Allstate Allstate - Craig Simmons Agency Chattanooga, Tennessee Homeowners Insurance Fraud - added non-existing square footage to our 'livable dwelling' space months after policy went into effect; showed in escrow and says his appraiser ? drove by our home from outside says it's bigger and our 24 page certified appraisal is wrong; added $600 to our policy; disputing and getting knowwhere meanwhile our mortgage payment is $50 more each month until we get resolved Chattanooga Tennessee
After being an Allstate customer for 20 years, my husband and I purchased our home last year and decided to bundle our services. I live in a 1200 sq foot home and this home belonged to my father in law before we bought it from him. We were quoted $1007 and proceeded to have this escrowed with our lender. When policy came out agent wrote it for several hundred dollars more than $1007 and I had to call and dispute and the agent put blame on his assistand and said it would be corrected prior to closing on our home. This was March - April of 2013.
In December of 2013, I was setting up bill pay with Wells Fargo when the rep mentioned our payment was going up in 2014, by $50. She asked if we wanted to write a check or pay each month on our mortage payment which is what we opted to do. She said this could happen for different reasons and had me think our property taxes increased. A month or so later, I remember seeing our policy and not thinking, glazed over the homeowners seeing that it went from $1007 to over $1500, over 53%!! I began investigating and calling my agent, who by the way is terrible at follow through or follow up. He said 'his appraser," what drove by our home which is common practice now due to number of fraud claims in the south with our bad weather, and said our home is not 1200 square foot, but 1800 square feet, a tri-level with fire place. First of all my home is split level, no basement, no fireplace. Craig, the agent said you don't live in a 3 story home? No, let me send you the appraisal and we can fix this and move on. I spent time going back to original title company and they sent the 24 page certified appraisal, veriying our 1200 sq ft home. He said this is what I need and didn't get back to me for a month. I reached out this May, expressing my frustation that it's been a month, he apologized and said it was fixed, I was going to receive a $466.00 refund. First of all, it should have been retroactive and refund should have been over $500, but regardless I waiting for my refund check, never arrived. Second, I did receive my updated policy and not only did it not go down, it went up another $5.00!!! It still said $1800 sq feet with fireplace, blah, blah, blah. Ok - now I'm really beginning to get upset, game on! I called him again and suggested he look because he did NOT fix the policy, he actually increased it.
....also on a side note, I've been price shopping and have discovered Allstate is charging me an average of 50% higher rates and other carriers.
Craig, my agent, says he'll put a call into his appraiser in the morning. The appraiser disagrees with the 24 page certified appraisale from home sale. His 'drive by' appraisal skills are far more accurate.
At this point, I'm afraid of what I may say to Craig at Allstate and have my husband phone yesterday, 6-11-14. The agent seems to care less and understand that I, Joe's wife doesn't feel she is getting the service she deserves. Also, tells my husband, Joe, that 'it's complicated, these things take time...I wish it wasn't taking so long.' (regarding the false addl square footage on my home they are charging me for....6 months so far!)
Our agent basically says to let him know when he should 'drop' us. I have seen this same scam going on with Allstate on ripped off report and I haven't even started scouring the internet for more cases of this fraud....here is my $0.02. Allstate is looking for a way to increase revenue's to cover the added expense of all the claims over the past couple years. THey are doing this at the expense of their customers....This is a way to increase their cash flow while they pay out these claims, meanwhile buying time with extra money in their pockets until we figure out what they are doing. My agent has still not fixed the problem. He is overcharging me saying my home is bigger than it really is, even with an appraisal. His appraiser has never stepped foot in my home. How is this legal? Thisis wrong and I hope someone will take on a class action lawsuit before Allstate slides it under the rug.
Jennifer C. Lxxxxx