible was just under $4000.00 due to our Insurance changes after Andrew. I did not see anyone from my insurance company for sixty days. Insurance does not cover a generator, fuel, or basic clean-up. They first insurance money came 75 days after the day of loss. Of course they paid nothing in interest on my money that they kept in their possession for 75 days.

Getting back to FEMA, they sent an inspector out who asked tons of questions, took pictures and gave no advise, no help and no decision. I then got a letter of denial saying I was not eligible for any assistance. This seems to be their standard response. Issue a denial and see if you will push for something. I appealed, jumped through many hoops all wasting many hours that I could have spent, cleaning up, doing repairs, etc. In the end they gave me $383.65, which was exactly half of what I paid for a generator the day after the storm.

Hi all:

Here are today's updates in insurance. Again, any confirmation on whether or not Parc Fontaine had insurance or not would be greatly appreciated (see previous entries and Parc Fontaine entries in the other Polimom forums).

19126. Who does Insurance pay first
by worriedinCal, 9/13/05 18:43 ET
Ok lets suppose the Insurance companies do start paying, who do they pay. If the home was flooded but not totalled, do they pay the lender, do they pay the construction repair company or do they pay the policy holder, Ive never made a homeowner's claim in my life, so I am a little lost.

19126.2. Who does insurance pay
by AndyofCroix, 9/13/05 21:18 ET
Re: Who does Insurance pay first by worriedinCal, 9/13/05
It pays the "Loss payees" listed in the policy. If you have a mortgage and the company is listed as a loss payee, the check will be made payable to both you and the company. If you are having the restoration work done, the mortgage company will probably set up an escrow account to disburse the funds to pay the contractor as various mile stones are met.

19228. INSURANCE-Advance Payments
by JChanes, 9/14/05 13:35 ET
Here's another post from an insurance coverage lawyer. First, and I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, ask for an advance from your insurance company NOW. Don't wait to settle the whole claim (I'm in NYC and handled many, many small business claims on a pro bono basis -- and of all these dozens of claims, the first one to be settled was paid out nine months after 9/11. NINE MONTHS. Most people cannot afford to wait that long.). Here's how you work it: If your insurance company says your claim is worth, say, $1,000 and you think it's worth $100,000, tell them you want the undisputed amount of the claim ($1,000) paid now as an interim payment (if they want you to sign anything to get this money, make sure the document states that this is an "Interim Payment." Write in "Interim" by hand if you have to before you sign.). In most states, insurance companies are obligated to pay undisputed amounts immediately and cannot hold up the whole claim. Not sure about LA, but it's the law in NY, which is much less policyholder-friendly than LA. Second, if you have (or may have had) looting, that is a SEPARATE OCCURRENCE that would trigger coverage under a standard form homeowner's policy. That means you would have coverage (and additional policy limits available) for your looting losses even if you have no coverage for flood losses or hurricane losses, so give notice for your looting losses as well.I would be happy to discuss this in more depth with any of you. Although I cannot take on the kind of pro bono effort that I did after 9/11, I am doing some Hurricane Katrina pro bono work and I would consider the time spent talking to any of you as part of those efforts: I can be reached at 212-785-6543 or emailed directly atsjchanes@aol.com Now I have to put in the standard disclaimer about this not being legal advice, etc., to make my malpractice insurance company happy.