Allstate dropped our homeowners insurance after shoddy work by

[lottie244]

home builders caused a series of problems that had to be fixed.

this is exactly why working families will never get ahead in the good old USA. Everything is designed by the wealthy for the wealthy. It wasn't our fault that the town house we purched sprang leaks all over after 5 years. Nor was it our fault the the sidewalk and driveway buckled and cause the steps to pull away from the doorstep and cause the door frame to pull away from the house. In short, the home we thought was our starter dream home was a huge lemon. So we fixed it up with the help of our Allstate insurance, put in copper pipes, fixed everything like new and sold the place. We purchased a much better home in a much nicer area and went to get homeowners insurace and was told that Allstate would not accept our application because of all the previous work we had to have done in our former town house. There must be some kind of database that is shared by the insurace companies because we can't get homeowners insurance. I am sick.

Now what about all those wealthy people who buy beach homes and have hurricanes tear them up over and over again or those folks who buy homes in fire alleys and flood zones? They keep getting insurance over and over again because I have heard them say so on TV. Face it, the little guy is totally screwed in this country. We pay taxes and insurance disproportionately to our earnings and still get screwed.

[sbj405]

1. I've read several articles about similar situations

Here's one http://money.cnn.com/2002/11/25/pf/yourhome/q_dropinsure/

Seems like even finding homeowner's insurance is difficult anymore.

[supernova]

2. Sorry you're having a hard time

Insurance companies will pay for destruction caused by natural disasters such as flood and fire, but they won't pay for home repairs. It's something a lot of people just don't realize.

In the case of beach homes, if the homeowner was smart they signed up for the National Flood Insurance Program. That's federal money the insurance companies are spending.

[lovedems]

3. Google rip off report

and tell your story. You might find others who have similar stories to yours with Allstate. It is a message board of how corporations have screwed the average joe as told by the average joe. I would provide the link but the site appears to be down for the moment.

Please check it out. You are likely to find others who share your situation. Do a search for Allstate and see what you come up with. I am not sure if the site is called the rip off report or the bad business bureau. But check it out, you will be happy you did!


Here is one link I got to work

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff19996.htm

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Go local

in my area, there are local insurances co-ops that help folks. Check for some in your area.

[TNDemo]

5. Here's an article about CLUE

Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange. Thanks for bringing this up. I am about to put a contract on a house and I needed this information.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/real-estate/buyerguide2004/get-clue.asp

[supernova]

7. Thanks for that

Shows how widespread the problem is. That's just nasty.

[AlCzervik]

6. My husband broke yet another window playing

golf about a month ago and he left a note for the homeowner who was quite a bitch i might add, i call my agent and ask him about claiming it or not, he said it wasn't worth it because of the deducible but he also told me that after your first claim your rates will creep up and after the second they go up much higher. I asked him about a database and he told me that there was indeed one and the horror stories you hear are true. My husband plays golf abot 4 times a year and he never fails to break someones window or glass patio table, why these people live on a golf course is beyond me.

[F.Gordon]

8. How did you get Allstate to "repair" your home?

I don't know all the details, but the Builder should have had some responsibility here. Even after 5 years. I'm not aware of any HO insurance that covers home repairs. Damage caused by a leaking pipe would be covered, but like I said....I don't know all the details. And structural problems like your steps, driveway, and door wouldn't typically be covered under HO Insurance unless some kind of disaster caused the problem.

Allstate is a terrible company. I've heard stories for years about them dropping people as soon as they file a claim. They'll insure you....but only once. I'd recommend looking into State Farm.

[AlCzervik]

9. From what my agent told me, it's not even about the work

it's about the fact that a claim was filed. I bet the shoddy workmanship claim by allstate was just cover for the real reason.

[F.Gordon]

10. You're right about the claims

My agent showed me a chart once....it uses a tier and time system. "X" number of claims...during "X" number of years. How many claims did the original poster file during the 5 year period? Like I said....don't know all the details....

BTW: We had a customer once that got so tired of replacing broken windows (they lived on a golf course) that they installed bullet proof glass.

[amazona]

14. allstate treated me right

I don't think they are a terrible company. They treated me right -- even paid for my hotel room while my house was uninhabitable. And I had a huge five figure claim. They did raise my rates, but it would take them over 50 years just to get their money back for what they paid me; I just ran the numbers on the calculator.

I think it depends on your area, your disaster, and the competency of your adjuster, if you get a fast, fair settlement.

My neighbor swears up and down that it took State Farm 10 years to pay one of his claims. I called them once to ask a question, and they never returned my call.

So different people, different disasters, different experiences.

My experience with Allstate has been extremely positive, and I think they are a class act, but get the wrong people handling your claim and I suppose it could be very different.

[johncoby2]

11. Been There. Done That. Now I'm an Activist for Consumers

www.hadd.com

Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings

John Cobarruvias
President HADD Texas
281-486-5203

[amazona]

12. where do you live?

According to Kiplinger's, homeowner's insurance is a loss leader for insurers, and they are trying to reduce or end coverage to the four high risk states of California, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. It is scary for me. My home was almost totalled last year by a tropical storm, and Allstate had to shell out in the mid five figures for repairs. The states are supposed to supply high risk coverage when your homeowner's coverage is cancelled, at least Louisiana does, but it is very high priced. Can you call your state insurance commissioner and find out your options? Yes, insurers do share information about claims. Kiplingers said you should no longer file small claims (a couple thousand dollars or so) and you should not even call insurance agents to ask questions about possible claims. I think the story was in the June or July 2003 issue, go to your public library and review the story, it may be able to give you some help. My insurance went from $400 to $660, but admittedly I'm way, way, way ahead on it because of the huge size of my disaster and the resulting claim.

Good Luck on finding new insurance for your home. I'll be thinking of you.

A friend who is a cabinet-making doing custom work for the wealthy has many a tale to tell about how shoddy the McMansions are. So even the wealthy are getting screwed by poor craftsmanship by constractors. It is easier for them to ride it out though. Some people in my area have been mediated because of repeated flooding -- after 4 floods, the gov't will pay you 75 percent of what you paid for your property so you can move -- which is OK for most people in my generally well-to-do area to handle. But for a lower middle class person, it is a hard hit to lose 25 percent of their home's value on top of going through the trauma of 4 floods.

[CanuckAmok]

13. If you have a mortgage...

...tell your mortgage holder (bank, credit union, or whatever) that you're having a hard time getting insurance. They will find insurance for you, because somewhere in the fine print of your mortgage it says you must carry homeowners' insurance on the mortgaged property. Mostr lenders have a good relationship with home insurers, and they can probably find you a decent rate.

My home insurance is actually through my Credit Union; they have their own insurance company.

Don't go back to allstate, though, they bite.

[Cybergata]

15. I hate insurance companies!

They rule this country. We have to have insurance, we have to pay more and more for the insurance, and if you need them, they make you pay for needing them. They will raise your rates or discontinue your coverage.

It is a racket made to get them rich! I've been paying Allstate for ages for car and auto. I haven't asked them for anything, ever. I wish all the money I've paid them could have been given to you when you fixed your first home with no strings attached. Ah no, all that money went into the pockets of the fat cat insurance companies.

:hippie: