In reply to ebonyandivory:
Man hit zero and get someone. Your patience is astounding. As an agent I've has customers call me 3 times in 2 days about a rental reimbursement. GO UP THE FOOD CHAIN. This is work your agent should be doing for you if you have one. Also this still the wrong side to be working if you haven't pursued the liable party's carrier. We've never heard if you had made contact with the driver's insurance carrier.
In reply to edizzle89:
As of now, I have no intention of asking the adjuster: "So, how long would it take for YOU to get a settlement if a car crashed into YOUR house? Something tells me it wouldn't take 7 months and 15 phone calls would it?".
But I can see it happening!
In reply to carknut:
I need to be absolutely sure that I should do that and I certainly will.
I just need absolute surety that I won't be shooting myself in the foot doing so.
Ps, it's almost funny to be called "patient" so often. No one in my family or circle of friends would dream of calling me that! I'm more likely to put my fist through a door than to open it most times.
In reply to ebonyandivory:
You are the claimant in the situation. There is absolutely no harm in contacting the liable persons carrier. They should have reached out by now is the strange thing.
ebonyandivory,
You have a PM.
In reply to carknut:
I can easily call them but what do I say?
My insurer has already started the ball rolling. There's no harm in starting this up with her company at this point?
carknut wrote: In reply to ebonyandivory: This is work your agent should be doing for you if you have one. Also this still the wrong side to be working if you haven't pursued the liable party's carrier. We've never heard if you had made contact with the driver's insurance carrier.
No, no, no. The agent should not be doing this for you. Nor do you have to pursue the liability carrier. That'll be the job of Liberty Mutual once your claim is settled. You can pursue the other carrier, but at this point I don't think it'll be productive.
Don't overthink or overcomplicate this. Call and get the claims manager on the phone. If he/she isn't available, ask for the director. It's possible the adjuster is out...we all have vacations, things that come up etc...but that doesn't mean your file needs to sit.
All of this other stuff, IMHO, is just wasting your time and causing more headaches. Go directly to the source and push. Get claim leadership on the horn, ask what the status of your claim is. Let me know what you find out.
There appears there may be a "real" reason as to why this situation has happened. My suspicions that it was an internal issue with Liberty Mutual may have been correct.
In reply to ebonyandivory:
The claim should have originated with her carrier in the first place. LM is going to try and subrogate when all is said and done anyhow. There is no harm. If you have the driver's policy number and company name you can call the claims number and see if there is still an open claim on the date of loss. I've seen where the responding officer didn't collect enough/correct info from one party or the other.
carknut wrote: In reply to ebonyandivory: The claim should have originated with her carrier in the first place. LM is going to try and subrogate when all is said and done anyhow. There is no harm. If you have the driver's policy number and company name you can call the claims number and see if there is still an open claim on the date of loss. I've seen where the responding officer didn't collect enough/correct info from one party or the other.
I compleetly disagree with this. If you start a claim with the drivers insurance AND file a claim with your insurance this will do nothing but confuse things and get things screwed up adding one more layer that will have to get sorted out further delaying things. He has started with LM and should press things with LM. (What he paid LM for all these years) Let LM battle it out with the other insurance company.
Klayfish's advice above is sound!!!!
All LM is going to do is subrogate later, if they get around to working your claim. E&I you'll be out your deductible for a period of time too. You'll also see a claim surcharge until/if the claim is subrogated. Liberty Mutual has been great up till this point so have at it.
I'll stay out of it. I just have 16 years of dealing with insurance claims so I was offering advice on what i've personally done in the past with my clients. Waiting on phone calls gets you nowhere.
carknut wrote: All LM is going to do is subrogate later, if they get around to working your claim. E&I you'll be out your deductible for a period of time too. You'll also see a claim surcharge until/if the claim is subrogated. Liberty Mutual has been great up till this point so have at it. I'll stay out of it. I just have 16 years of dealing with insurance claims so I was offering advice on what i've personally done in the past with my clients. Waiting on phone calls gets you nowhere.
We never said to wait on phone calls. Far from it!!! He needs to be on this like white on rice and as you pointed out if he is subject to a deductible and other things then it is even more important to stay on it. Squeaky wheel and all that.
My email to my friend has dug up a real reason that might be the root cause of his issues and he now has options as to how he wants to pursue this. If it all falls apart and LM walks away (never going to happen) then yes he should absolutely pursue the other parties insurance directly but until that happens, in my experience, keeping it clean and simple usually will expedite things.
I just realised something. I deal with insurance on a regular basis for damage to buildings and property and construction related insurance so I have a reasonable understanding as to the system that applies to those things. Where I lack experience is with Auto Insurance. I just don't have accidents with my car or have cars involved in the things I deal with at work. Interesting!!!
Well, contractor was great (my wife was home with him).
He was apoplectic about the damage and that nothing has been done yet.
Last estimate I said was $40,000 right? This guy according to my wife sees more than he saw. Can't believe temporary supports weren't installed and that the main beam is lower at this end of the house!
He's getting concrete company and getting a home inspector back over there.
So far so good
Great! Now get a response from Liberty Mutual. This won't go anywhere without getting them involved. Get the manager on the phone.
carknut,
No disrespect to the years of agency experience you have. It's fantastic. But there's often a disconnect between agents understanding of claims and policies and how claims are really handled. While you aren't wrong that LM will subrogate and that he could go to the tortfeasor, at this point in the process, I can assure you that probably isn't the best bet. It'll just make things worse, as he has to start at square one and they would be asking a lot of questions. I'll defer to you on rates, as I'm not an underwriter or agent, but typically not at fault accidents don't effect rates, especially when the claim is still in active subrogation. Don't see any challenges for OP at this point with that angle.
Unquestionably, this claim hasn't gone as it should. As I've said repeatedly, no idea why and where it went wrong, as I can't see LMs file and only going off what I'm reading here. But to me, there's a clear and direct way to get this back on track.
I have just read this thread cover to cover, and Im seeing 2 specific pieces of advice that I have not seen any action on.
Ebonyandivory, have you:
Maybe Im jut missing it, but I think there are some specific things that need to be done, but arent because the whole thing seems overwhelming, and moving the process in a specific direction can be difficult when the world is falling on your head. I know that Ive been in a situation or 3 in the past where I wasnt sure what to do, and that caused me to do everything BUT what I should have done, or at least not in the right order.
Also, I may have missed it, but, did the $12k check from LM say "This is the entirety of the money youre going to get from LM"? Or was it an initial estimate, leaving room for supplements as scope of work was adjusted when things got underway?
It sucks hard that this happened to you, and it sucks harder that keeping up on simply being made whole has become a full time job, but that is reality. If only way to win is through absurd diligence, then diligence it must be.
OP, sorry for the rant/threadjack. If this is not appropriate to the thread, mods can move/delete as needed,but I feel this is relevant, and I want to bring it up...
Klayfish wrote: ...there's often a disconnect between agents understanding of claims and policies and how claims are really handled...
This is a huge red flag for me. I shouldnt have to comb thru the organization to find someone who can help me. The Agent is who is my contact. I dont go to the beef farmer when my steak is undercooked, I ask the waiter to fix it, and he does. Insurance really should be no different. Im a customer. When I have an issue, my customer service person should at least know enough to be helpful. Being in the way shouldnt even be an option.The agent is my liaison to those within the company that generate value for me, I write you a check each month for a reason. That agent should be facilitating that trade of value. They should be a conduit through whom that value is transferred, not a talking head to insulate the claim handler from me. The utility of the claim handler is what I pay you for. If the agent cannot help me appropriately, why is he part of the equation in the first place?
In reply to 4cylndrfury:
1) yes, we've spoken to adjusters supervisors and they claimed to be upset at the lack of responsiveness. We then soon after got a call-back. But again, things have stalled.
2) Private adjuster and LM adjuster were together at the scene. LM adjuster claims Private adjuster settled on $28,000 and Private adjuster denies that he did (another wtf right?)
The good news is things seem to, as of this afternoon, to have changed or will very likely change in our favor with this new contractor on the scene
ebonyandivory wrote: In reply to 4cylndrfury: 1) yes, we've spoken to adjusters supervisors and they claimed to be upset at the lack of responsiveness. We then soon after got a call-back. But again, things have stalled. 2) Private adjuster and LM adjuster were together at the scene. LM adjuster claims Private adjuster settled on $28,000 and Private adjuster denies that he did (another wtf right?) The good news is things seem to, as of this afternoon, to have changed or will very likely change in our favor with this new contractor on the scene
Awesome, glad to hear it! Like I said, it sucks that you have to resort to borderline harassment to get things done, but if thats what it takes, then harass away!
It'll be interesting now because a fiend (who wasn't padding the estimate per se) came up with $40,000 and our contractor who we hired now seems to feel he'll need to exceed that number!
4cylndrfury wrote: OP, sorry for the rant/threadjack. If this is not appropriate to the thread, mods can move/delete as needed,but I feel this is relevant, and I want to bring it up...Klayfish wrote: ...there's often a disconnect between agents understanding of claims and policies and how claims are really handled...This is a huge red flag for me. I shouldnt have to comb thru the organization to find someone who can help me. The Agent is who is my contact. I dont go to the beef farmer when my steak is undercooked, I ask the waiter to fix it, and he does. Insurance really should be no different. Im a customer. When I have an issue, my customer service person should at least know enough to be helpful. Being in the way shouldnt even be an option.The agent is my liaison to those within the company that generate value for me, I write you a check each month for a reason. That agent should be facilitating that trade of value. They should be a conduit through whom that value is transferred, not a talking head to insulate the claim handler from me. The utility of the claim handler is what I pay you for. If the agent cannot help me appropriately, why is he part of the equation in the first place?
So when you buy a brand new car and it breaks, you have the salesman fix it, right? That's the analogy you're drawing. Agents sell policies. Adjusters handle claims. Underwriters set rates. Sure, the new car salesman will probably try to talk to the service department to say "help my customer", but you can be sure he/she has no clue what the difference between a wrench and an angle grinder is.
So, contractor in one afternoon has gotten farther than we've gotten in 7 months in some respects:
He emailed me a Spec Sheet with everything he feels at this point that needs to be fixed (including a porta-potty for his crew) to look over and get back to him with anything I can add.
I added that the interior door that leads to the damaged area of the house will soon become an "exterior door" once the house is opened up. He replied right away that he'd write in a temporary lockable door.
He's also is getting a different inspector to come as he was concerned that the main support beam has dropped and pointed out three places the house should've been supported.
He even included getting funds for labor to empty the room of furniture and store it.
I can explain some of this lost time and aggravation on the private adjuster and how unprofessional and aloof he seemed to be but all the calls Liberty Mutual has failed to return before AND after we fired the adjuster is still pissing me off.
This contractor (who I knew all along but wanted to have a friend get some work) is not a guy who's going to be passive.
He has an official policy of "one job at a time" and I've seen that to be true.
In fact, we had commented on a heavily fire-damaged house near us and how nicely and quickly it came out.
Turned out it was Sweeney Construction, our new contractor!
Glad to see my buddy's advice is getting you somewhere at least! Keep up the progress and stay on Liberty Mutual too.
Sorry OP, if we need this split off, thats fine by me...
Klayfish wrote:4cylndrfury wrote: OP, sorry for the rant/threadjack. If this is not appropriate to the thread, mods can move/delete as needed,but I feel this is relevant, and I want to bring it up...So when you buy a brand new car and it breaks, you have the salesman fix it, right? That's the analogy you're drawing. Agents sell policies. Adjusters handle claims. Underwriters set rates. Sure, the new car salesman will probably try to talk to the service department to say "help my customer", but you can be sure he/she has no clue what the difference between a wrench and an angle grinder is.Klayfish wrote: ...there's often a disconnect between agents understanding of claims and policies and how claims are really handled...This is a huge red flag for me. I shouldnt have to comb thru the organization to find someone who can help me. The Agent is who is my contact. I dont go to the beef farmer when my steak is undercooked, I ask the waiter to fix it, and he does. Insurance really should be no different. Im a customer. When I have an issue, my customer service person should at least know enough to be helpful. Being in the way shouldnt even be an option.The agent is my liaison to those within the company that generate value for me, I write you a check each month for a reason. That agent should be facilitating that trade of value. They should be a conduit through whom that value is transferred, not a talking head to insulate the claim handler from me. The utility of the claim handler is what I pay you for. If the agent cannot help me appropriately, why is he part of the equation in the first place?
Thats really not my analogy. If we are taking cars: I dont expect the salesman to fix my leaking radiator. I expect the mechanic to fix it. But, I expect the customer service rep who scheduled my appointment with the mechanic to be able to tell me what is going on when I ask how things are going, and give me a direct, and honest answer. And to be able to outline what is going to be done while Im in, and when I can expect to get my car back. At the very least, I expect that if things DONT go the way they should, and I accept that things dont always go as planned, that I get a call to keep me informed about what went wrong, and what the next steps are. The COMPANY should proactively be in contact with me, the CUSTOMER, without whom, the rep would not exist. I expect that rep should be able to explain things to me in a way that I can understand. Basically, theyre my contact with the person whos actually doing the work. I dont expect them know exactly which wrench, or how many ft/lbs is required to do the job. I do expect them to know enough about how the shop works enough to answer my questions about whats happening, whats next, and when things are supposed to be done. I dont think thats asking too much.
I can accept that an insurance agent is not an expert in claims, or adjusting. But, their understanding of the process should be competent enough to give me the cliffs notes, accurately. I shouldnt have to beg and plead and call eleventeen times over half the calendar just to understand what is happening. If their role is customer service, they should provide that to me. If they cant, then why are they there? I definitely expect that I shouldnt have to go thru seven levels of hell when I, the CUSTOMER, have written dozens and dozens of checks in advance of service I might need one day, when I actually do need it. If there werent customers, paying money, there would be no companies, employing people. I have worked in enough retail and customer facing roles to understand that customers often may have expectations about the service they plan to receive that exceed the service they actually pay for. But, I dont think this is the situation for the OP.
Klayfish, I dont mean to direct my frustration towards you. I know that you are helping, out of the goodness of your heart - youre not on the clock here, you have no ties to Ebonyandivory. You come across as extraordinarily competent at what you do, and I wish the industry was full of you. Unfortunately, it most definitely is not. Its very likely that this situation is just another example of "one bad apple spoiling the basket". But Ive had similar experiences to the OP, and the 2 or 3 jokers in the insurance industry that Ive had to deal with have left a bad taste in my mouth for the whole lot.
I'm not taking it personally, no worries. When you spend 20 years in claims, you get really thick skin... 
But reality is agents don't understand claims and really shouldn't be the go between, as they often just get in the way. You are 110% right that it's unacceptable for calls to be unreturned and a claim to be going on this long. It's not the norm, and it's not right. Claims people should return phone calls, period. Wish I knew what the root of this issue was. Perhaps it is an adjuster who isn't very good...there are people like that in all lines of work, claims is no different. That doesn't excuse anything, it just is what it is. The agent really shouldn't need to get involved, that's the responsibility of the claims department. If they failed, that's on them. And the agent won't be able to fix it, claim leadership needs to. I can assure you that when a complaint about poor customer service gets to senior leadership, it ALWAYS gets prompt and clear attention...they are dead serious about customer service.
Reality also is that this isn't a typical claim experience. Unfortunately, boards are mostly posted about negative experiences, because that's the perception of claims. For every one horrid one you hear about, there are 100 that you never know even existed. We have claims go sideways where I work, it's never anything we want to happen, but for various reasons from time to time it does. The other truth is that most people either don't understand the concept of insurance or how it really works. That leads to confusion, frustration and misinformation being spread. Again, much of that falls on the claims department to fully explain the process, but believe me when I tell you it's uphill sledding at best, or pissing into the wind at worst.
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