how to keep homeowners policy as executor

[dumpsterfire]

I haven't moved from the spot I have been in for almost 1 week because of this nightmare. I trusted the agent on my father's policy to do what she said she would do if I sent the documents she asked for. I am about to have a nervous breakdown because of this mess and I don't know what to do.

My father had continuous homeowners insurance with the same company for decades. Perfect payment history, no claims, no late payments, way over-covered, very conservative financially, took no risks, made sure everything was in order and on track. When he died, I notified (in writing) both the insurance company and the local agent listed on the policy. I have never dealt with any of these things – never used an agent, never owned a house, never had homeowners insurance, never been an executor, etc….and I told them both this and said I would be relying on them to tell me what I needed to do and I would do it. The only thing I said was imperative was that there absolutely could not be any loss or lapse in coverage between the time of my father’s death and the end of probate when the names on the title/deed and with the county courts had been changed. I sent the documents they told me to – the death certificate, the copy of the will showing me as executor and I even included my driver’s license with the insured address showing I had been living there full-time since coming to be my father’s caregiver. Got an email saying they received the documents. Thought it was done. Then a couple of weeks ago I got a renewal bill which was great because I wanted to just renew it and keep everything as it had been. But upon looking at it – nothing had changed from how it had been for years while my father was alive. No mention of me, no mention of “estate”, no mention of any added or additional insured. So knowing that the policy coverage ended at the end of June (I had started notifying them way back in early March so that there would be time to deal with any surprises), I started to grow more and more anxious at not getting any replies or responses. I must have sent 30 emails and made 30 phone calls and nobody ever got back to me. Finally – last FRIDAY at 430pm when all the insurance offices and agents offices were closing for the weekend – with less than 1 week to go before the policy ended I get a short rude generic email from some woman I had never heard of saying that the policy would be canceled due to non-payment at the end of this month. So from yesterday (Monday) morning at 9am all the way through this minute – including being so upset that I got no sleep at all since last Thursday and had to worry about it all weekend – I have tried to get a clear answer and/or explanation of what the problem was, and what I am supposed to do and/or what I should have done differently. Nobody will tell me a damn thing – they all say that they can’t discuss the policy with me because I am not listed as an insured. This, even after having provided them with all the documents they asked for. I am under extreme pressure from the other beneficiary and the HOA here to provide proof that I am fulfilling my obligations as executor by not allowing any loss or lapse in coverage. Nobody will help, the people whose job it is literally to know about this stuff and help answer questions – won’t give me any advice and now as of the latest all-day-hell of sitting here by the phone waiting for them to call back – they say they still need more time to “investigate” and they will call back by the end of business tomorrow. My question is – How am I supposed to get coverage on this house – which I MUST have – as the executor? And how can I get the current company to provide me with either documentation that the house HAS BEEN continuously covered from the time of my father’s death until now OR a pro-rated refund if it has NOT? Since they will not even tell me anything and won’t recognize me as being authorized to deal with them on this policy? The most pressing question is - should I pay the premium bill in the next 24 hours or not? I don't want to have the policy canceled due to non-payment, but I also don't want to send the company $6000 for no coverage and not know what happens to it.

 

[adjusterjack]

should I pay the premium bill in the next 24 hours or not?

Yes, pay the premium. That's all the insurance company cares about. You should have paid it when you got the bill. All your talk and paperwork meant nothing.

As for not being able to talk to you because you are not the named insured, did you go to the probate court and get what is called "letters testamentary" which confirms you officially as executor?

If you don't have that, then they are correct not to deal with you due to privacy issues.

Once you have that official "legal" confirmation, you will have the authority to discuss the insurance.

Pay it now.

 

[dumpsterfire]

When I first notified them - in writing way back in March, I made abundantly, excruciatingly, repeatedly clear that what I was asking about ONLY this temporary, interim time period between the time of my father's death and the END of what could be (and in some cases IS) a very lengthy probate process. I explained that - there is no formal administration happening, and that I would acquire and provide whatever documents they needed - provided they gave me enough time to do so (back in March with 4 months to go before this policy expired for the year). There are no assets going into probate. Literally the only reason that I have to even contact the county court probate division is to have the property declared homestead - which it has been for my father for 30 years that he's lived in this house. I was told that this declaration - because the house is exempt from probate due to it being homestead property - was all that I needed from the court. However, even if I was needing, planning, and requesting letters of administration, they would not be done until probate was finished. So my question is - HOW is someone supposed to get or continue existing coverage WHILE this process is going on and BEFORE it is completed. Because once it is completed, my name will be on the deed and I will just get my own policy in my own name - separate from my deceased father. That is not the case now and won't be for weeks or months. I have written documentation (emails) that show the agent telling me back in March that "all that she needed was the death certificate and a copy of the will showing me as executor", and of course I have the emails both that show I sent those items as well as her written acknowledgement that "she'll have my name added as an additional insured".

 

[Al3x Lee]

Is the agent's office located nearby? It sounds like a situation that might be better handled in person. I agree with @adjusterjack , get the bill paid.

Also, the 'rude' generic email is usually a courtesy of the agency. It's probably one of the service staff who has no idea who you are. Florida is in the top two worst insurance markets in the USA right now. They potentially have thousands of policies to process. Your username is actually extremely fitting for what it probably looks like inside that insurance agency currently.

I sympathize with your situation, it's definitely tough, but take a step back and take a deep breath, and try to remain calm. I can tell you're stressed, but overreacting won't solve the problem.

Let's examine the facts

I trusted the agent on my father's policy to do what she said she would do if I sent the documents she asked for.
I told them ~ I would be relying on them to tell me what I needed to do and I would do it.
That's a risky move, especially if you don't know the agent and their experience/capabilities.

The only thing I said was imperative was that there absolutely could not be any loss or lapse in coverage between the time of my father’s death and the end of probate when the names on the title/deed and with the county courts had been changed.
It sounds like there hasn't been a coverage lapse, so if that's the only imperative, the agent has held up their end of the bargain

I must have sent 30 emails and made 30 phone calls and nobody ever got back to me.
30? Either you're exaggerating or this is the worst agency of all time. Did it go to voicemail all 30 times?

being so upset that I got no sleep at all since last Thursday and had to worry about it all weekend
Sounds like you're going for a world record. I'm surprised you're able to type out this post since the hallucinations should have taken over by now. Unless you're once again exaggerating

Nobody will tell me a damn thing – they all say that they can’t discuss the policy with me because I am not listed as an insured.
Was this over the phone that they told you they couldn't discuss it with you? Phone call #31 finally connected I'm guessing?

Forgive my sarcasm, it's just who I am, but you need to get some sleep and stress out a bit less over this. Worst case scenario, you get a mean email from the HOA or other beneficiary, at which point you can produce your 30 emails and phone records, showing that you're doing everything in your power to get this over the finish line.

If I were in your shoes, I would walk into the agent's office and politely ask them for time to meet over this. That's assuming they're within range and truly aren't answering their phone. It sounds like you need someone to sit down with you and walk through this.

 

[fed up]

Just pay the bill and keep the property insured. Probate can take months, or years if someone feels they are being cheated. Changing the named insured and Dec page really should not be if concern right now AND some carriers will only allow an "Estate of John Doe" to be on the books for a short time before the policy is non-renewed.

 

[dumpsterfire]

Thank you for the replies. I am not exaggerating when I say I've been working on this, online, via emails, on the phone for days. I haven't slept, I ran out of food 3 days ago, haven't been outside. The reason I contacted the company directly was that the agent (office is 45 miles away) seems totally incompetent. Her emails are full of spelling errors, she doesn't seem to have read any of the details I have provided her, she hasn't answered questions I have asked and when she has answered them, the information was wrong. She sent me a nasty email yelling at me for contacting both the company and other people in her office - as if to imply I was going to get her in trouble. She claims that because I notified the company of my father's death, they are cancelling the policy. But I have not received anything from the company other than something saying the policy will be canceled when the premium is not paid (no kidding - that doesn't tell me anything). She asked for a bunch of information and detail on the house 2 days ago, 48 hours before this policy may or may not be ending and I told her that this is not my house, I don't know all those details, and that the reason I was trying to keep everything the same was precisely because the company and her should already know more about the house than I do because they've had it covered for 12 years and know all the measurements, age, construction, wind mitigation, etc.....that I have no idea about. I am just terrified that if I pay this $6k right now, that it won't result in gaining anything. Thanks again for the replies.

 

[Al3x Lee]

I haven't slept, I ran out of food 3 days ago, haven't been outside.

Is this really all over the insurance? It sounds like you're grieving the death of your father, which is understandable. You need to call a friend or family member and talk to them. Tell them you need food if you're too depressed to get it yourself, depression grieving can be debilitating.

The reason I contacted the company directly was that the agent (office is 45 miles away) seems totally incompetent. Her emails are full of spelling errors, she doesn't seem to have read any of the details I have provided her, she hasn't answered questions I have asked and when she has answered them, the information was wrong.

That's part of what I was getting at in my first reply. As much as the public wants to believe insurance agents are all intelligent professionals, it only takes 40 hours of studying and an exam in most states to get a P&C license. Not all agents are competent, in fact, many are not.

I am just terrified that if I pay this $6k right now, that it won't result in gaining anything.

Just pay it, the insurance industry is heavily regulated, they can't take your money and hold it hostage in exchange for nothing. You have much more to gain than to lose.

 

[dumpsterfire]

Thank you A.L.
What makes me so upset is that on my very first contact with both the company and the agent, I told them that I didn't know anything about this stuff. Never dealt with an insurance agent of any kind in my life, never owned property, never involved in probate, never been the executor, etc...... I assumed that I could not change agents without screwing up or rocking the policy boat itself - which I did not want to risk. There are agents for this company (Florida Peninsula) literally located all around walking distance from this house so I have no idea how or why my father ever got involved with this company or this agency so far away. My understanding is that the original agent retired and this woman took over in his or her place last year. She was really pissed that I contacted the company directly - but like I said, that's all I've ever done with any sort of insurance before (car, health for example) and the company plasters their customer service email all over the place and says to contact them with any questions or concerns. I have already told the FL dept of insurance all about my complaints about this agent so keeping her is going to be awkward at best.

 

[Al3x Lee]

Thank you A.L.
What makes me so upset is that on my very first contact with both the company and the agent, I told them that I didn't know anything about this stuff. Never dealt with an insurance agent of any kind in my life, never owned property, never involved in probate, never been the executor, etc...... I assumed that I could not change agents without screwing up or rocking the policy boat itself - which I did not want to risk. There are agents for this company (Florida Peninsula) literally located all around walking distance from this house so I have no idea how or why my father ever got involved with this company or this agency so far away. My understanding is that the original agent retired and this woman took over in his or her place last year. She was really pissed that I contacted the company directly - but like I said, that's all I've ever done with any sort of insurance before (car, health for example) and the company plasters their customer service email all over the place and says to contact them with any questions or concerns. I have already told the FL dept of insurance all about my complaints about this agent so keeping her is going to be awkward at best.

Your dad could have purchased insurance long ago with a small, local, independent agent. There are a lot of those that get merged, bought up, and absorbed. I have customers who have been passed down through 4-5 different purchased agencies and their original agent is either retired or dead. Most of them have no idea how I became their agent.


That agency you mentioned looks pretty large, so I bet that's what happened.

It sounds like you may have this relationship until the house is in your name. Definitely a bit awkward, but at that point you can move on.

 

[dumpsterfire]

I actually did not know until researching it about an hour ago that you could change agents without changing the policy as long as the insurance company worked through both agencies. That would have definitely been something I should have and would have done with this renewal (assuming I pay the bill in the next 5 hours as you all are advising). I just went to the insurance agent company's website and the woman I have been dealing with there is titled "Operations & Customer Service Manager" which is hilarious. The thought of this woman getting a cent off of this $6k renewal makes me ill.