Complaint Review: American Bankers Insurance - Assurant Specialty Property

On December 15, 2007 my home was lost to fire. I have insurance with Assurant Specialty. They were closed for the weekend with not a single contact to report the event to.

On Monday Dec. 17th I called and filed a claim. I did not get any information about what to do about a place to stay or asked if I needed any assistance.
I called back and asked to speak to the person handling my claim. She said it would be 2 days before I'd hear from a field adjuster that would make an appointment to come out to my property.

I asked if it could be sooner since this was a total loss. She said that I was not the only one with a total loss. go figure. Nellie Valea should not deal with customers. period.

I received no contact for the next several days, with the exception of Nellie calling to say that my claim had gone to the adjusters and they will be calling me within 3 days. During that call I requested money for living expenses and was granted $1000.

So on the 17th I was told that the adjusters had 2 days to call me and then on the 19th it was 3 days. So really she should have said in 5 days. I guess.
On 12/22 I finally got a call from the adjuster. He might be able to make it out later in the week.
The adjuster showed up on 1/2/2008. The adjuster declared my home a total loss and said he'd get the report done as soon as he could.

On 1/23/2008 the property report was finally submitted to Assurant. This was after many many calls by me to both the independant adjuster, Jason Fried, from North American Adjusters and to Assurant.

On 2/27/2008 the adjuster from NAA finally sent it my contents report so that there might be a glimmer of a chance that I might actually see some money for the items I lost in the fire. By now I am imagining recieving 20 cents to the dollar...even though I have full replacement value.

Here it is MARCH 3rd 2008 and I have just been told that if I get a set of receipts in, the very ones I faxed in on 2/8/2008 and that were somehow never recieved, that Nellie could START to process my claim. This is the same professional that called me for the FAX number of Wells Fargo Bank!

Oh, well. it is winter in the Pacific Northwest and I am driving 80 miles a day to feed the horses that live where I used to live.

That brings up another point. BE CAREFUL when you get insurance. My burned down house was of no value to Assurant so they opted to exercise their right to leave the thing on my property and give me all of $50 to have it removed and the site cleaned up for a new house. $50 is the maximum so I really should feel lucky.

To date, I have received $1000 and the promise of another $1200 as advances on my contents funds.
I have been treated badly. Avoided. Lied to. and buffaloed.

I have filed a complaint with the Washington State Insurance Commissioner's office. I hope to hear tomorrow what they have been told.

Sheri
Deer Park, Washington
U.S.A.