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American Family Insurance
I just had to let everyone know (not sure if this is the right place?)...
Just over a month ago, we went looking for new house and auto insurance, found the best deal at American Family, so we signed up. 2 weeks later, they came and took pictures and the agent called and said that they said the back yard was too messy and that we had 2 weeks to clean it up. We got it all cleaned up and 1 1/2 weeks after notifying us - they dropped our home owner insurance stating that "showed various debris and appliances on premises: (there were never any appliances).. Also that the detached shed had paint peeling (not brought up at all before now) - got that letter on saturday and, I guess they are very serious because today I got a refund in the mail. I have been trying both by phone and email to get a hold of my agent but I guess he is not accepting calls right now.
I just thought that others should be warned - I only saw 1 other complaint like it on the internet and that was from someone with a pool - maybe that is why? we also have a pool. Very frustrating!
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03-14-2011 01:22 PM
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I've never heard of them,but had something similar happen a few years after I moved in. I got insurance with another agency, they came out and took pics of the property, and turned me down because I didn't have a step out my back door. I hadn't put a deck/patio on yet, and it was about 18'' from the door to the ground, and they freaking declined me. What a joke.
I have State Farm now, and have the best agent ever!
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We are heading to State farm on thursday although she told me that being turned down 'does' leave a black mark on your record but to bring pictures and they will see what they can do. I am going to enjoy going in there on friday and canceling my auto insurance with them. (hopefully everything will work out right)
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That stinks!
I have State Farm, have for at least 15 yrs. I LOVE my agent. He has gone above and beyond for me so many times!
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Originally Posted by
madie
We are heading to State farm on thursday although she told me that being turned down 'does' leave a black mark on your record but to bring pictures and they will see what they can do. I am going to enjoy going in there on friday and canceling my auto insurance with them. (hopefully everything will work out right)
If you have a slide or a diving board - remove them before you try to get insurance with any carrier. One of my bosses had to remove both from his pool. He thought since you can't see them from the overhead shots on google maps that it would be ok to put them back on. That worked great except the insurance company actually put a boat in the lake behind his house and took pictures from the shore line. They popped him for the diving board, slide and a trampoline. They are all gone now but he was shocked to see the pictures and we figured out when they were taken - on a Saturday afternoon.
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State Farm here, too. Our agent is the best. She works so hard for us, and our rates are much less than the jerks we had with Farmers. They raised our rates every year. At least $100 at a pop. We have everything with them. Home, car, life. The more you have with them, the better the rates. Multi discounts are sweet.
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We do not have a slide or a diving board however, we do have a trampoline that they say is not a problem (maybe it is an Oregon law? we did increase coverage when we got it). We did have Farmers before and, although it never went up $100, it was always higher by a couple of bucks for this or that and what's with renewal charges - they are suppose to go through some sort of price change so that they can be more competitive in April. Everyone I have spoke with who have State Farm has nothing but good things to say, guess we should have gone there first (hind sight). I just don't understand how a back, fenced in yard and paint on a detached shed can make that big of a difference - the front of the house is clean and the house itself is in good shape including brand new windows and a new roof (only about 4 months old) - no big trees or anything else to be an issue...
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I have All State & had them for years. I had a pipe freeze on me one winter & when the adjuster came & made a walk through of my home & gave me a list of items I needed to take care of one being getting rid of the pool slide & take down my old shed both of which I had planned to do once Spring came. They did give me time to do these but I did have to send picture proof that the items were taken care of.
Want to hear a good one my Mom did...she had an awning blow off her house 3 weeks ago during a snowstorm. Since there wasn't any other damage, no other properties weren't damaged & it was secured place the insurance company put it on a lower priority since this has been a brutal winter up here so the adjuster was coming this Friday to look at the claim. My impatient liitle maternal unit gave the awning away to some kid who rang her doorbell on Sunday. This is the same woman who is too afraid to go out at night, goes into her bedroom at 5:00 & shuts off all her lights..opens up the door to a total stranger. This was a 40' aluminum awning...weighed a ton & she doesn't understand why the insurance company won't now come to see the damage. The damage is gone! It's like having a fender bender, reporting it to insurance & then getting it reapired on your own before the adjuster saw it.
Last edited by sunniekiss; 03-15-2011 at 10:14 AM.
Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your kids.
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Madie, check to see if the paint on the shed is lead paint. That might be the issue. Lead paint abatement has become a total nightmate for us home contractors. The trampoline is considered a attractive nusience so get a lock for your gate.
Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your kids.
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Originally Posted by
sunniekiss
Madie, check to see if the paint on the shed is lead paint. That might be the issue. Lead paint abatement has become a total nightmate for us home contractors. The trampoline is considered a attractive nusience so get a lock for your gate.
We do have locks on the gates and the paint is not lead - we bought the house from the government right when the whole lead paint law went into affect, took them 3 months to test for that darned lead and all was good!
I really do understand that the yard was a mess but they gave us 2 weeks and cancelled before the 2 weeks were up and it was taken care of (I emailed pictures to them) - still haven't gotten a call back or email back from the agent either. It is not exactly painting season but that wasn't brought up at all until the cancellation letter. They just have so much control and you have so little.
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Originally Posted by
madie
We do have locks on the gates and the paint is not lead - we bought the house from the government right when the whole lead paint law went into affect, took them 3 months to test for that darned lead and all was good!
I really do understand that the yard was a mess but they gave us 2 weeks and cancelled before the 2 weeks were up and it was taken care of (I emailed pictures to them) - still haven't gotten a call back or email back from the agent either. It is not exactly painting season but that wasn't brought up at all until the cancellation letter. They just have so much control and you have so little.
Erie was going to cancel on my Mom for non-payment only problem was they were paid in full however the applied one of her payments to the wrong account. She was given 7 days to make another payment plus a $10 late fee. I did that but also included proof that all the checks were cashed. They sent her an apology 3 months later with a "sorry" & check however that check didn't include the late fee. Ticked me off since she wasn't "late".
The issue you have is that you changed insurance companies before you cleanned up your yard. If you were dealing with an insurance company you had for years it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I know while my pool wasn't an issue since I did carry a rider on my policy for it, the lock on the gate was an issue but they did give me several months to correct since not much can be done outside in Januray in Pennsylvania.
My nephew bought a new house last winter & his insurance company gave him the fits because it was an older home that had lead paint on the outside window frames. They didn't care that it was December, he HAD to paint BEFORE they could even move into the house.
Last edited by sunniekiss; 03-15-2011 at 10:26 AM.
Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your kids.
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