Help! I'm getting jerked around by my insurance company...

You will not solve this on your smart phone. Go into your local state farm office. Sit there until they help you.

[quote] Go into your local state farm office. Sit there until they help you.

That's not very much like a good neighbor.

Here is what you MUST do: Do NOT cash any check the insurance company or adjustor gives you, unless or until you are satifised. Cashing/depositing a check form the insurance voids your rights to a higher settlement. Instead, call a company that repairs/replaces heaters, ask for an estimate for a replacement heater, and then have that company contact your insurance for you to tell them the replacement is necessary and due to the reported water damage. The replacement company will argue with the insurance company for you, since it is for the money you will be paying to them and since they are the experts that know what must be done. It's a lot harder for insurance adjustors to argue with the experts doing the work. I found out the hard way the one time I had to file a claim for a damaged roof and the roofer told me he could have gotten the full amount owed me if he had contacted the insurance company before I cashed the check, which only covered half the roof!

Insurance doesn’t cover the replacement of equipment or appliances that have mechanical failures.

Google independent insurance adjusters that represent the insured and usually get an insane amount of money for you if there's substantial damage

[quote] said they'd cover the flooring for water damage. I asked them to cover the heating unit too, for the same reason. I'll pay for the air conditioning.

And can I get a hot tub?

R2 It's exactly what a good neighbor would do. Relate to people in person. Call them on their companies decades old slogan of being a good neighbor. Good neighbors help others in need.

Go to the website of your state's department of insurance, or office of consumer affairs and make a complaint against State Farm. You'll hear back then.

At the same time, find a contractor as R3 suggests but one that has experience dealing with insurance companies.

I read the title of this post as "Help! I"m getting jerked off by my insurance company ..."

OK, update. Apparently my agent putting pressure on my "claims specialist" had some small effect because a very subdued claims specialist actually finally returned my call this morning. Since she never followed through on sending an adjustor to see the damage, I informed her that I called the Heating and cooling company and ask them to send someone . They said they had al ready seen it and could generate a report based on their findings. She had originally told me she needed a technicians report, and I told her they charge $125 just to come out. She was going to send an adjustor, but they never called me to set up an appointment and I called repeatedly to ask about it but went to voice mail. OK. So my Heating and Cooling contractor agreed to have a report together and send it directly to the claims person this afternoon. Then I told her that I understood that they could not cover a claim for the AC and I was paying for it. She said there was no break out on the separate costs for a new heating unit to replace the heating unit that had been damaged by the leak. I told her that I was prepared to paid them for the AC install, and all State Farm had to do is cover the cost of the flooring which she already said was covered for water damage, and the heating unit which was also damaged by the same leak. I thought we finally had some progress. WRONG. She doubles back to say she needed a technicians report on how did we know it wast he AC causing the leak! I told her that had al ready been established and she needed to review her notes and to check with the remediation company who also actually saw the damage. Now, IMO since I am [paying for the AC what happened to it shouldn't be an issue. The water damage to the floor and f urnace was caused by the same source. How can they agree on coverage for the f looring, and give me a hard time on the furnace? THis is SUCH bullshit. Hopefully my HVAC contractor's report, and my agent pressuring them will help. Oh. My "claims specialist said she needed everything by 1:30 today because she is going out of town until next week. And she announced this gleefully. I am SO PISSED OFF.

R10 here. I want to add that the amount in question to split the cost on the heating unit would amount to $5000 from State Farm, and the flooring costs are $7,000. This is not excessive. This is not major. Fuck them.

I don’t understand how your 27-year-old furnace was destroyed by getting wet when it was turned off.

This sounds like an horrific nightmare in every way. R3 sounds like he learned from his experience, though. What he says rings true. Wishing you luck, OP.

R8 is correct. Call your state insurance commissioner’s office and complain. Also consider contacting your state’s attorney-general.

If she’s going out of town, demand that a new agent be assigned to your case.

I knew from the title of your post that your insurance company would be State Farm.

R15, I was just talking to a neighbor, and they also had a nightmare dealing with State Farm. Wow, not such a "good neighbor." UPDATE: OK. First the claims specialist spoke to her manager who denied the claim for the heating unit damage, because "they're all one system not separate." Which makes no sense, right? So I told her she was in error. I told them the AC was on our roof separate from the heating unit which was in a special closet inside my Condo. I also told her that the contractor would definitely be able to install the AC unit separately, but because of the damage to the wiring and the motherboard or WTF ever, and the whole heating system, and because the pricing was better if they were bought together ($1500 less) the original proposal didn't separate them out. My wonderful HVAC Contractor constructed a new proposal to supplement the original in which he breaks down the causes the damage and the costs, and we have now sent it to the claims specialist, who is out of fucking town. I am going to call my agent and insist I be assigned to a different claims person. And I am going to let my contractor fight with them a little. I am fucking exhausted. But I am not giving up. They will not wear this mean queen down.

Good luck, r16!!! State Farm eventually paid for the vandalism damage done to my car. But it took over a month. I heard from a friend of mine that it took State Farm over TWO months too approve repairs to her car after an accident.

[Quote] HVACunit

Well I never!!!

it's been my experience that you might have to hire an attorney to write a letter threatening legal action. Their claims payout is based more upon what their accountants and latest quarterly financials allow.

State Farm lost a lot of money in 2021 and 2022. So maybe they are getting tougher. Their CEO is fine, though, he sends his love . His compensation is in excess of 20+ million annually.

Did you ask for Jake?

Your fault for leaving an AC on 70 when you’re not even there.

[quote] Did you ask for Jake?

Jake at State Farm?

State Farm sucks ass. We had our Catalytic Convertor stolen. We called to file a claim and they said "take it anywhere you want." I specifically asked if we could take it to the dealer and they said ofcourse. So we did. Three days later the dealer called and asked if the insurance company had called us. No they had not. I asked them if they had called the insurance company and they said they had submitted an estimate but did not hear anything. I asked what the estimate was and it was 3500 dollars. Not only was the CC expensive now, they had damaged the whole exhaust system. I called State Farm and got the run around. A week later the dealer called again asking if we wanted the work done because they had to order the parts. They still had not heard from the Insurance company. He told me we were the third CC stolen that week and the other two were in and out, they both had Progressive and they sent out an adjuster that day and he wrote checks on the spot to the dealer. Sooo...a month after we took it in, I am on the phone with State Farm again. They refuse to pay the estimate saying their labor rate is too high and they will only cover 2400. I paused and asked them if they have called the dealer and they said no. I lost it at that point. I said why am I paying you guys? I have to call you, I have to call the dealer, I have to do everything. They hung up. After we finally got it fixed I dropped them like a hot rock and got Progressive.

[quote] After we finally got it fixed I dropped them like a hot rock and got Progressive.

R24, you went with the Flo?

I made 2 claims on my State Farm car insurance last year. Things went pretty smoothly and my premiums remained the same.

I think you have to keep asking your local agent for help with the claims specialist. At some point, you might have to go above the claims specialist's head. Don't get emotional about it, just ask to speak to the "manager" or the next person up the chain. That's all you can do if you are not getting results from the claims specialist.

I think they will pay your claim, less your deductible, of course. You just need to be persistent.

Most insurers suck.

My friend had Allstate for homeowners insurance. One winter a few years ago his garage roof partially collapsed due to snow (despite him clearing it off) and they denied his claim because they believed the garage was already collapsed before. It was not, and why would you cover something you haven't even inspected or seen?

Usually if you make a claim it's almost impossible to switch to another insurer for years without paying outrageous premiums. I wouldn't claim unless my house burnt down.

Cadillac converter.

In my life and I'm medicare eligible, I have filed four claims. 3 for home-related problems and one for the car. I've been with state farm for 12 years. And They're giving me shit. I'm going to keep the pressure on my agent because they seem to know who to call to get a damned result.

R3 R5 and R8 all have wonderful advice that I would suggest following. Maybe send another email telling State farm you are going to proceed with those steps because you have not heard back from them.

Pick your insurer on the basis of claims handling, not price. USAA and Amica are highly rated for handling claims. The mass market ones on TV generally are not well-rated.

USAA is only available to military personnel and their families.

You can get USAA if your parent ever served. They don’t need to be currently serving.

I've never thought about Progressive, but I am going to look into it. R32 that's some great advice.

[quote] [R8] is correct. Call your state insurance commissioner’s office and complain. Also consider contacting your state’s attorney-general.

Do NOT call, you must WRITE. The state tracks written complaints, sends them to insurer and requires a written response. I will be too busy painting my nails to give you any useful info over the phone -- especially if it's payday.

I tried to get USAA but was told I was not eligible because my WWII serving father was enlisted, not an officer.

Boycott State Farm everyone. They can fuck off and go out of business. I hate them too.

Sorry, California: burn, baby, burn.

You gotta give Jake some bussy to get more money