Complaint Review: Bader

Bader Insurance Company is a joke, literally!

I was sold insurance through Bader when I moved into my first apartment in March of 2009. The manager at the apartment complex told me that before I could move in that I had to obtain renters insurance. She said they had a company that I could go through and it would just be deducted out of my checking every month. I was told that it was just $7/month. I filled out the section of the paperwork about my checking account and signed my name. I never received any paperwork about my policy or anything else.

Around May of 2009, I received a paper stating that my checking account had been overdrawn by Bader. They were not taking $7/month, instead it was $11/month. When I went to the apartment's leasing office to get my policy and paperwork that I signed, the manager said she only had a paper of my policy number. It stated that I was paying $11/month for $5000 personal property and $50000 property liability.

On July 5, 2009, my apartment complex burned down. I heard an explosion outside on the patio, but didn't think anything about it because there had been a 4th of July festival going on. It sounded like a bottle rocket explosion. A couple of seconds later, there was smoke coming into my living room from my patio and I heard something crackling. I pushed my living room blinds back and my patio was covered in flames. I got my son out, while my fianc called 911. It took the fire station a while to get the fire under control. Red Cross was even called to help everyone out. The fire marshal told us that he was listing it as undetermined, and no one at fault.

The next day, I called Bader and reported my claim. They ended up coming out to the scene on July 7, 2009. I was wrote an emergency funds check for $2,500. They declared it as a total lost. They couldn't even walk into my apartment because the boards that hold up the ceiling were laying in my living room. I lost everything and so did my son and fianc. I didn't even have my car keys, so I had to pay for my car to be towed (it has a chip in the key) and pay for the key. I also had to buy my books for my summer classes. Plus, I had to buy a few outfits for my son, fianc, and me. We only had the clothes on our back. My son nor I even had any shoes! Then on July 18, 2009, I finally received the rest of my settlement from Bader. It was another check for $2,500!

Altogether I received $5000 from Bader. I called them because I thought personal property meant for everyone who was on the lease. I figured my son's stuff would at least be covered. I spoke with Roberta who was very rude. I asked her why none of my sons nor fiance's belongings were covered. She asked me if I was capable of reading. I said yes. She then stated that if I would have read my policy then I would have read that neither of their stuff would be covered. I told her that I never received a policy. She then started to say that they could get me for fraud because according to their report, the fire started from a cigarette in a plastic container. I asked her where she got her report from because it was listed as undetermined, but she was unable to answer that question. She also told me that my fiance nor son were on the lease. That is a lie, because I am a full-time college student. I don't work either. In order for someone to be able to lease an apartment, they have to have a job. My fiance was on the lease because he has the income. My son is on there as a resident.

Since this has happened, I have spoke with different insurance companies. All of them have said that they have never heard of this company. One insurance company informed me that this company is not with the state insurance commission, or else my son's items would have been covered. It is just awful because my son's birthday was on July 1, and his birthday party wasn't going to be until July 18. All his present were destroyed, along with his belongings. I can't even have a birthday party for him now until the middle of August. I do not suggest that any get insurance through them.

Olivia
Noblesville, Indiana
U.S.A.