We Need HELP with Our INSURANCE!!!!

[nimzi]

Ok, I have made big mistakes and I am looking for ways to right them. My wife and I have had ASSURANT renters insurance for about 6 months now and I was considering canceling because we are the among the lowest class in the country when we got robbed! I was thankful that I had not canceled when this happened but I wish I had canceled earlier to save the little money we paid to this stupid insurance company.

Our Problems.....

I am a tech freak so before we got married I spent all my money buying gadgets even though I have sold most of them now.

The robbers broke in and took our TV, PS3, Laptop, iPod Touch, iPad, all my Games (about 24), a wrist Watch, four controllers for the PS3, one Nike Jordans. They didnt go in the other room if not they would have taken all my shoes as that is where I keep them all.

When we came home that night we called the cops and they were the ones who came into the house first. And they did all the processing. After they left we called the insurance company on Monday because this happened on a Saturday. They accepted our claim and gave us the claim number. They had my wife explain everything while they recorded.

Now they said they needed proof of ownership. These could either be receipts or photos. I knew I had photos but they were all on the computer that was stolen! So I got a letter from my previous bank that said they couldn't give me a statement because I had closed my account with them. I printed statements from my present bank account and just highlighted every walmat sales I saw on the statement and faxed everything to the insurance company. After about 2 weeks of review they contact me saying most of my purchases are recent so I need to go to Walmart and get the receipts. I went to0 walmart they told me it would take them at least 2 weeks to get receipts. At this point I gave up on the claim because; 1, the receipts Walmart would have would not contain the missing items. While i was thinking about this I remembered that I had dropbox on my computer whre I saved all my photos so most if not all our photos would be in Drobbox's servers in the cloud. I raced to the library and logged on to dropbox and there they were. Most of our photos so I got a few and emailed to the Lady in charge of our case so she told us she would review it and get back to us which she didn't until we called her back. Now she insists that we must provide the walmart receipts for her to process our claims.

Where We Need Help.

I know for a fact that most of our items were items I bought before we got married! And these items were bought with my old card that has been closed. I have the reciepts for the PS3 and maybe 3 games. That is all the receipts I have. I have photos of the other items. I want to know if any one knows what I can do. Walmart will most likely give me the receipts this week. Should i send them to the lady even though they are not items from the burglary and say I thought they were items from the burglary? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We paid the insurance bills through our noses.... Most times we starved to pay and now it is time for them to have our back they dont want to. We only have this insurance because Geico said it makes our vehicle insurance cheap. Thanks everyone for the help

 

[djs]

I can't speak to a specific carriers requirement for processing claims. In general though, carriers will normally accept proof of ownership in the form of photos for 'normal stuff'. When things get out of hand, for instance, more than normal tech stuff for your income level, they may ask for more proof.

Think of it this way. If you are an investment banker and said you had 5 suits worth $2000 each stolen, this would probably fit. If you were a plumber and had 5 suits for $2000 each stolen, it would raise a flag. It might not be denied, but they would ask more questions.

You may be at the point they are asking more questions. Don't panic over it, its to help keep fraud down.

Many of these types of claims go to a special group called special investigations. Burglaries this time of year tend to go there, which may consist of nothing more than a recorded statement from you and a review of the police report, or it may be much more involved, just depends on what indicators are seen by the investigator. Don't worry about this either, its part of the process.

Yes, they will pay the claim, once they have verified the claim. It just might take a week or 2. They may meddle in your business a bit more than you would like them to in the meantime though.

Nobody I know of has reciepts for everything they own. Heck, probably very little of what they own. If you don't have receipts, tell them this and have them give you alternatives to what proof you can provide.

Dan

 

[Ron Van D]

Owners manuals will usually do the trick.

 

[danika]

Owners manuals do not indicate the cost of the item at time of purchase.

 

[djs]

No, but the cost of the item when you bought it isn't that relevant. Everything is based on the cost to replace it, which can be established.

Receipts are just used to show that you actually bought it. Showing owners manuals is a good indicator. Since receipts don't always indicate what the item was, there isn't much difference.

If this policy was used to provide auto discount, then its probably an actual cash value policy, not replacement cost policy, anyway.

Dan

 

[Josh]

Forgive me, but there does seem to be a disconnect when you say you're "among the lowest class" and you list the expensive electronics you had stolen.

Because you don't have receipts or pictures, you're throwing up some flags when you're listing all of the stuff that was stolen, and you lost me at wristwatch. Please help me clarify if I'm misunderstanding here, but I believe that when you say "among the lowest class" you're claiming you have a low income. If that is indeed true, it's confusing to an adjuster why you have a TV, PS3, 24 games (claiming around $50 each on the average?) , PS3 controllers, iPad, iPod touch, laptop, etc. Just quoting from above, you said:

We paid the insurance bills through our noses.... Most times we starved to pay and now it is time for them to have our back they dont want to.

I don't think they would have necessarily balked at a TV, playstation and a laptop, but a good adjuster should want to pry a little deeper if you're claiming to be as poor as you and are then claiming that you had a small electronics store worth of merchandise stolen. I'm not saying that you're lying, but if 100 people told me the same story you're telling us, I'd know at least half of them were lying, it just wouldn't be immediately apparent which ones. Some undoubtedly would be telling the truth too.

 

[NCAgent]

Assurant renters policies sound like you just got one as a requirement to get into an apartment, right? Or am I thinking incorrectly here? So this is one of those lower liability (50k or so) renters that you can exclude contents coverage if you chose to, right? Those are huge in the Charlotte area.

They are going to ask you some questions about what you have because it is easy to just throw 1-2 more items in there that seem reasonable. For example, the PS3 could be reasonable and 5-7 games, but 24 games they are going to ask some questions.

Photos should work. They want as much as possible here because photos sometimes don't tell the whole story. But as mentioned, if you have photos of items that are in your household or something similar you should be fine.

For future record: Go through your house with a video camera and look at all of your items. Go over the furniture, clothes, bedroom set, collectibles, jewelry, and everything. And for instances like yours, keep a copy of the photos and videos with your insurance agent as well. That way, if something happens then he/she will have a copy as well. This is one of the benefits to having a local insurance agent.

If you need help with a qualified insurance agent in the NC area then let me know and I can give you a call or shoot you an e-mail. I've seen this happen a few times and will give you $.02 if necessary. That assurant renters is nice as an addition to getting a lease for an apartment or with a property management company, but you will be very sad the day you have to use it.

 

[GeminiGroup]

Forgive me, but there does seem to be a disconnect when you say you're "among the lowest class" and you list the expensive electronics you had stolen.

Because you don't have receipts or pictures, you're throwing up some flags when you're listing all of the stuff that was stolen, and you lost me at wristwatch. Please help me clarify if I'm misunderstanding here, but I believe that when you say "among the lowest class" you're claiming you have a low income. If that is indeed true, it's confusing to an adjuster why you have a TV, PS3, 24 games (claiming around $50 each on the average?) , PS3 controllers, iPad, iPod touch, laptop, etc. Just quoting from above, you said:



I don't think they would have necessarily balked at a TV, playstation and a laptop, but a good adjuster should want to pry a little deeper if you're claiming to be as poor as you and are then claiming that you had a small electronics store worth of merchandise stolen. I'm not saying that you're lying, but if 100 people told me the same story you're telling us, I'd know at least half of them were lying, it just wouldn't be immediately apparent which ones. Some undoubtedly would be telling the truth too.

*Warning* For those that are easily offended by hearing it the way it "tis" please adjust your dial or skip my post, you've been warned.

Josh called many of the red flags that I'd see you're "inviting" as I highlighted above.

Plus I'd add that having such a claim within 6 months is a flag (not that anyone can predict a legit robbery) especially with loads of toys (no mention of kids) if your "ants in the pants..I wanted to cancel this thing all along" attitude is somehow conveyed, the adjuster will continue to triple-check every nook and cranny.(It feels like, waiting for a payday)

You could be a total victim but the insurance company's fraud section wouldn't be doing a good job if they didn't look twice at a grown "broke" married man, per your description.
That claims "they took our TV, PS3, Laptop, iPod Touch, iPad, all my Games(about 24),...four controllers for the PS3, one Nike Jordans. ...in the other room ....(they)would have taken all my shoes... (not kids, mine?)

Sorry, sir it doesn't sound reasonable that a "broke" grown-ass newlywed man would/should have 24 games and 4 controllers to play with toys plus a room full of Air-Jordans....on paper it sounds more like a teenage fantasy, just saying.

(Or a person that chooses to be "poor" based on "poor" choices)


***Granted a man with the financial means and an understanding wife can do what ever the hell he wants but...He can't cry!!!

1) I'm too broke to pay the premiums on my TOYS.
( I mean, we all bitch that prices are too high (that's just talk) but to claim starvation means you're too broke to:
a) have the luxury, not to sale some of that crap or
b) keep spending the little money you do get like a child.

Bottom line is if your behavior looked normal NO BIG DEAL but if it looks more like Tom Hanks in "Big" either the person is more likely a cheat or not just not that bright, either way he's getting "special" processing.

*Calling 'em, like I see 'em, for over 20 years and counting

 

[nimzi]

*Warning* For those that are easily offended by hearing it the way it "tis" please adjust your dial or skip my post, you've been warned.

Josh called many of the red flags that I'd see you're "inviting" as I highlighted above.

Plus I'd add that having such a claim within 6 months is a flag (not that anyone can predict a legit robbery) especially with loads of toys (no mention of kids) if your "ants in the pants..I wanted to cancel this thing all along" attitude is somehow conveyed, the adjuster will continue to triple-check every nook and cranny.(It feels like, waiting for a payday)

You could be a total victim but the insurance company's fraud section wouldn't be doing a good job if they didn't look twice at a grown "broke" married man, per your description.
That claims "they took our TV, PS3, Laptop, iPod Touch, iPad, all my Games(about 24),...four controllers for the PS3, one Nike Jordans. ...in the other room ....(they)would have taken all my shoes... (not kids, mine?)

Sorry, sir it doesn't sound reasonable that a "broke" grown-ass newlywed man would/should have 24 games and 4 controllers to play with toys plus a room full of Air-Jordans....on paper it sounds more like a teenage fantasy, just saying.

(Or a person that chooses to be "poor" based on "poor" choices)


***Granted a man with the financial means and an understanding wife can do what ever the hell he wants but...He can't cry!!!

1) I'm too broke to pay the premiums on my TOYS.
( I mean, we all bitch that prices are too high (that's just talk) but to claim starvation means you're too broke to:
a) have the luxury, not to sale some of that crap or
b) keep spending the little money you do get like a child.

Bottom line is if your behavior looked normal NO BIG DEAL but if it looks more like Tom Hanks in "Big" either the person is more likely a cheat or not just not that bright, either way he's getting "special" processing.

*Calling 'em, like I see 'em, for over 20 years and counting

For everyone's info, I am 22..... I may be married that don't mean I'm an old man. I still have atleast 18 shoes if they want to come and see our apartment. I also still have 2 extra controllers after the 4 controllers they stole. I know these things are too much but when I was single I had everything. It was after my marriage I changed my way of life. At a point I had about 4 tablets all to myself. So no I have no reason to lie. I have pictures of my iPad, the TV, the laptop, no pictures of the games but i have had the ps3 for 2 years and you say 24 games is not a possibility. I didnt add the games I bought online as I had atleast 9 of those. Which brings total of games to 33.

I had a life before I got married and these gadgets were the life I had. Just trying to clarify things with everyone who had doubts about my claims. If I hadn't closed my other account I will provide bank statements with over 20k spend in two months.

A quick question, do you think I should submit the reciepts from Walmart even though they don't contain anything from the robbery as that is the only thing they said is holding our claims from goin through.

 

[djs]

A quick question, do you think I should submit the reciepts from Walmart even though they don't contain anything from the robbery as that is the only thing they said is holding our claims from goin through.

No. Any fraud on your part can cause the claim to be denied, or at least substantially delayed.
Submit what you have as proof of what you had.

Dan