Complaint Review: the co-operators (insurance) - Internet

Early January 2009 upon returning from Christmas vacation it was discovered that there was a large flood that completely filled the basement of my house. The lower level (3 bedrooms) was completely filled with water, wall to wall about 1/4 inch deep. I immediately called the 'emergency line' for my insurance company and started moving furniture, cleaning up the mess and tried to determine how the water got there.  No answer from insurance, so I called the local office to have them aid in filing a claim to the main office.

I spoke with a representative and he assured me he would forward the documents to the head office. Next day, no response... another day still nothing... I phone back and am told that the claim is being reviewed. More waiting!

So... long story short... After a MONTH I was told I was not covered for this type of event and offered a half-assed apology. No onsite visit was ever performed to this point. So getting into February now, I bitterly phone back the local office and demand answers. Finally making some slight progress and CAREFULLY listening to my description of the event the Co-operators send somebody out to look at my property! Oh by the way it's APRIL now! I had cleaned the place to the best of my ability but it was not even close to being livable. There was mould everywhere in the basement, climbing the walls, on the ceiling, on the drywall, behind the drywall, etc... I had started getting sick at the beginning of February (i guess slightly oblivious as to why, but also knowing it wasn't a healthy environment and the mould was likely a factor).

So finally in May 2009, after I had spent countless hours and days cleaning, it was determined that I WAS, and ALWAYS had been covered according to the nature of the event and my contract with the Co-operators!!! 5 MONTHS LATER! So now my home based business was and had been suffering, I wasn't able to meet with clients on-site, I wasn't able to safely have my kids over (the first attempt caused them both to be sent back to their mother with cold/flu-like symptoms), I was sleeping 18-20 hours a day, coughing up blood, hallucinating at night, etc...

FYI I had no other options to stay in another place, nor did I have a driver's license at the time.

So for the full month of May (minus a couple of days) my kitchen upstairs was torn apart, I could not cook (and had no operating vehicle at the time to allow me to go to restaurants), drywall dust was flying, the noise was insane (I couldn't properly work, there were mould spores floating around, noise, everything in the kitchen had been temporarily moved to the living room).

So by this time I am soooo sick, i'm delerious, I am throwing up almost daily, I have no appetite, there is memory loss, confusion, dizziness, etc... and I am still trying to discuss and determine how much coverage I am entitled to under my insurance contract. Having a little faith in the insurance company seeing as how they are actually there doing something with regards to the situation I start asking questions like:
- I cleaned up the water to the best of my ability (over the course of the 4 months your company wasn't here, ANNND rented/borrowed equipment. Am I to be compensated? The amount of time alone that was spent doing this by myself was enormous.
- Is it possible that I can stay somewhere else and will it be covered?
- I'm unable to use my kitchen for cooking and unable to drive anywhere to eat, is there any coverage for that? (Property was rural, no public transit, restaurants/stores/groceries are not within walking distance, etc.
All that was ever offered to me was, initially, a partial reduction in the deductible that I was required to pay!!! If I remember correctly... $500.

So the big kicker here is I had previously been renting the basement successfully since the purchase of the property. The previous tenant had moved out in the beginning of December 2008 and at that time I had listed the rental unit as available and was marketing it through various sources. When I asked the agent, to his face about this being covered I was told directly and without hesitation that this was NOT part of the agreement and would NOT be covered. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT I WAS COVERED FOR THE LOSS OF RENTAL INCOME!!! I was unable to rent the unit during the process (Jan 2009 - June 2009), unable to rent it during the Summer of 2009. All people who came to look at the property loved the location, aesthetics, surroundings however each and everyone of them commented on the smell of mould and politely declined. 

As of today JANUARY 3rd 2013, the house foreclosed. I am homeless and dependant on the kindness of friends, I cannot operate my home-based business out of a suitcase/duffel bag. I lost $90,000 - $100,000 in equity that I had at one time ANNND have been charged over $30,000 in legal fees over the course of time associated with both trying to save the property/mortgage and ultimately in losing it!!!

I am still sick, however thanks to a homeopathic regimen I feel I am recovering and at least back to about 40-50% of the quality of health pre 2009.