A look at RITA and the insurance companies

[Old Cardinal]

They are saying that the lawyers are going to all get rich over Rita. It seems that the bigger the insurance company and the more they have advertised the worst the payout claim offer will be.
It is kind of strange in that the nice local man or lady with integrity that is your agent is all of a sudden pushed out of the picture and you have to deal with someone(an adjuster) from the home office--with ice water in the veins.!
My opinion is that the smaller the insurance Co. that you have coverage with; the better off that you are. I have mine with TEXAS SELECT out of San Antonio and they were and are just great with everyone I have talked to.
My neighbor who lost his house found out that he was not in good hands with a big insurance co.
Germania and the little one from Yoakum (Hochemin or something like) and other small TXs ones, seemed to actually care and do a fair evaluation and payoff.
It's kind of tragic-- your schiester Lawyer and their schiester Lawyer will probably walk off with most of your money to fix your house.
I think that the Texas Legislature needs to step in; apparently the TX Insurance Board. is in ka-hoots with all the big boy insurance companies.

Another suggestion is get an Independent agent! The agent for a big co. is just a pawn and is totally controlled by those up the ladder.
My independent agent writes for 7 or 8 different companies. That way he has leverage in that he can tell them, "If you don't take care of my people fairly on claims, I will get George or Suzi and their Co. to get your contract next time around!"
These are just my thoughts and I am sure many on here have had better or worst luck in the insurance claim fiasco.
Remember a little Co. with proven integrity and an Independent Agent with some leverage may be what you are looking for.

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by Old Cardinal

Germania .

That's me :) I am an independent Agent - I write with about 7 companies - the predominant of my home insurance is with Germania. With your permission OC - I'd like to copy and paste your post to the Germania Home Office in Brenham

Germania and Hochheim Prairie are Farm Mutual Companies.. they are governed by a Board of Directors not a CEO - They are NOT stock owned companies.

[Supertilley]

Well thats all nice and dandy! Well what if you live in Sabine Pass "flood zone" and no company will touch you. Concider yourself lucky. I would love to even have a mean Ice water man to give me five bucks for where my house used to be.

I don't even want to get stated on FEMA.

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by Supertilley
Well thats all nice and dandy! Well what if you live in Sabine Pass "flood zone" and no company will touch you. Concider yourself lucky. I would love to even have a mean Ice water man to give me five bucks for where my house used to be.

I don't even want to get stated on FEMA.

it is my understanding that the Texas Fair Plan will insure you, but I am not 100% since I don't deal in that area of the state. As for Flood Insurance - it is a separate policy - but the Community has to participate.. most communities in Texas do, but there are a few that don't.

[Old Cardinal]

To 44inarow: Sure you can post this on the wall...I would not want it to go out in any publication however. If I missed anything or made a mistake please correct in a reply.
I sure would like to meet Cuero in football or some other sport and have a meet and greet. You folks seem to have it all together down there!

[Old Cardinal]

To Supertilley: I am sorry you lost your dwelling! Sounds like you have had a rough time.
I am sad to hear that FEMA was a joke down there. They were erratic to say the least over our way. They were fair to some and terrible to others.
The guy that came to my house was a Tilesetter from Alabama. Interesting story, he had an ex-high school Buddy that worked for FEMA. So he took a month vacation and his Buddy "trained" him on the way down. He bragged that he was making $1000 a day. He was no more a FEMA Specialist than I am a Japanese Aviator!
Are you the one that worked at a 7-11 store? Did you lose your job down there? There are plenty of roofing jobs going on around Bridge City just stop and ask whereever a roof job is going on. If they can't use you they will direct you to another roofer that needs some help.
Best of luck to you!

[Hupernikomen]

Yeah I can't imagine what some people are going through right now waiting to find about about whether or not they will be able to rebuild their houses.

One positive I guess is that there is a lot of employment opportunities right now in the Golden Triangle area for those needing work. You hardly go by a marque without seeing a "help wanted" message.

[setex]

I should count my blessings.

FEMA: Had a check wired for 2K 10 days after I registered. After returning to my house they provided ice and food for week. They called and set appointment to inspect my house, 14 days
later, which was yesterday received 1K for my expenses for generator and chain saw.

Good Hands People: After arriving to my house I took pictures and went to Wal-Mart parking lot to meet my Good hands people, showed pictures, 2k for living expenses and food spoilage on the spot.

[johnfx24]

I write for AAA let me know if yall need anything.....

[Matthew328]

I work for a mortgage company and let me tell you I have seen and heard really bad things dealing with Katrina, Rita and Wilma....and the company I have heard the most horror stories from is the good hands people...heard good things about State Farm...

[Paratrooper]

Originally posted by Matthew328
I have heard the most horror stories from is the good hands people...heard good things about State Farm...

Guess the good hands are only for holding out taking the cash every month......lol:D

[SintonFan]

I need to talk to you 44. I'm looking for a new insurance agent.:)

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by SintonFan
I need to talk to you 44. I'm looking for a new insurance agent.:)

check your PM's :)

[shankbear]

Old Bird is a friggin idiot putting all lawyers in the same basket. I bet you good money that he likes HIS lawyer.

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by shankbear
Old Bird is a friggin idiot putting all lawyers in the same basket. I bet you good money that he likes HIS lawyer.

I live across the street from the County Atty and 4 houses down from another local atty.. They are great guys and as far as I know, very good lawyers - I agree 100% - lawyers, like any other profession, has good ones and bad ones

[shankbear]

44, it is sad that anybody would simply shoot from the lip like Old Card does but he has a disconnect between his brain and his keyboard. It is a pity.

[Old Cardinal]

To Shankbear, I know you are an Orange Lawyer now, someone just told me. I do know some Christian lawyers with integrity but they are few and far between. Most are just operating as opportunist parasites on society. The
Trial Lawyers that "bait" stuff to bleed local industry is certainly not some of my favorites. Have a good day.

[Old Cardinal]

To Matt 328: Would you expand on the view from the Mortgage Co.
I know a neighbor that had a 128,000 policy and his house was totaled. His big Co. that he has he had paid into for years offered $18,000. It is not enough even to pay off the existing remainder on the note as I understand it--what happens in a situation like that? Does the Mortagage Co. step in a try to exert leverage?
Matt, I recently bought stock in an incipient little mortgage Co. up your way with the symbol MTGC. See what you can find out about this Co. and PM me please.

[SuusJudex]

Originally posted by Old Cardinal
To Shankbear, I know you are an Orange Lawyer now, someone just told me. I do know some Christian lawyers with integrity but they are few and far between. Most are just operating as opportunist parasites on society. The
Trial Lawyers that "bait" stuff to bleed local industry is certainly not some of my favorites. Have a good day.

I doubt seriously that you actually know very many lawyers at all, and certainly not enough to declare that "most" are doing anything. I would appreciate it if you would knock it off with the lawyer-bashing. It's been beaten to death. You hate us until you need us, then you are never happy when we kill ourselves trying to do something for you. Step out of your padded cell and consider a few more angles for once.

Incidentally, you might consider that juries are made up of ordinary people. The factfinders that bring about these results that you complain about constantly are people just like you, except they are forced to consider ALL the facts in their decisions - not just the one's filtered for you by Faux News.

[DaRaiderz]

I'm a claims representative and just couldn't let this post go without sharing a few thoughts:

I first of all object to the "ice water in the veins" comment about claims reps. Most of us do care and have compassion for the situation our insured's are in. If we seemed a bit out of touch or cold its likely due to the fact that by the time East Texas saw us in early to mid October, we had already been working 7 days a week, 15 hours a day since Katrina hit the first of September. It starts to wear on you.

Second, the Old Card is right about the size of the company and the service you receive. I have worked for a big boy and now a mid size boy and I can tell you that you will be treated MUCH more fairly by the small company from my experience. Im sure there are exceptions but that's the way it is from my experience.

I get such a kick out of the comments about the "good hands" people. Every company I have ever worked for regarded their claims department as the worst out there. If you are ever in an auto accident with one of their insureds, just save yourself the headache and file the claim with you own carrier. I have never had any personal dealings with their property department, but it must be similar.

[Matthew328]

well I know the company I work for will try and assert some leverage with the insurance companies if we can....I work for one of the big boys so with us and the investors doing a bit of leaning I think we can get some things done...I know we are working with our homeowners to come up with solutions to help people....honestly the situation is so big that the mortgage industry as a whole is still trying to get a grasp on it.....incidentally I think as far as my company goes, more than likley people who lost everything and their insurance company didn't help them...more than likely we will end up writting it off....much better to write it off and hope the governement gives you a break than pursue a delinquent h/o and get bad publicity...

On a bad note one insurance company told a h/o that yes they had a hurricane policy...but it had a wind exemption...what in the hell is that?? Wind is what makes a hurricane a hurricane!!!

[sinton66]

hmmmmm, are insurance companies owned by lawyers?:D

[lepfan]

Originally posted by Matthew328
...but it had a wind exemption...what in the hell is that?? Wind is what makes a hurricane a hurricane!!!

That is the craziest thing I have heard of....I think I would have to give them a piece what little bit of mind I had left(not that it would do any good)...my mouth tends to flap a little more with age

[Old Cardinal]

A personal apology to DaRaidevz:
I lumped all Claims Adjusters together and that was wrong. The one I had from Texas Select out of San Antonio was great. It was the BIG BOY Companies like Farmers, Allstate, Farm Bureau etc: that should send their Claims Adjusters to "Charm School" LOL. They left families all over crying!

As to the Lawyers situation...When I was in college I saw the most unscruplous of the students with-- not so good grades-- bail out into Law School. As one up it, "I am going to study Law so I can operate right at the edge and be able to find loop holes to navigate in."
At 64 years of age, I have seen some of these same young like-thinker Lawyers that have become fine Christians in later life. I cherish a number of these Lawyers as good friends.
My problem still remains is that they do not contribute to productivity in any way and instead are a drain on society in all too many ways.
I taught my children and now may grandchilden to never vote for a Lawyer-- be they Republican, Democrat, or Independent for any public office. Their motives are to stall out all progress to keep the clock running for the Lawyers to leech off or milk any situation for more money into their pockets.
I see things a lot differently than when I was young.